The end of Northern rail.

[steam for ever]

Yes it was a pacer. If there was a system to stop the train it was'nt working either.

[ccmmick]

Originally Posted by steam for ever

Yes it was a pacer. If there was a system to stop the train it was'nt working either.

If the doors dont shut the train will not move they have to make a contact to release the brakes if they dont make contact you would be sat there all day.

ccmmick.

[steam for ever]

Well as I said something must have been seriously wrong as the 142 still went. The doors are in two parts of course and I think it was only one segment that did not close. If you are saying that the train can not go or should not go if a door is open then perhaps it is more serious than previously thought? I'm not an expert on the class by any means, I am simply telling you what I saw.

[Tony]

I wonder how many companies would keep 25 year old busses or lorries in service? No amount of maintenance will cover up all their shortcomings.
By the way SFE, you are welcome to the 142's in exchange for 150's, we might be able to have a more comfortable ride at last.

[davat]

Whilst at work I once worked a 142 on the Cumbrian coast line and after coming off the brows at Parton, I found the rear doors flapping on the breeze, consquently this was reported to Control on arrival at Whitehaven, and the reply given was that this was impossible owing to interlock with the drivers controls, unable to take power or release the brakes, and I assured him that we had travelled some 3 miles with the driver both taking power and braking, impossible was the reply anyway close the door and lock it out of use, that sounds reasonable I replied but if it can happen to that door what about the others, Just stay inside the train and keep checking, this I refused to do as we had a party of Schoolchildren onboard and I absolutely refused to go any further.
Eventually they split a north bound train so I was able to continue. It eventually transpired that this unit had been reported before and no action had been taken, however this time it was taken out of service and eventually a full electrical circuit had to be replaced, at great cost although no action was ever taken against myself or the driver.

[Deathbyteacup]

Yeah, I can fully believe that whatever "failsafe" is built into the Pacer's to prevent it moving with open doors probably wouldn't be very reliable, all being considered. They're no-frills Bargain Basement Leyland National Buses bolted on a wagon, at the end of the day.

Also, I'd just like to say I think you made the right call on that one Davat. I can't believe they wanted you to carry on after that incident.

[davat]

Another incident in the same vicinity occured whilst on the first train from Barrow to Carlisle, this time it wasn't the doors though. Having slowed the slack approaching Harrington Viaduct I left the back cab ready to get the doors at Harrington Station and was opening the flap for the door controls as we went onto tne viaduct a very steeply curved viaduct, when I was thrown around as the rear set of wheels came off the track and I suddenly realised what had happened I made for the back cab to hit the emergency brake, unfortunately I was thrown around and never made it and I then realised we were in the station and stopped so I releases the doors and got my lamp and started to check the back wheel-set only to find that they were back on the rails, we could only presume that it had come back on courtesy of the check rail.
I phoned my driver to say what had happened and he couldn't believe it as he hadn't felt anything at the front, owing to the attrocious conditions a hollowing gale coming off the Irish Sea we decided it was too risky to go back and check the viaduct and whilst to tried to contact the box in the rear reception was so poor that we were uncertain as to if he had recieved the true message we tried to move and found that the unit would go so we went forward at 5 MPH to Workington where we informed the boxes and got traffic stopped, it was suggested that the following should come in and check the track at which point I blew a fuse and pointed out that this happened on a viaduct and the only way to inspect safely was to await daylight and then check carefully/
Our control then suggested that we should proceed to Carlisle complete with passengers as it would be impossible to get road transport at this time of day, once again I flatly refused to take it any further and eventually buses were provided.
A few weeks later whilst in conversation with a track gang leader he said that the crew who had come off the rails at Harrington were lucky as the viaduct was rotten and it was amazing that the unit had gone completly through and dropped onto the road below.
We had split the longtitudinal timbers and some 30 foot lengths had been torn off.
After this we were always known as the crew who could come off and back on tghe rails whilst others thought about it.
Nice units 142's

[Deathbyteacup]

Wow, you got pretty lucky right there. Good thing you somehow got rerailed, could have been much worse!

[steam for ever]

Yep the 142s must be nice to work on as the cabs look smashing, and if they were actually looked after and used on the country lines they were designed for and not on ram jam intercity commuters, which is beyond any form of stupidity when you think about it, they could probably get a few more years out of them. I wouldn't be surprised if preservation begins in a few years.

[lesleyholly]

Originally Posted by steam for ever

Well I can tell you lots of things. A while back I saw one of their 142s that had obviously had an accident in the yard. The corner of the cab had been bashed in.
The simply put masking tape over it to stop bits falling out. If that is the standard theya re living to it is a wonder no-one has been killed yet.

Also a large number of doors on the trains do not work. If there was an emergency this could prevent people getting away safely.

Some of the problems are really quite easy to solve, but the repair and maintaining guys just do nothing. I could afterall hardly call the gaurd giving the door a kick to open it safe. There are worse things that go on, including loose seats and wobbly hand rails, but I think that the problem hear is pretty easy to see.

By the way I think that the problem with the 180s are just too nice for us up here in the company's eyes I think.
One thing we can look forward too is the fact that the 150s will have been with another comany for a while and so will be in a much better state than the ones we see now. We might even see them in a more cheerful livery for a bit too.

we dont have any problems in yorks with northern neville hill do a good job