Class 141 'Pacer' Profile and Models
141113 at Butterley on the Midland Railway in February 2019. ©Peter Skuce
The British Rail Class 141 was the first production model of the Pacer diesel multiple unit (DMU) railbus. During the 1980s, British Rail (BR) was interested in replacing its first generation diesel multiple units, particularly in the use of railbuses to service its lightly used branch lines. It was decided to develop such a vehicle with a high level of commonality with the widely used Leyland National bus, leading to its modular design serving as the basis for the design. Several single and two-car prototypes were constructed and evaluated, before an order was placed with British Leyland for twenty two-car Class 141 units during 1984. During their operating lives, the units were tasked with various passenger services across the UK for 13 years. Following withdrawal, a large portion of the units were exported to Iran where they operated for a further eight years, giving the Class 141 a total lifespan of 21 years. |
|
Type of Unit |
Diesel Multiple Unit Railbus |
Builder |
Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
Build Dates |
1984 |
Total Built |
20 |
Coaches Per Unit |
2-car |
Power Output |
400 hp |
Top Speed |
75 mph |
Passenger Capacity |
94 |
Operated By |
British Rail Islamic Republic of Iran Railways |
Main Duties |
Local & Regional Passenger |
In Service Until |
2005 |
Surviving Examples |
2 |