Pacer (train)
| Pacer | |
|---|---|
|
|
| In service | 1984–present |
| Family name | Pacer |
| Constructed | 1984-87 |
| Number built | 165 trainsets |
| Number in service | 140 trainsets |
| Number scrapped | 7 trainsets |
| Operator(s) |
Northern Great Western Railway Arriva Trains Wales British Rail Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (1997-2005) |
| Specifications | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
Pacer is the operational name of the British Rail Classes 140, 141, 142, 143 and 144 diesel multiple unit railbuses, built between 1980 and 1987. Intended as a short-term solution to a shortage of rolling stock (with a lifespan of no more than 20 years), as of 2016 many Pacer railbuses are still in use.
The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations require that all public passenger trains must be accessible to disabled people by 2020. Only one Pacer (the modernised 144e) currently meets this requirement, and the remainder will therefore need to be withdrawn by that date unless they receive an extensive refurbishment. Porterbrook, which owns the Class 143 and Class 144 fleets, has proposed such a refurbishment for the rest of the fleet, while Angel Trains, which owns the Class 142 fleet, does not see such a refurbishment as a viable option.
The Pacer series were built with low construction and running costs in mind, and so all of the Pacer units feature the following:
The 'Pacer' series was a project by British Rail (BR) to create a train, with low running costs, for use on rural and suburban rail services. At the time, BR was under increasing financial pressure from the government including proposals to cut more rail lines. BR set a challenge to several companies to design a cheap, lightweight train similar to railbuses. Since then, 165 Pacer trains (totalling 340 carriages) have been built, with some over 30 years old by 2015.
Demonstrator units have toured the U.S., Northern Ireland, Belgium, Sweden, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, without producing sales. However Iran purchased redundant Class 141 units for use on suburban lines around Tehran, until 2005.
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