142 unsafe

[kennyGWSR]

I have only travelled on one 142 on the mainline, from Sheffield to Meadowhall Shopping Centre, i thought it was ok, watching a group of kids standing in the corridor connection hitting their heads shows how rough they are, but then the roughness of them is the fun of them

[b308]

but then the roughness of them is the fun of them

Must remember that when I next have a complaint about rough riding! "Its all part of the fun of train travel, sir!"... Not sure how they may react though!

[ste234]

They all have to be withdrawn by 2019 though under the Disability Discrimination Act as they don't have access for disabled people.

All the Northern 142's I have been on have had a fold up ramp the Guard to put out if needs be, don't know if this conforms to the DDA though...

But yes they are pretty awful units, done their job I suppose.
Some brand new units would be nice for up here, but I doubt that will ever happen!

[stuartp]

All the Northern 142's I have been on have had a fold up ramp the Guard to put out if needs be, don't know if this conforms to the DDA though...

They comply as well as any other unit complies as far as access to the train itself is concerned, with very few exceptions most units need a ramp at most platforms to get wheelchairs on and off. The 142 ramps are in two parts; most platforms can be accommodated usimg the long ramp onto the top step, but on those very low platforms where this makes the ramp see-saw, there is a short ramp to fill in the footwell leaving the long ramp to go on the bottom step.

I haven't seen the 2019 requirement yet but I suspect it will be to do with access to toilets. The disabled toilet on a train is huge because it has to include room for the wheelchair to be manouvered, meaning there's usually only room for the toilet compartment plus a side gangway. The 142 toilet is bang opposite the door, and you can't widen it because the footwell is then in the way of the gangway. The only option would be to move the toilet, but that would mean a major rebuild of the vehicle which is almost certainly not cost-effective. You could block up the door but then you'd have to rebuild the DMS to add a new door to keep three per side - two doors on a two-car set would be unacceptable in terms of station dwell times and evacuation times.

[markh]

there should be a preservation socity set up to save one or two units

talking about the ramps harrington station is bad for that there is a pritty big gap to get from the platform to the train for kids in prams its near vertical

[b308]

There is, read the early posts on page one of this thread!!

[markh]

There is, read the early posts on page one of this thread!!

pays to read

[Bufferstop]

There is at least one case of not putting in disabled accessible toilets in new stock. Simply build them with none at all! Equality of provision achieved

[Leader]

142's were introduced to the branch lines around Plymouth in the 1980's. Known locally as "Skippers", they did not last long as they were unable to climb the steep gradient of the winding Gunnislake branch. The wheel screaching was deafening.

[Bufferstop]

We were holidaying down there when they were on the line down to Looe. Your right about the noise my wife re-named them squealers and that's how we've referred to them ever since.