Lab 24 Trestrol

Lab 24 Trestrol

This vehicle was converted from a Trestrol EC bogie wagon and fitted with APT H2X experimental bogies and transmission with tilt

RDB901603 was also used as a test bed for the pantograph anti-tilt mechanism

A contemporary account of testing on WCML in 1977

Up to speeds of 203 km/h and 6° cant deficiency the lateral ride of Trestrol was satisfactory. Over straight track the ride performance of both Trestrol and a Class 86/2 locomotive (hauling the test train) was similar, but on curves the latter gave a more favourable response. In the vertical plane the ride of Trestrol was fairly good, and gave a better performance than the locomotive over both straight and curved track.
Trestrol ride performance at Beattock was fairly good, whereas earlier impressions over both the Old Dalby test track and the West Coast main line suggested otherwise. This disparity is almost certainly due to variations in track standard (roughness), which is substantiated by ride data published elsewhere, at much lower speeds (l60 km/h). For example weighted r.m.s. accelerations of 0.051 'g' and 0.064 'g' were measured (Crewe to Preston) in the vertical and lateral planes, respectively.

Photos as credited

	A close up of the pantograph platform on RDB901603 Author's collection		The main access door Kit Spackman courtesy Darren Malster
	On Plumtree curves with RDB975428 Lab 10 Kit Spackman courtesy Darren Malster		At the Old Dalby test track - clearance tests on Plumtree curves Kit Spackman
	Outside the Research Test Hall at RTC Kit Spackman courtesy Darren Malster

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