19850223_ZD_AdrianNicols

Stored and unloved class 141 railbuses at Kilmarnock. 1988.
They didn't come any more basic than a class 141 railbus. These trains were ordered in early 1983 with the production prototype 141 001 being delivered to BR in October 1983 with the rest of the fleet following during 1984. The units were to replace first generation DMU's in West Yorkshire in an effort to reduce running costs of secondary and branch line routes., The class 141's were the production build of the BRE/Leyland class 140 railbus built for evaluation in 1981. They comprised a Leyland National bus body on an express freight wagon underframe that had been developed by the BR Derby Research Centre. The whole class of 20 2-car units bar 141 001 were painted in the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive green and white livery and gained the name 'Pacers'. The name was supposed to convey a modern image but most people tended to associate it with a packet of green and white chewy sweets that were also sold in the early 1980's called Pacer Mints. (Exposure to either in large quantities could induce sickness, LOL)., These dreadful units didn't last long in service before gearbox problems and other issues largely grounded the fleet so from 1988 onward Andrew Barclay Ltd of Kilmarnock were contracted to refurbish the units to improve reliability and fit BSI couplers as part of the overhaul. Units were thus hauled up to Barclay's works at Kilmarnock for workshop attention and stored sets were often to be seen in Kilmarnock Goods Yard waiting a trip across the road into the works. Despite the overhaul they didn't enjoy much of a life extension and by the mid 1990's they were being sidelined again with over half the fleet out of service by 1996., , In an ironic twist of fate while the United States sort economic sanctions against Iran in the Middle East during the 1990's the British Government came up with a better plan, inflict these dreadful units on the Iranian travelling public to weaken there will. So it was in 2001-02 11 of the original 20 2-car sets were sold to RAI (Rahahane Djjomhouriye Eslami Iran). I can't imagine the harsh conditions in Iran with sand and dust did them any favours and very much doubt any are still working. Of the two sets above 141 004 (55505+55525) which is leading emerged from refurbishment as 141 105 and was later exported to Iran while the rear set 141 002 (55503+55523) (later 141 103) is now preserved in the UK and operates on the Weardale Railway in Co.Durham.

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