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Test Car 1 was a
former BR/GWR autocoach numbered DW150375 - photo circa 1972 not long after its arrival at RTC
on a test train with two BSC bogie tippler wagons |
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Test Car 1- note
its original GW bogies and long elegant buffers - on a test train with a
35t hopper Also note the headcode on the class 47 - 1T 21 - a favourite at
the time.
Author |
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Test Car 1 was
repainted into
chocolate and cream for the GW150 celebrations in 1985 although it never
carried this livery as an autocoach. Note that it
now has B4 bogies and very much altered buffers. |
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The second Test
Car 2 ADB 975397 in the EDU around 1990 was converted from a Mk1 BSK. This followed
the demise of the original ex-LNER test car in an accident on the Crewe-
Winsford slip brake testing work in
the mid-1970's. |
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Another view of
TC2 ADB 975397 in the workshop |
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TC2 in its new
Serco livery in 1998 - it is now retired and is resident at Ruddington
Heritage Centre, Nottingham. Note the incorrect number 976397 which
should be 975397 |
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Test Car 3 was
the former LMS dynamometer coach M45049 built during the war and is now part of the National
Collection and is currently restored to its LMS maroon livery at Barrow
Hill. |
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The interior of
Test car 3 as built |
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The original
Test Car 4 pictured in the EDU being rigged for a test on 2nd April
1982.
Built at Swindon in 1947 as a third class corridor carriage to a design
by F W Hawksworth, on lot number 1691, this vehicle originally carried
the number 796. It was withdrawn from service and extensively converted
in 1961 to become the BR Western Region Dynamometer Car, renumbered as
DW150192. It was purchased privately for preservation in 1983 and moved
to the Foxfield Railway the same year, but subsequently sold to the
group restoring BR 4-6-2 71000 "Duke of Gloucester", as a support coach
and is currently resident at Steamtown, Carnforth.
Colin Marsden |
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Test Car 4 in
chocolate and cream pictured on the Lickey Bank with a 600 ton test
train hauled by Brush prototype locomotive 'Falcon' in February 1962
Brush Traction |
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Test Car 4 in
its later red and blue livery pictured at Crewe Basford Hall sidings |
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The later Mk3
version of Test Car 4 behind a class 47 at the test track in 1999. Test Car 4
RDB975984 was to have been scrapped in the mid
1990's but was rescued and now forms part of the New Measurement Train -
below
Author |
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RDB975984 is now part of the NMT - pictured
here near Wingfield, north of Ambergate on 11th May 2006
Author |
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Test Car 4 was
originally a buffet car from the prototype HST but was converted into
Lab Coach 15 ' Argus' by the R&DD
numbered RDB975984 and was finally transferred
to the DM&EE. Here is 'Argus' at Eastleigh on 21st July 1987
Neil Watkins |
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Test Car 4 in
Serco livery at Crewe ETD in 3rd May 1997
© Vince |
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Inside Test Car
4.
Author |
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The first Test Car 5 was
converted from a BSK and numbered ADB975051. It is pictured in the loop at the top of the RTC yard
when new on 22nd December 1972. It is still in existence at Peak Rail in
Rowsley where it was moved in May 2007. However it has had a hard life,
since being disposed of by BR, having all its windows welded up and was
used for a long time in the Crewe Works test train fleet.
See here for a
recent photo |
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The second Test Car 5 was
the former R&DD Lab 6 'Prometheus'.
numbered RDB975422 This was converted from a
Mk1 SK W34875 in 1975 but has now been scrapped. |
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Test Car 6
RDB975290 at RTC in 1982 Colin
Marsden |
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Test
Car 6 in Sangatte, France in January 1994. |
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Test Car 6 pictured
at Glenfinnan
behind a class 37 loco fitted with the 'self-steering bogie' |
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Class 89 at Old
Dalby with Test Car 10, another Mk3 coach conversion from the
prototype HST, in tow with
R&DD's test coach Lab 6 'Prometheus' |
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The overhead
line test vehicle MENTOR ADB975071 was operated by the Testing Section
for a while in the mid 1980's |
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Test Car 3
'Mentor' at St Pancras in the early 1980's when testing the BedPan
electrification scheme. Note that it belongs to the CM&EE and not DM&EE and is classified as Test Car 3.
There had been a Test Car 3 in the DM&EE's fleet in the form of the
ex-LMS dynamometer car M45039 but by this time it had been
decommissioned. |
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MENTOR
pictured at the RTC Derby on 8th March 2005 |
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A line up of the
DM&EE test cars in 1987 - from left, TC1, TC2, MENTOR, TC6 and TC10 with
the class 89 loco |
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A view of the
yard at RTC in the late 1980's. In the foreground is Lab One No:RDB975000 and one
of the APT-P vehicles which was converted into a test coach. Also in the
picture in the mid-distance is Test Coach Argus
RDB975984 (later to become Test Car 4 and now in the
NMT), Laboratory 21
RDB977089 and a class 155 unit. Note the
Provincial liveried class 150/1 units on Etches Park depot in the
background. |
