142035 - 55576 & 55626 - Class 142 Driving Motor Second & Driving Motor Second Lavatory (Scrapped)

Last Location

Wensleydale Railway

Location History

Wensleydale Railway Jun 20-Jan 25

Current Status

Scrapped J Denham Bishop Auckland Jan 25

Last Livery

Northern Rail

TRA Designation

4

Record Last Updated

1 March 2025

Preservation Modifications
None

Preservation Information
142035 was the 15th Class 142 to be preserved (in 2020). It was purchased privately for use on the Wensleydale Railway who had been struggling with keeping enough first generation railcars in operating condition to serve their off peak needs. Its last home was at Newton Heath (Manchester) under Northern Rail before preservation and movement to the Wensleydale Railway in June 2020. It entered preservation under its own power, driven in multiple with 142041 to their new home utilising their active mainline connection. Their arrival brought the number of operational Class 142's on the line to four.

In April 2021, 142035 was included in an umbrella organisation named "Wensleydale Pacer Preservation" which brought together the seven Pacer sets owned by various parties but based on the railway.

During the summer of 2021 it was officially announced that the owning group had designated 142035 as a source of spares and parts to aid the restoration and operation of 142018 & 142041. The first items to be removed were original interior fittings including lighting diffusers and the bench seating, both to be used in the restoration of 142018. Some of 142018's high backed "Northern Spirit" seating and the modern lighting diffusers were fitted back into 142035.

September 2022 saw a surprise move in the form of 142035 being launched into passenger service on a "limited time only" basis, its intention to be a spares donor unchanged. The set continued to be used in passenger service throughout 2023.

In 2024 after 18 months use, 142035 was withdrawn from traffic and quickly stripped of parts to support the future of 142018 & 142041. It was intended for the glass to be used to repair vandalised sister 142055 at the Foxfield Railway but in the end this did not occur.

In late January 2025, 142035 was transported to J Denham's scrapyard in Bishop Auckland and recycled. It had the dubious honour of becoming the first preserved Class 142 to be scrapped, with a preservation life of less than five years. It was not considered a significant loss to preservation, with many identical sisters remaining at the time of scrapping.

142035 operating passenger services calling at Fingall, 7/4/23. Jack Bowley

142035 being prepared for first day in passenger service at Leeming Bar, 8/9/22. Jason Rogers