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Description
and of relevostno wing a plan and e pred even o portal and for heim Weathe idea of bading completely new pan was mc-deple the considerably lower ble than the new motorways then How many part of Brain
wam trase al ees had to be op powerful, conventional locomotive (one each end aerodynamically shaped at the front end (to a design by Kenneth Grange, in collaboration with BR engineers) with a rake of modular format Mark 3 integral steel camages in between. The modern principle bogies and felly air-conditioned, well insulated bodies, provide the passenger with a very quiet and comfortable ride at all speeds. These HSTs have attracted con siderable new revenue to the routes they serve and have done wonders to retain BR's
Theater pool pity meant that
The phase of BR's Inter-City pro po was therelore one of providing better hopen for the resin carriages, and then hyew fee of 10mph electrically bosted prosure-vonated Mark 2 carriages imposing the existing macks upon which they councel Bind the scenes Sowever these plase was in the initial planning sem Fio magad a feet of fully air- andoned Mark 3 bans with improved citricional em and with greater ayyad to be fitted with bogies witable for utmed 125mph naming. This B. Working technological brainchild has still to start paying
was the top speed considered commercially acceptable, and sale, upon existing tracks From this was to emerge the diesel powered High Speed Train (HST) which today operates the 'Inter City 125 routes from Paddington to Bristol, South Wales and the West Country, from Kings Cross to York- shire and Scotland; and now on the NE SW and Midland main lines Today's High Speed Train is basically a
yok and Rad to cul with the Us and gradients of British Ra's network of Finian steam day Sony amp was, of course, powe by carely reming-out the more severes its covers, and by mk to fill the tram around as nacerck- but the med the 125mph almost aly spected the ceiling for passer- romin, song riding macks and the
Below: BR's problem child-the APT. After some 16 years of development this
its way. Too many novel features packed into one essay seems to be the basic cause of the apparent failure of this train to meet its commercial deadlines and demands. Trial running continues on the Eurton-Glasgow line, but a dramatic rethink is taking place on the drawing board! APT-Punit No 370 004 leans to the curve as it speeds away at Winwick Junction, whilst Class 67 Bo-Bo No 87.028 approaches the camera, on 31 October 1980.
progressive image in the public mind The interior desigit owes much to the work of th BR Design Panel's consultants, and mechanical engineers at Derby, where the train was designed. The final batch EST has now transformed the cross country known as the North East South West from Newcastle, York. Sheffield e Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and beyond. Ap from a few existing sets moved to the Midland main line, the 96 sets are not planned on the major non-electrified re and we have come to the end of the ST building programme as envisaged. BR for the mid-1980s and beyond is the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), th everything goes more according to plant t would be relevant, at this point therefore, to consider the background story to the APT representing as it undoubtedly does, the biggest single step in improved performance yet attempted by any railway in the world So we must now retrace our steps to the early 1960s.
As long ago as 1962, BR established a new research and development centre Derby. Fortunately for them this coinodet with one of those investment starvation
crises which periodically affects the aircraf industry, and which left a number of clever young scientists and engineers seeking new fields for their talents. Derby attracted then, and together with recruits from other technological areas. a fine new team was established. This team quickly set abou investigating a number of traditional railway problems, with a certain freshness of
suspension of passenger carriages, and it was seth restowed confidence that Bk engineers then set about planning for higher speeds But the 125mph ceiling, already mentionel remained a challenge to the Derby Research team, and it was perhaps natural that they steel wheels upon steel rails including the should consider ways of producing a train which would give safe, comfortable and smooth running at even higher speeds. And vision of smoother riding bogies. At the same so, some two years before detailed planning time, HR was suffering from a spate of of the HSTS was getting underway, the freight train derailments, due to the fact that: scientists had already begun so consider elderly short wheelbase four-wheeled wagons what obstacles stood in their path to the were jumping off the new long welded rails beyond. It was called the Advanced Passen ger Train project, authorised in 1967,
approach that they were able to bring to them for outside. The bad riding at speed of many existing carriages, already mentioned, was one subject for their early attentions, and they quickly set about investigating the basic principles lying behind the behaviour of "hunting phenomena. It was clear that any increase in rail speeds would require pro (fancy running agricultural machinery down a motorway was one critic's pertinent Basically the BR trunk routes retain the observation). An ergent investigation into the causes and the cures was the Derby teams remit and this was given a priority over the less severe problems of the riding of
physical limitations imposed by Victorian engineers. The 'loading gauge (size of train possible) is dictated by the clearances between tracks, within tunnels and cuttings, under bridges, over viaducts and inside stations. These clearances are more restric live than on most Continental and North American lines, even though the same ral gauge, of 4ft 8in (dating from George Stephenson's days) is most often employed
