First part of this film is about "Kestrel"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9rBcSZb3bE

Thanks for that Philip

Very interesting also the APT a shame it never got of the ground i do remember the HST Prototype it used to come down to Plymouth on a regular run.

What is the HP of the new class 70s are they 4000???

ccmmick.

Anyone spot the Metrovick? It's at about 1:57 in, just behind the APT-E.

Thanks for the Link, Regards, 62440.

New class 70's are rated at 3700HP I thik.

Cheers John

Not far off then
Thanks John.

ccmmick.

The reason that the APT did not get off the ground was almost totally political. There was very little wrong with the basic design and it would have taken very little work to sort out the teething problems!

The press did not help with their scare stories about motion sickness!

Best wishes for 2010.

John H-T.

Getting away from Kestrel for a mo and on the subject of APT, I have met one of the electrical engineers who worked tirelessly on testing the train and it was flawed because of the brakes. The aerodynamics of the carriages caused the brakes to freeze at high speed and that would have meant a very costly redesign of the carriage profile to make any significant difference. Apparently politics took over when it was axed.

I've never heard the brakes before.

The APT actually ran in service for many years did it not, just quietly and unloved.

The last bit is the key: "Politics took over." Today I spoke to one of the fitters who spent several months and thousands of miles on the APT on the West Coast Main Line.

The problem with freezing brakes was limited to a short period of extreme winter weather. So cold that the diesel in lorries was freezing!

Otherwise he felt that the brakes were more than adequate.

I don't think the APT spent very long in revenue earning service. The Tory Press saw to that!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

In the gallery "APT Cutting 21.03.1987", shows some of the last APT coaches being dismantled.

(Sorry, I'm lousy at cut and past or would have put up a link)

Cheers, 62440.