A second – and hopefully successful – attempt to lift a massive Pacer train into Huddersfield Railway Station is planned for Saturday.

The 15-tonne Pacer train will be lifted into mental health charity Platform 1, based at the station, by a 150-tonne crane.

The big operation was originally scheduled to take place in May but the lift was called off at the eleventh hour due to safety concerns.

READ MORE: Midnight train to nowhere as Pacer lift is called off

Part of St George’s Square will be closed as both the Pacer train and the giant crane are brought in separately by police escort.

Preparations for the lift are due to start around 4pm with the Pacer being lifted over the station wall at around midnight in an operation which could take up to two hours.

The decommissioned Pacer, the first one ever built, was won by Platform 1 in a competition run by the Department for Transport.

Part of the train will be transformed into a kitchen while the carriage will be used to teach IT skills and mental health first aid.

The initial lift was stopped after concerns were raised about the thickness of matting used to stabilise the crane and Platform 1 site manager Wayne Fenwick is hoping for no such problems second time around.

  • The crane which was due to lift the Pacer train

“It’s a massive operation which is logistically complicated,” said Wayne. “The only thing that could stop it this time – at least that we can foresee – is if it’s too windy.”

The Pacer has already been painted in the charity’s colours and will have an official launch later.

Platform 1 helps hundreds of men with mental health issues and the charity recently set up a women’s group.

The charity set up a freephone helpline 0800 066 2828 during the pandemic and receives dozens of calls every month.

Pictures and video by Andy Hirst @AH-PR

How you can help Platform 1

Funding is always a problem, but people can easily make a donation of just £3. All you need to do is text UCARE 3 to 70085 to donate £3. The way it works is that the text costs £3 but you can donate more this way if you want. The freephone crisis number is 0800 066 2828 and the office number is 01484 421143.