I travelled to Barnsley (parents) from Birmingham (Home) by train on Saturday. I did this for a number of reasons. Firstly, the other half is coming up to spend Xmas with my parents this year, but can't come until today and we didn't want to take 2 cars. Secondly, and most importantly, it was my works Xmas do on Friday night, and I knew full well that I would be in no fit state for anything on Saturday morning.

The Cost

As I booked in advance, it came to a very reasonable £28 for a single ticket. Reasonable until you realise that it is £20 between Birmingham New Street and Sheffield, and £8 between Sheffield and Barnsley :ohno:

The Journey

Departing from the god awful 60's shit hole that is Birmingham New Street. Note to the government: Stop fucking around playing party politics with this. Give the Project the £130m it needs to enable a £500m station to be built. NOW For those not familiar, it is dark, dingy, smelly, overcrowded, and buried under a fuck ugly shopping centre.

Taking the Cross-Country service, and things improved. Getting on the Voyager Train which was clean, had comfortable seats, and even somewhere to plug my mobile phone charger in. It was busy, but there were no people who had to stand. The train left exactly on time, and a mere 25 minutes later, we stopped in Derby.

Central Birmingham to Central Derby in only 25 minutes. Impressive.

After a short stop we were on our way again, and only 35 minutes to Sheffield, on this very smooth and very quiet (for a diesel) train.

Sheffield Station has had some money spent on it since I was last there. It looks lovely, it's character has been retained but it is now thoroughly modern and comfortable, and a world away from the hell at New Street.

The Final Leg

After a 15 minute wait, I got the train to Barnsley. And what a difference. When I was a kid, (late 80's) the Barnsley - Sheffield service was run by some decrepit old knackers from the 70's which were loud, uncomfortable, and slow. They are still in use. Allbeit with a new paintjob, and some new seats which are even more uncomfortable then the seats which were there before! The seat bases are all tilted forward so you feel as if you are about to slide of them.

The noise from the engines was so loud that I couldn't hear myself think. The train was bouncing around like a bronco and it took 45 minutes to get to the utterly fantastic new Barnsley Transport Interchange.

Total Journey Time = 2 Hours. 1 hour from Brum to Sheffield. 15 mins sat at Sheffield, and 45 mins from Sheffield to Barnsley!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/141108_at_Colne_Valley_Railway.jpg/800px-141108_at_Colne_Valley_Railway.jpg
One of the Northern Rail "Boneshakers" or "Nodding Donkeys" (From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacer_(train)))

Northern Rail (http://www.northernrail.org/)

http://trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/vv%20at%20md.jpg
Cross Country "Voyager" train (Virgin colours still - with the logos took off!)

Cross Country Trains (http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/)

Birmingham New Street (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/779.aspx)
Sheffield Station (http://nationalrail.co.uk/stations/SHF.html)
Barnsley Interchange (http://www.btint.co.uk)

45 Mins Sheff to Barnsley? it only takes 20 Mins by road! :)

Must have been on a 'go slow day'.

I used to do the same route between Barnsley and Sheffield by train in 30 minutes on the old bone shakers.

Thats unless you get stuck at meadowhall waiting for the intercity trains to the north to pass over the line on their way to Doncaster. The signals are/were particularly bad in that area......they seem to be run by a blind persons guide dog barking to tell when to push the buttons.

The train photo used is the old class 141 which have now been taken out of service and given to Iran. Depending which line you travel on (Sheffield-Huddersfield or Sheffield- Leeds). You would have used either the the Pacer 142 or 144 which is used cross both South and West Yorkshire. Or if you used the Huddersfield Line you could have been on the Sprinter units, but would still have been a bad journey whichever you used.

Here's hoping they get some new trains eventually then Iran can have the rest too.

I can't think that giving the 141 Pacers to Iran will do anything to stop their nuclear weapons programme. Those trains were built to replace the diesel multiple units that used to take you everywhere up till the 80s:

http://www.freefoto.com/images/24/05/24_05_8---British-Railways-Class-108-DMU-at-Norchard_web.jpg

Looking at that photo makes me feel quite nostalgic but in truth the old Class 108 DMUs were noisy, smelly and dirty and after some twenty five years in service needed replacement.

The Pacers main problem was that they only had four wheels, which with the best suspension in the world is not going to give a good ride quality. However, they were cheap as they used automotive technology and they were very successful when used in West Yorkshire in allowing a service of fast and frequent Metro trains to be developed, which, with a programme of new stations formed the basis for a rapid transit service that is now run with electric trains on the main routes.

The Pacers main problem was that they only had four wheels, which with the best suspension in the world is not going to give a good ride quality. However, they were cheap as they used automotive technology

Wasn't the 'Automotive Technology' In question from British Leyland? :lol:

Birmingham - Barnsley, that's about 100 miles (according to Google Maps), so 28 pounds and 2 hours doesn't seem too bad, they just need to get rid of these Pacer things and rebuild Birmingham New Street.

A lot of train companies are replacing the Pacers with Turbostars and it's time too. :)

The latest to announce new Turbostars is London Midland with an order for 27 train sets.

Advertises thread.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=559553

Doeing some research, it seems that Northern Rail has replaced some Pacers with Sprinters and that by 2011 all Pacers are supposed to have been replaced.

Class 142 Pacer
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fe/HPIM2807.JPG/800px-HPIM2807.JPG


Class 150 Sprinter
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/31/HPIM1405.JPG/800px-HPIM1405.JPG

I can't think that giving the 141 Pacers to Iran will do anything to stop their nuclear weapons programme. Those trains were built to replace the diesel multiple units that used to take you everywhere up till the 80s:

The trains were bought by Iranian National Railways in 2001 before the current issues.
Birmingham - Barnsley, that's about 100 miles (according to Google Maps), so 28 pounds and 2 hours doesn't seem too bad, they just need to get rid of these Pacer things and rebuild Birmingham New Street.

A lot of train companies are replacing the Pacers with Turbostars and it's time too. :)

The latest to announce new Turbostars is London Midland with an order for 27 train sets.

I believe the original planned development for the turbostars was for delivery some stage during 2005? So are already late in many TOC's

Doeing some research, it seems that Northern Rail has replaced some Pacers with Sprinters and that by 2011 all Pacers are supposed to have been replaced.

Yes, some were replaced by slightly younger 'pacer' models, but I can't see Northern Rail replacing all 250+ pacers at once. If they want them by 2011 then they need to get a move on. Yes they want to replace them, but I believe Northern Rail will always be one of the poorer TOC's as it has the most stock to replace and bring up to date, many non intercity/crosscountry trains last received an upgrade in the late 80's/early 90's.