The Class 143 is one of the Pacer family of diesel multiple units. It was built at the same time as the
Class 142 and is also a railbus design marrying a bus or coach type body (built by coach builder Walter Alexander) to a chassis derived from a freight vehicle [1]. The Class 143 perhaps look a bit more like a train compared to the 142, the body of which retained more aspects of its Leyland National bus heritage. The follow-on
Class 144 uses the same body as the Class 143 though with a different chassis [2].
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| Transport for Wales 143 623 at Cardiff Central |
| Information |
| Number built: |
50 (25 2-car sets) |
| Built: |
1985-86 |
| Builder: |
Walter Alexander / Andrew Barclay |
| Motor: | Cummins LTA10-R diesel per car |
| Power: |
450hp (330kW) |
| Formation: |
DMS (Driving Motor Standard)+DMSL (Driving Motor Standard Lavatory) |
Originally the 143s worked for British Rail's Provincial Sector and the Tyne & Wear PTE. In the privatised era they are operated by GWR and Transport for Wales (formerly Arriva Trains Wales). Like the 142s their original transmission has been replaced with a Voith hydraulic one.
As with the other Pacer designs the 143s are now in their final few months though the planned withdrawal by 2020 may slip by a few months. Two trainsets have already been withdrawn due to fire damage.
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| Transport for Wales 143 624 at Cardiff Queen Street |
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| Arriva Trains Wales 143 606 at Cardiff Queen Street |
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| ATW 143 609 at Cardiff Queen Street |
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| ATW 143 614 (and a Class 142) at Cardiff Central |
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| ATW 142 075 and 143 606 at Cardiff Queen Street |
[1] Colin J. Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 125
[2] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Multiple Units: The Second Generation & DEMUs (Ian Allan, 1986) p. 70
