Burning Pacers...
 

I was riding home on a 142 today, which as anyone who's ever been on one knows, isn't exactly a clean comfortable experience, but I did notice that the front half of the unit wasn't actually making any noise except for a low clicking sound, and the train was struggling at some points.

I thought nothing of it beyond that until I got off the train and noticed rather a lot of smoke coming from the underside of the front half of the train - the same half with odd / no engine noises.

The guard, driver, and nobody else seemed to blink but it was thick and odd enough to make me pause - especially knowing that 143 pacers that are very similar I believe have had a history of setting themselves on fire.

Am I being paranoid? :p

Is it any thing todo the the news item last week about Northern trains switching some off the engines off running down hill to save fuel ?

Ah, could be?

I don't think that particular route is downhill, uphill if anything.

But if they can generate enough power using just one engine I would presume that they'd switch out the other, I know that Transpennine do it on the 185s.