Great Western Coffee Shop

Took a trip to Tarka land today on the Exmouth to Barnstaple line, I don't mind an EXD to EXM Pacer as the line is improved and the view glorious...but all the way to Barnstaple....yaw, pitch, roll, vibration & leap in the air...how can such a lump of metal move around so much and in such unexpected ways...it's as though the springs have been annealed, the oil removed from the dampers and various important nuts loosened.
Came up from St Ives to see if it's possible to get nice grub (Butchers row - excellent) and do some birdwatching, day didn't start well as the branch had lost it's ticket machine, St Erth's terminal didn't work and XC cancelled it's service.
Having got there I was surprised at the difference from the south coast - it's not red.
Lovely day was had - returned to Dawlish by Pacer, had the best Ice-cream ever at the (red painted) bakery by the bird cages up the left hand side of the river.
Watched 3 Muscovy ducks mating - not very nice for Mrs Muscovy as she was pinned to the ground and ravaged by 2 x Mr Muscovies.
A pair of Black swans have nested on the lower weir - they were dabbling for nesting sticks and were pulling up some impressive timber which they (very deftly) lobbed over their heads towards the nest only for it to disappear over the weir towards the sea.

I'd 'nearly' be willing to swap our 150's for the Barnstaple Pacer as I'll be back up there again - might take some Quells...


 

Chris, I sympathise, I've only travelled a couple of times on Pacers.  One of those journies it's the only time I've started to feel queasy on a train. It was on the Falmouth Branch in the 80s on the "fast" run to main line. I was extremely glad to reach Truro. The one Grindleford to Hope wasn't too bad.

I've also done runs in a "piglet taxi" between Quedlingburg and Gernrode and in a Czech 4 wheel railcar on the Euro mainline from Decin to Bad Shandau in neither case was the ride like a Pacer.

At least the views on a pacer are better!

agree nothing better than seeing the one you just got off jumping up the line away from you and out of sight!

Speaking of pacers...

Is anyone 'in the know' able to explain why those 2 refurbished 143 sets are sitting in West Yard at Exeter all the time while those ugly 'Visit Bristol' ones are still running round  ???

Had wondered that myself. No doubt they are broken!

yes they are busted have been for some time,electrical glitch's i am led to believe.

There have been problems following on from the refurbishment, I heard that one unit had split at Newton Abbot but have no confirmation of this. All seems to have been kept somewhat under wraps, no doubt for contractual reasons.

143617 was in use yesterday, saw it heading to Paignton in the morning and later in the day on the Exmouth Branch, so whatever the problem was it has seemingly been (or is being) overcome.

TJ

Rode a 143 from Dawlish to Newton Abbot today - didn't note it's number but it was 2+2 airline style and I struggled to think why - polishing a turd came to mind.
The only virtue of a Pacer is the view - high back 2+2 sort of negates that and makes it feel claustrophobic.
Earlier I rode a 142 down to Exmouth which on CWR is nearly pleasant - whoever thought not having bogies was a good idea....

I travelled on 143617 yesterday. Lets just say its a lively ride on a 143.

Just worked a refurbed pacer up the Severn Beach line.  Much improved cab conditions, (it was CLEAN) and having the DKS facing the right way and not into the driver's seat is a massive help.  What bright spark chose white for the panel flaps above the end doors though? ::)

Whatever colour they paint it though, its bound to get scratched to pieces!

it was 2 142's that split not 143

Couple of FGW Pacers spotted in North Wales on trips to and from Crewe. See latest noticeboard at http://www.nwrail.org.uk/ (http://www.nwrail.org.uk/)

Later in the afternoon, and on time, 142 009 runs through Wrexham General at 16:50 with the 15:30 Crewe - Exeter St Davids.


huh?

142s routinely visit Hunslett Barclays (sp?) in Scotland, often stopping off at Basford Hall/Crewe

is this one of these moves that takes on passengers? not that crewe to exeter on a pacer would be fun actually it may be as bad as the red nose climb

They're not so cruel as to allow any passengers - though it is welded rail most of the way.

it must take along time!