British Rail Class 143
| British Rail Class 143 "Pacer" | |
|---|---|
 143605 at Cardiff Central railway station | |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 15.2 metres |
The British Rail Class 143 is a diesel multiple unit, part of the Pacer family of trains introduced between 1985 & 1986. They originally worked around North East England but were later transferred to Wales.[1] The coaches are based on an Alexander bus body mounted on a chassis from a freight or Goods truck. Twenty-five units were built, numbered 143001-025 but later re-numbered 143601 - 143625. They are sometimes Nicknamed "Nodding Donkeys" due to the rough ride on all but the highest standard of track. This excessive bounce has led to the class being banned from areas with third rail electrification over fears that fixtures on the train may contact the live rail[citation needed].
Current operations
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales use their Class 142, trains on the commuter lines around Cardiff to places such as Pontypridd, Aberdare and Barry Island. Additionally, Arriva have deployed 143s on longer journeys, such as those from Cardiff Central to Carmarthen, Swansea, Pembroke Dock and Fishguard Harbour. They operate 16 sets, although a 17th set (143615) sustained severe fire damage during 2005 and has now been scrapped at Cardiff Canton. Arriva have repainted their 143 fleet into their standard turquoise and cream house colours.
First Great Western
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First Great Western inherited the seven Wessex Trains units when the franchises were merged in April 2006. An 8th set used by Wessex (143613) caught fire near Nailsea and Backwell in October 2004 and has since been broken up at Cardiff Canton.[2]
Wessex Trains used their fleet primarily on commuter services around Bristol, although towards the end of the franchises they were increasingly on longer distance Cardiff to Taunton services. They were occasionally used on rural branch lines but this was generally avoided where possible due to problems with wheel wear and the noise on sharp corners. 143619 carries a small Kernow sticker on one cab following it being used on a Cardiff to Penzance service. Normally the 143 would have been swapped at Bristol or Exeter but on this occasion the unit continued to Penzance.
First Great Western use 2 of these units on most days to fill the 2-hourly gap in service between Cheltenham Spa and Swindon. They are however prone to faults, such as the two fires which have been identified above and engine failures resulting in sets running on one engine causing long delays to services due to reduced speeds because of the lack of power. Although it is not a fault, the common high pitched 'squeaking' noise which was broadcast over the news recently is most prominently heard from 143's especially when going round corners or braking.
The fleet has been refurbished with high back seating and painted in 'Visit Bristol' advertising livery. However, First Great Western intend to repaint the fleet in their new "Local" livery.[3]
Fleet Details
| Operator | No. of units | Unit nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arriva Trains Wales | 16 | 143601/602/604-610/614/616/622-625 | 143615 withdrawn after a fire |
| First Great Western | 7 | 143603/611/612/618-621 | 143613 withdrawn after a fire |
143601 formley 143001 was named River Tyne when operational in north east England
References
- ^ "TheRailwayCentre - Class 143".
- ^ "Commuters escape from train blaze". BBC News. October 19 2004.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "First Great Western - Regional Trains".
