142008 (55549+55599) Bolton / Stockport

The 1980s saw several paint schemes make the jump from bus to DMU as the Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs), later Authorities (PTAs), began to sanction repaints covering rolling stock they sponsored. One of the most attractive was the Greater Manchester Transport orange/brown/white that had been adopted in 1981 and this was applied to the first 14 ‘Pacers’ 142001-142014 which were delivered in 1985. Based out of Newton Heath depot and seen at both Piccadilly and Victoria, they worked all across the North West, including to Blackburn, Colne, Chester, Helsby, Liverpool Lime Street, Llandudno, New Mills / Rose Hill, Oldham, Ormskirk, Preston, Rochdale, Southport, Stalybridge and Wigan North Western, as well as longer distance journeys to Barrow-in-Furness and the Cumbrian coast, Blackpool North/South, Carlisle, Doncaster, Sheffield and York. 142012 represents the Class 142s in their as-delivered condition with original destination blind, while 142008 has the smaller blind assembly introduced on the second batch, revised heating arrangement with the extra ventilation grille on one side of the body and additional warning labelling for passengers. The third GMPTE-liveried ‘Pacer’ is preserved 142003 with revised double-leaf doors and chassis-mounted sanding equipment.