APT What we nearly had!

[LotusOmega375D]

Sort of reminds me of a holiday I went on with my Dad when I was a young teenager. We were travelling by train together with our bicycles from the East Midlands to Newquay via St Pancras and Paddington. I knew things weren't particularly going to plan when we got stopped by a policeman for pushing a BR luggage trolley the 3 miles along the Marylebone Rd between the main termini.

Anyway, we boarded the Paddington train, put our bikes in the guard's van and found a seat for the long journey West. It was only by chance that we heard a station announcement at a West Country station that the train was splitting there for two different destinations. Queue mad panic as we realise we will be going one way and our bikes will be heading somewhere completely different!

[W124Bob]

Sadly one of the best sites for the whole Derby research info has disappeared , they were responsible for several locos evenually reaching preservation as they procured stock for testing or just powering test trains. With some stock the heritage is obvious others not so, remember the Kent DEMU's for the Tunbridge Wells narrow tunnel lines. One of the buffet cars was commondered for APT testing because of it's narrower loading guage, it was heavily modified APT bogies etc
Not sure if this picture is APT, related butbit's not one I've seen before.


http://www.departmentals.com/photo/975636 Another APT test train

[Flying Phil]

The picture of the electric train with white front is from the aerodynamic trials for the HST prototype to check possible nose profiles.
From the Crewe Heritage site there are facebook updates.....
"News as regarding the APT power car. As your aware the target as been met and more, i'm just waiting for the safety checks on the power car from the NRM before booking the move. The crowd funder is still active until the 13th December, then it automatically closes, and surplus money will go towards the restoration part of the project...which is quite a bit lol. So thankyou all and any news i'll will keep you informed. Brian Porter"

[P5BNij]

Another nice period shot of the APT-E, at Reading in August '75...

[RemyMartin81D]

Released today as DLC on train SIM.....needless to say instant purchase haha.

[Flying Phil]

P5BNij said:

Another nice period shot of the APT-E, at Reading in August '75...

A classic picture! - Thanks P5BNij

[Flying Phil]

From the Crewe website it looks as though the APT Power Car move will be Mid January.

[yellowjack]

P5BNij said:

Here it is at Leicester London Road...

P5BNij said:

Another nice period shot of the APT-E, at Reading in August '75...

K-9, is that you?

[cuprabob]

yellowjack said:

K-9, is that you?

[Flying Phil]

Very good Yellowjack. I couldn't think what it had reminded me about!

[P5BNij]

Often thought it resembles a Baboon's face more than K-9's...!

[williamp]

P5BNij said:

Here it is at Leicester London Road...

Are you sure thats leiceater? Its a lot more open these days with no buildings that high...??

[Flying Phil]

Yes it is Leicester London Road Station. It was remodelled in 1976/77 to the more open style that you see today.

[Flying Phil]

Re the Power Car move, from Crewe today
"Unfortunately access to the site on the day of delivery will be limited to staff only due to the terms of the movement order and Health and Safety regulations imposed on us by the NRM.



Also these moves can be at fairly short notice dependent upon the availability of a suitable

vehicle for the haulage company.



Once the move is underway we will post details and you can watch the action from the camera feature on our website."

[droopsnoot]

Flying Phil said:

Re the Power Car move, from Crewe today
"Unfortunately access to the site on the day of delivery will be limited to staff only due to the terms of the movement order and Health and Safety regulations imposed on us by the NRM.

Which site is this? I've just had a look on the .org site and can't find any mention of it. ETA, also looked on the facebook page and, even allowing for the terrible way that FB orders things, I can't see anything about the move. There's a comment from "1w" ago saying the other power car should be arriving in the next week or two.

It might be a bit late, but was hoping to perhaps try to catch some photos of it on the road. Assuming it comes by road, that is.

Edited by droopsnoot on Tuesday 23 January 13:18

[Flying Phil]

Hi Droopsnoot
I had E Mailed the Crewe website and was given permission to quote the reply given to me. No date was given for the move to Crewe, as they were not sure at that time - and I suspect they do not want a big crowd of watchers? Perhaps you could e mail to see if you can get a date/time?
However they also said "Once the move is underway we will post details and you can watch the action from the camera feature on our website."
.....which would be good - but I have not seen a camera feature on the website.....

Edited by Flying Phil on Tuesday 23 January 20:50

[RemyMartin81D]

Flying Phil said:

Hi Droopsnoot
I had E Mailed the Crewe website and was given permission to quote the reply given to me. No date was given for the move to Crewe, as they were not sure at that time - and I suspect they do not want a big crowd of watchers? Perhaps you could e mail to see if you can get a date/time?
However they also said "Once the move is underway we will post details and you can watch the action from the camera feature on our website."
.....which would be good - but I have not seen a camera feature on the website.....

Edited by Flying Phil on Tuesday 23 January 20:50

Class 370 page on facebook keeps up to date with the news as its done by the guys at crewe.

[droopsnoot]

Thanks, I'll dig into it a bit more. I also couldn't see a camera feature on the web site. I know they didn't want a load of watchers, hence I was hoping to wait somewhere en route and just get a few pictures as it passes. I'll ask a neighbour, he spends a lot of time at the Heritage Centre, see if he knows. It's probably already there.

[Flying Phil]

On the Crewe website this FB post "Currently we are awaiting the ok from the NRM. Hopefully next week or the week after." dated 24th Jan.

Also the camera feature is found by clicking on the "About Us" link on the Crewe website.

Edited by Flying Phil on Monday 29th January 14:13

[droopsnoot]

Flying Phil said:

On the Crewe website this FB post "Currently we are awaiting the ok from the NRM. Hopefully next week or the week after." dated 24th Jan.

It should be there now. It was being collected yesterday and delivered yesterday evening. I was going to go out and get a photo of it, but I thought it was passing near me between 6am and 7am today, so a bit early, and it actually arrived yesterday evening, so I'm even more glad I didn't get up early.

I mentioned it to my Dad who used to be a driver, and he told me of tales of sabotage by certain parties sticking washing up liquid in the hydraulics, and certain instructors getting 149mph out it without any trouble at all.

Edited by droopsnoot on Friday 2nd March 18:54