Take to the controls and drive Pacer No 143602 along the Nene Valley Railway from Wansford to Peterborough.
Your experience starts with a visit to the signalbox at Wansford before meeting your driver who will cover some driving theory. You then take to the controls on a 5-mile trip to Peterborough, or back to Wansford, driving the Pacer at our line speed of 25 mph, with all station stops. This will give you a great experience of driving this modern but now heritage unit.
Family or friends can join you and ride on the Pacer for a small additional cost.
Pacer was the operational name of the British Rail Classes 140, 141, 142, 143 and 144 diesel multiple unit railbuses, built between 1980 and 1987. They were inexpensively developed using a passenger body based on the Leyland National bus, on top of a chassis based on the HSFV1 research vehicle. These railbuses were intended as a short-term solution to a shortage of rolling stock, with a lifespan of no more than 20 years. As modernised replacements were lacking, the Pacer fleet remained in service on some lines until 2021 – 37 years after their introduction in 1984.
Former Arriva Trains Wales No 143602 arrived at the Nene Valley Railway in 2022, becoming the sixth of the slass to be preserved.
Our Pacer courses will operate in 2025 dates to be advised
Price Per Person £TBA (Wansford to Peterborough OR Peterborough to Wansford)
Customer Recommendation: I’d highly recommend the Pacer day to everyone 😃
One guest per participant can travel on the Pacer free of charge. Any other guests can buy a £5 travel ticket, per person, on the day.
Our Cafe will be open for you to purchase food and drink which you can bring on board the Pacer or enjoy after your experience on the platform or in the cafe.
All Pacer Experience participants must be 18 years or over.