The first of Dapol's new batch of N Gauge Class 142 'Pacer' 2-Car Diesel Multiple Units have now arrived into stock!
The first releases in this new run include Provincial blue, Regional Railways red/grey/white and First Great Western blue/gold colour schemes! Additional variations are set to follow along in the coming weeks in other Regional Railways and Northern Rail liveries alongside DCC fitted versions of all the models too.
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Product Features
Powered and dummy car sets
Detailed bodies with flush glazing and close coupling mechanism with corridor connector
Scharfenberg coupling mechanism fitted as standard
All wheel drive and pick up on power unit
Directional lights on both cars
NEXT-18 Decoder Socket incorporating independently controllable internal and external lighting (where fitted)
Accessory bag with optional fitted components
Prototype Information
Introduced in 1985, the Class 142 ‘Pacer’ 2 car diesel multiple units were a development of the Railbus concept - pioneered by the Class 140 and Class 141 units and were intended as a low cost method of replacing ageing first generation DMUs on various services.
The vehicles were produced in partnership between British Rail Engineering Ltd and Leyland and featured many parts used on Leyland National buses. The 142s shared a high level of similarity to the Class 141 but notably featured a much larger body, instead of adhering to the standard size of a bus. This was done to make the most of the loading gauge and give more space to passengers.
The bodies and chassis were designed to be interchangeable and were manufactured upon jigs so that in the future the entire body could be quickly replaced during a midlife refurbishment if so wished.
The Class 142s featured a comparatively crude chassis with just 4 wheels on each car and a long wheelbase - which resulted in excessive flange squeal and a rough ride - earning them the nickname ‘the nodding donkey’.
Despite this, the 142s were enormously successful in service and even though they were intended for branch line stopping services, they found themselves often working inter urban and long distance services across the North of England. They far exceeded their expected service life and soldiered on right through until 2020, with a whopping 35 passing into preservation.
The Dapol model we’re looking at here features this eye-catching and unusual Merseyrail yellow colour scheme. Seventeen Class 142s were refurbished in the 1990s for the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive’s City Line to be used on services between Liverpool and Greater Manchester. These units were given dot matrix route indicators, new seating and were painted into this yellow livery - which as you can see has been replicated beautifully on Dapol’s model.