#4582· BR Rail Class 142

British Rail Class 142

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by British Rail Engineering Limited· from 1985· class of 96 British 2-car railbuses

8 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. 142075 to Cardiff Central at Treforest - 48476252042: train_photos· CC BY-SA 2.0
2. 142080 at Cardiff Central (29805614596): Jeremy Segrott from Cardiff, Wales, UK· CC BY 2.0
3. Class 142 at Huddersfield station February 20 2013: Davidvaughanwells· CC BY-SA 3.0
4. Class 142 at Ulverston in July 1990: The Basingstoker· CC BY-SA 2.0
5. Class 142 Pacer DMU: Samson Ng . D201@EAL· CC BY-SA 4.0
6. Class 142 units, Manchester Piccadilly Station, June 2013 CNV00004 (9884890226): Gillett's Crossing from Bristol, United Kingdom· CC BY 2.0
7. Class 142, Manchester Piccadilly Station, June 2013 CNV00005 (9884899244): Gillett's Crossing from Bristol, United Kingdom· CC BY 2.0
8. Pacer class 142 Infomation board: Norfolks disused railways· CC BY 4.0

what is it?

Class 142 diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger trains were built for British Rail (BR) from 1985 to 1987, with a high level of commonality with the widely used Leyland National bus. They are part of the Pacer family of railbuses. The class was withdrawn from service in 2020, due to its non-compliance with key accessibility legislation.

who runs it

Arriva Trains Wales

base stats

speed 121 km/htop speed
seats 121passengers
built 96made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 41 years ago, in 1985.
15.1 m long: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
Seats 121: 2 full city buses (~50 seats each).
Served for 35 years (1985–2020).

multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.

spec sheet

built: 1985
in service from: 1985
retired: 2020
status: retired
number built: 96
kind: multiple unit
traction: diesel
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: British Rail Engineering Limited, British Leyland
operators: Arriva Trains Wales
top speed: 121 km/h
power: —
formation: 2 vehicles per unit: DMS, Driver's cab, Motor car, Standard class saloon-DMSL, Driver's cab, Motor car, Standard class…
length: 15.1 m
capacity: 121 passengers
Dutch name: BR Rail Class 142

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q3303641, Wikipedia: British Rail Class 142 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.