Test Coach MENTOR

Test Coach MENTOR

In 1973 a new overhead line test coach was introduced which bore the name 'Mentor'. This was an acronym for 'Mobile Electrical Network Testing, Observation and Recording'.

After the electrification between Weaver Junction and Glasgow was completed in early 1974 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had a ride on the vehicle which was marshalled into a small version of the Royal Train on 7th May 1974

The vehicle numbered ADB975091 was operated by the LMR CM&EE and based oddly enough at Nelson Street at Derby, a long way from 25kV overhead line. It was converted at Swindon from a BSK 34615 built in 1955. Around the mid-1980's it carried the logo 'Test Car 3' and was transferred to the DM&EE at the RTC when a re-organisation did away with the Regional CM&EE's.

The author worked on OHLE-monitoring using the coach whilst working at Nelson Street in the early 1970's and again in the mid-1990's but this time for Railtest.

It is still going strong in 2023 although displaced from front line service by a new Mk3 vehicle in the New Measurement Train.

Click on the picture for a bigger image - all photos are BR Official unless otherwise credited

	Mentor 'as new' somewhere on WCML
	Mentor 'as new' somewhere on WCML
	MENTOR stabled next to Nelson Street in St Andrews Goods Yard in the early 1970s. This view is looking south and the single story buildings in the left background are at the bottom of platform 1 and are still extant. The pantograph is a GEC cross arm which was introduced in the early 1970s to the class 86 and 87 fleets Pete Keen collection
	The 'Royal Train' including Mentor on 7th May 1974 behind 87018 somewhere on WCML Simon Baker collection
	The 'Royal Train' including Mentor on 7th May 1974 somewhere on WCML John Herbison
	The 'Royal Train' including Mentor on 7th May 1974 arriving at Glasgow Central hauled by 87018 after Her Majesty had officially opened Shields Depot Paul Strathdee
	Commemorative plaque inside the vehicle John Bunyan
	Inside the coach - as well as the recording of signals from the pantograph, its behaviour could be observed through the specially fitted roof windows
	The interior layout
	Mentor in the EDU workshop showing the Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph which it usually carried when new
	Another view towards the observation window showing the telemetry system used to carry the signals from the pantograph to the test coach across the 25kV interface

Last run under the CM&EE on 7th July 1978. Pictures courtesy Simon Baker

	MENTOR at Oxford Road station in Manchester.
	The favoured pantograph at the time - Stone Faiveley
	The arrangement of the control panel for the pantograph
	Some of the staff - any names?
	Some of the staff - any names?
	Some of the staff - Derek Young on the left - any more names?

From a newspaper article in January 1973

Don Baker with Keith Faulkner and Alan Thorpe

Simon Baker collection

Latter days

	Mentor at St Pancras - now carrying the title 'Test Car 3' in addition to 'Mentor'. Probably early 1980s in connection with the electrification of the 'BedPan' line
	Another view of Mentor at St Pancras
	Mentor on WCML possibly at Crewe
	At the RTC in its bright yellow livery in March 2005 now equipped with a BR/Brecknell Willis Highspeed pantograph Author
	Mentor is seen here monitoring the overhead line on the Old Dalby test track using its Highspeed pantograph and passing Upper Broughton on 27th January 2007 Author

The coach is currently operated by DB Schenker on behalf of Network Rail

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