the passenger carriages. The Derby Technical Centre is a modern complex, with test rigs and computers to aid researchers, and in only 18 months the team had established the causes of bogie 'hunting' and bad riding, and were then able to demon- strate their solution in practical form, with an experimental four wheel freight wagon. This ran at speeds up to 140mph on the
indoor stationary rollers at Derby, and at 100mph on open tracks. This wagon had a suspension design which gave smooth and stable running at these high speeds and, moreover retained this ability on less than perfect tracks or around curves, as well as upon straight and level stretches
000000
This loading gap, and the numerous curves and grobents to be found on most British route was one maje factors be con sidered Another was the destande apan from one to another of the signals. Could a n travelling in excess of 100mply be safely and nothly braked to a hair within sighting dis tance of these signals! Also there was the consideration of effects open the track Half Even 100mph day-to-day running was quickly demonstrating a need for improve! track and vehicle boge suspension technology, to prevent rapid wear and tear. Finally, and by no means least, there was the problem of passenger comfon
Below A complete 14-conch APT-P formation la seen here on a proving run a Beattock in October 1980. The two power cars are in the centre of the train; effectively dividing the passenger accommodation into two halves. It now seems certain that trains of this layout will never be built for passenger service in quantity a much simpler train with power cars at aach The way was now open to improving the and la anvisaged. British Rail
Passenger comfort at speeds above 100 125mph particularly around curves is affected by centifugal force as the carriage takes the bend. It is not so much a problem of safery as of inconsentience. Bogies will hold the rails provided the track is suf ficiently canted; but if the cant is too severe then this can cause problems of stability for slower-running freight vehicles. How then to reduce passenger dacomfort at speed on curves without placing undue wear and tear upon the track, and placing slow-moving trains at risk? The Derby team's remit was to devise a passenger train which had a 50% higher maximum speed than conventional 100mph locomotives and camages, and which could take existing curves some 40% faster all this, upon existing tracks and with existing signalling. The train, it was stressed must not create added day-to-day expense, either in running conts or track maintenance.

Description
and of relevostno wing a plan and e pred even o portal and for heim Weathe idea of bading completely new pan was mc-deple the considerably lower ble than the new motorways then How many part of Brain
wam trase al ees had to be op powerful, conventional locomotive (one each end aerodynamically shaped at the front end (to a design by Kenneth Grange, in collaboration with BR engineers) with a rake of modular format Mark 3 integral steel camages in between. The modern principle bogies and felly air-conditioned, well insulated bodies, provide the passenger with a very quiet and comfortable ride at all speeds. These HSTs have attracted con siderable new revenue to the routes they serve and have done wonders to retain BR's
Theater pool pity meant that
The phase of BR's Inter-City pro po was therelore one of providing better hopen for the resin carriages, and then hyew fee of 10mph electrically bosted prosure-vonated Mark 2 carriages imposing the existing macks upon which they councel Bind the scenes Sowever these plase was in the initial planning sem Fio magad a feet of fully air- andoned Mark 3 bans with improved citricional em and with greater ayyad to be fitted with bogies witable for utmed 125mph naming. This B. Working technological brainchild has still to start paying
was the top speed considered commercially acceptable, and sale, upon existing tracks From this was to emerge the diesel powered High Speed Train (HST) which today operates the 'Inter City 125 routes from Paddington to Bristol, South Wales and the West Country, from Kings Cross to York- shire and Scotland; and now on the NE SW and Midland main lines Today's High Speed Train is basically a
yok and Rad to cul with the Us and gradients of British Ra's network of Finian steam day Sony amp was, of course, powe by carely reming-out the more severes its covers, and by mk to fill the tram around as nacerck- but the med the 125mph almost aly spected the ceiling for passer- romin, song riding macks and the
Below: BR's problem child-the APT. After some 16 years of development this
its way. Too many novel features packed into one essay seems to be the basic cause of the apparent failure of this train to meet its commercial deadlines and demands. Trial running continues on the Eurton-Glasgow line, but a dramatic rethink is taking place on the drawing board! APT-Punit No 370 004 leans to the curve as it speeds away at Winwick Junction, whilst Class 67 Bo-Bo No 87.028 approaches the camera, on 31 October 1980.
progressive image in the public mind The interior desigit owes much to the work of th BR Design Panel's consultants, and mechanical engineers at Derby, where the train was designed. The final batch EST has now transformed the cross country known as the North East South West from Newcastle, York. Sheffield e Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and beyond. Ap from a few existing sets moved to the Midland main line, the 96 sets are not planned on the major non-electrified re and we have come to the end of the ST building programme as envisaged. BR for the mid-1980s and beyond is the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), th everything goes more according to plant t would be relevant, at this point therefore, to consider the background story to the APT representing as it undoubtedly does, the biggest single step in improved performance yet attempted by any railway in the world So we must now retrace our steps to the early 1960s.
