APPARENTLY it wasn't the brakes I could hear squealing as the Pacer train slowed down as it pulled into stations, but the axles. Inaccuracies in stories about trains are usually spotted pretty quickly such is the passion they invoke.

On Tuesday I spent the morning travelling from Darlington to Saltburn and back on a Northern Rail train.

The Government is currently seeking new operators for the Northern and TransPennine Express routes, and it is feared the reorganisation could lead to service cuts and increased fares, while aged rolling stock like the Pacers could be refurbished rather than replaced.

The importance of the refranchising exercise to the region has prompted The Northern Echo to launch the Right Lines campaign to push for a better rail service in the North-East and North Yorkshire.

The journey to Saltburn to find out more about the network was noisy and bumpy, but the services were on time and didn't cost too much - £7.90 for a single ticket between the two towns.

The report on the journey went on-line and in the paper the following day, prompting a good number of responses from readers via the website, email and phone.

Commentators generally fell into one of three camps. The first included those who felt the Pacer trains were okay, they were generally on time and the service they provided was adequate.

Howard Chadwick was in this camp. He said: "I use the Newton Aycliffe / Bishop Auckland train four times per week and have little complaint.

"This year I think there has been one cancellation and generally are always on time. As to the rolling stock they are indeed shabby but for my short journey are well adequate."

At the other end of the scale were those like David Wallace who thought the Pacers needed replacing as soon as possible.

He said: "A couple of weeks ago my wife and I travelled from Bishop Auckland to Saltburn and back.

"The seats were worse than those of an old bus. The pullaway noise was prehistoric and the brake noise was an unearthly shriek."

Sat in the middle were those who admitted the Pacers were well past their best and could probably could do with replacing, but suggested that new trains would only mean fare increases - and we should be careful what we wished for.

One on-line reader said: "Massive investment means only one thing - the end user ends up paying for it.

"Then what's your next article? Shock as huge fare increase on railways?

According to the Campaign for Better Transport, the cost of new trains could be met over time by the fares of the extra passengers who use them, rather than increased fares.

However, the Department for Transport's consultation document for the two franchises suggests higher fares would be needed to fund better services.

Of course, the recent off-peak fare increases introduced on some Northern routes show that ticket prices will rising Pacers or no Pacers.

Readers' comments

Marion Merry, 68, from Darlington, said: "I used to travel to Redcar and Saltburn to see friends but now we just talk on the phone.

"The trains kept breaking down, chugging along so noisy, and then you get football hooligans travelling on then sometimes."

Sandra Bell, from Shildon, said: "I use the 7.22am from Shildon which most morning is on time. The return journey - the 5.42pm from Newton Aycliffe - is another matter and most days is late - six minutes, eight minutes even 20 minutes sometimes."

However, she also added: "I need to use the train as I have no other transport and the monthly ticket is only £33.80 against a bus ticket of nearly £100.00 - a big saving."

Ally F commented on the website: "Pacers might be 30-years-old, noisy, cold in winter, have appalling ride and suspension, very basic and not very comfortable but they are very reliable - there's very little to go wrong with them.

"Many newer and flashier rolling stock models are much more prone to breakdowns. Personally I would prefer the original vinyl bench bus seating to be reintroduced across the fleet. Pacers were never intended to be in any way comfortable."

Jim Entwistle, who works in Darlington, said: "Yes, trains should be tidy and relatively comfortable, but I think that above all they must be cheap and reliable.

"Calling for significant investment in the region’s services is worthy, but you can be sure that some if not all of that expenditure will end up finding its way back to the passenger through increased fares."