Diesel Multiple-units (DMU) - Great Britain: Books (3/4)

Second Generation DMUs

It is now more than thirty years since two words synonymous with Diesel Multiple Units became part of railway parlance - 'Pacers' and 'Sprinters'.
The Class 142 Pacers were introduced in the mid-1980s and, despite almost continuous criticism as to their lack of comfort, these 'nodding donkeys' remain in revenue-earning service. From these beginnings in the 1980s our rail network has seen a total of twenty or so classes of Second Generation DMUs enter service. Indeed, they are the mainstay of secondary passenger services on non-electrified lines right across the network.

This book takes a closer look at these units in action with each class on display. From examples of ScotRail Class 158s and 170s on services out of Inverness to the Great Western Railway's Class 150s and 153s working services in Devon and Cornwall, this book is also a whistle-stop tour of non-electrified lines across the UK. These lines have survived into the twenty-first century and the second generation DMU has played an important part in this.

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Second Generation Scottish DMUs

This book covers the modern diesel multiple units introduced by BR from 1981. It features locations from across Scotland, and also looks at Carlisle. Covered are units from the experimental Class 140s, introduced in 1981, to contemporary examples including Class 185s still in use with TransPennine Express.

Possibly the best unit introduced to Scotland are the Class 156 units based at Corkerhill depot in Glasgow. These units can be found working from Newcastle to Mallaig. The new generation of DMU fleets can go faster and travel further and have generated a huge following.

Here, Colin J. Howat combines previously unseen historical black-and-white photography with modern digital examples to tell their story.

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The Pacer

With an aging fleet of Diesel Multiple Units, British Rail sought a low-cost solution to the problem of replacing a large part of their fleet. A series of prototypes were built in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which led to British Rail ordering the Class 141-144 railbus family, often known as `Pacers'. Using British Leyland bus body parts on four-wheel underframes, these units are typically found in the North, South Wales, and south-west England.

Often underappreciated by passengers, the Pacers arguably saved many rural lines from an uncertain future in the 1980s. New regulations aimed at making trains accessible to disabled passengers mean that the Pacers are now entering their twilight years, with Northern set to replace their entire fleet by the end of 2019 with a combination of new and cascaded stock.
Here, Rich Mackin offers readers the opportunity to examine these hardworking units during their final years as they head towards retirement.

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The Pacer Family : End of an Era

In the 1980s British Railways sought a cheap replacement for the ailing Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) trainsets which saw the introduction of the Class 14x trainsets that became known as Pacers. These proved to be cheap to operate hence popular with the operators but less popular with the travelling public who found the rigid 4-wheel chassis provided a basic and uncomfortable ride.

Fred Kerr, a life-long rail enthusiast and well-known railway photographer, became familiar with these trainsets when the Class 141 trainsets passed near to his parent's house in Corby whilst being trialled between Derby and Bedford and, later, when the Class 142 trainsets appeared in his home town of Southport as part of the driver training programme for Wigan crews prior to working local services to Manchester.

Fred Kerr's book chronicles their contribution, during their years of service, to the operation of railway services, many of which would otherwise have been closed without the availability of the "cheap and cheerful" Pacer trainsets.
As they enter their final years of service, this album celebrates the many services that have been operated, the builders who supplied them and the operators who have used them on their services throughout the years.

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The Turbostar

Since the commencement of construction in 1997, the Turbostar family of diesel multiple units stands as the predominant design in the privatized railway.
Produced at the Adtranz/Bombardier Transportation facility in Derby Litchurch Lane, over a hundred units from this family were crafted in the ensuing fourteen years, serving operators nationwide. Their ubiquitous presence is evident across the network, featuring design parallels with the Electrostar family of electric multiple units.

From the northern reaches of Scotland to the southern coast, Turbostars traverse both local and long-distance routes, becoming integral to passenger transportation. This book meticulously explores the diverse array of services undertaken by Turbostars, offering insights into the historical and contemporary operations of various operators.

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