As long ago as 1962, BR established a new research and development centre Derby. Fortunately for them this coinodet with one of those investment starvation
crises which periodically affects the aircraf industry, and which left a number of clever young scientists and engineers seeking new fields for their talents. Derby attracted then, and together with recruits from other technological areas. a fine new team was established. This team quickly set abou investigating a number of traditional railway problems, with a certain freshness of
suspension of passenger carriages, and it was seth restowed confidence that Bk engineers then set about planning for higher speeds But the 125mph ceiling, already mentionel remained a challenge to the Derby Research team, and it was perhaps natural that they steel wheels upon steel rails including the should consider ways of producing a train which would give safe, comfortable and smooth running at even higher speeds. And vision of smoother riding bogies. At the same so, some two years before detailed planning time, HR was suffering from a spate of of the HSTS was getting underway, the freight train derailments, due to the fact that: scientists had already begun so consider elderly short wheelbase four-wheeled wagons what obstacles stood in their path to the were jumping off the new long welded rails beyond. It was called the Advanced Passen ger Train project, authorised in 1967,
approach that they were able to bring to them for outside. The bad riding at speed of many existing carriages, already mentioned, was one subject for their early attentions, and they quickly set about investigating the basic principles lying behind the behaviour of "hunting phenomena. It was clear that any increase in rail speeds would require pro (fancy running agricultural machinery down a motorway was one critic's pertinent Basically the BR trunk routes retain the observation). An ergent investigation into the causes and the cures was the Derby teams remit and this was given a priority over the less severe problems of the riding of
physical limitations imposed by Victorian engineers. The 'loading gauge (size of train possible) is dictated by the clearances between tracks, within tunnels and cuttings, under bridges, over viaducts and inside stations. These clearances are more restric live than on most Continental and North American lines, even though the same ral gauge, of 4ft 8in (dating from George Stephenson's days) is most often employed
the passenger carriages. The Derby Technical Centre is a modern complex, with test rigs and computers to aid researchers, and in only 18 months the team had established the causes of bogie 'hunting' and bad riding, and were then able to demon- strate their solution in practical form, with an experimental four wheel freight wagon. This ran at speeds up to 140mph on the
indoor stationary rollers at Derby, and at 100mph on open tracks. This wagon had a suspension design which gave smooth and stable running at these high speeds and, moreover retained this ability on less than perfect tracks or around curves, as well as upon straight and level stretches
000000
This loading gap, and the numerous curves and grobents to be found on most British route was one maje factors be con sidered Another was the destande apan from one to another of the signals. Could a n travelling in excess of 100mply be safely and nothly braked to a hair within sighting dis tance of these signals! Also there was the consideration of effects open the track Half Even 100mph day-to-day running was quickly demonstrating a need for improve! track and vehicle boge suspension technology, to prevent rapid wear and tear. Finally, and by no means least, there was the problem of passenger comfon
Below A complete 14-conch APT-P formation la seen here on a proving run a Beattock in October 1980. The two power cars are in the centre of the train; effectively dividing the passenger accommodation into two halves. It now seems certain that trains of this layout will never be built for passenger service in quantity a much simpler train with power cars at aach The way was now open to improving the and la anvisaged. British Rail
Passenger comfort at speeds above 100 125mph particularly around curves is affected by centifugal force as the carriage takes the bend. It is not so much a problem of safery as of inconsentience. Bogies will hold the rails provided the track is suf ficiently canted; but if the cant is too severe then this can cause problems of stability for slower-running freight vehicles. How then to reduce passenger dacomfort at speed on curves without placing undue wear and tear upon the track, and placing slow-moving trains at risk? The Derby team's remit was to devise a passenger train which had a 50% higher maximum speed than conventional 100mph locomotives and camages, and which could take existing curves some 40% faster all this, upon existing tracks and with existing signalling. The train, it was stressed must not create added day-to-day expense, either in running conts or track maintenance.