March 9 letters: Pacer trains were unreliable from their first introduction

THE prototype Pacer train was allocated to Leeds for revenue service trials. Some of the first batch of Pacers were used on the Harrogate line, where passengers suffered many problems.

Trains were supposed to be made up of four cars, but owing to mechanical failure, passengers were lucky to get two cars, with many travellers left abandoned at stations.

To improve reliability, at great expense it was decided to scrap the transmission and replace it with something more reliable.

Neville Hill Depot, Leeds, was under so much pressure that I observed a Pacer outside the repair shop at Lochgorm Works, Inverness, about 400 miles from Leeds.

When crossing Kirkstall Road Viaduct in high winds, passengers would lean on the inside of folding doors to prevent them blowing open.

I would imagine this was repeated at Arthington Viaduct, Crimple Viaduct and Knaresborough Viaduct.

One evening whilst travelling by Sprinter from Leeds to Horsforth, a failed Pacer was encountered just north of Burley Park. The Sprinter pushed the Pacer to Headingley, where all the passengers were transferred to the Sprinter. I alighted at Horsforth and the combined train proceeded to Harrogate.

A disgraceful experience for the Pacer passengers who had been sitting there for at least half an hour.

When the service became unacceptable, I wrote to the then Pudsey MP Giles Shaw, who said he did not think he was able to help. Another letter was sent to him pointing out:

1. That his Government was responsible because it had told Metro to take the Pacers or shut down the West Yorkshire Network (Metro deemed Pacers unacceptable).

2. That the British Railways hierarchy were appointed by politicians and so it was his responsibility.

He changed his attitude and wrote to the British Rail chairman, Bob Reid, for a response and said I would receive a copy of the reply – which was never received.

At the same time I wrote to Michael Simmons (chairman at Metro) whose efforts resulted in the Skipton, Ilkley and Bradford Foster Square lines being electrified and clock face departures 
for these lines and others eventually becoming half hourly.