Transport for Wales Rail

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: KeolisAmey Wales & Borders

(10/09/2018 11:42)iMarkeh Wrote:  Why aren't they just taking on more 142/143s? They are all due to be withdrawn at the same time from Northern? The 142/143 the engineers and drivers already know. Though it would take little work to train them on the 144s due to the similarities, surely its safer to stick with the types you have. If they wanted the 3 car, I would understand. Extra carriages without using hybrid but when there are 2 pacers of the same type they already have out there, seems rather daft.

They're not taking on any Class 143s because GWR still need theirs and Northern are releasing the first batch of Class 144s before the first batch of Class 142s

There aren't any differences between the Class 142/143/144 mechanically. They all have the same Cummins 6-cylinder engine and the Class 143s/144s have the exact same bodywork design. The only difference that I can think of between the Class 143/144s is the builder - the 143s were built by Hunslet/Walter Alexander and the 144s by BREL/Walter Alexander