RTC Test Coaches

Following on from the RTC Laboratory Coaches, let us now take a look at the Test Coaches that we currently have in the RTC livery, beginning with ...

... this Hornby version of Test Car 1 which, I believe, was used as a Dynamometer Car.

It was formerly an ex-GWR Autocoach, Nº W233W, which, when converted, was given the new Running Nº DW150375.

Currently I believe this coach is being restored, together with Autocoach 169, by the Locomotive 5542 Limited based on the South Devon Railway.

I believe this model was produced by Hornby for ModelZone in 2008 and was limited to just 1000 examples. 

The Catalogue Nº is R4335.

Next we have Test Car 5, which was produced by Bachmann for ModelZone in 2006 and issued with Laboratory 12 as a Limited Edition Twin Pack of just 504 packs.

Its Running Nº is ADB975051 and I believe it was used in a test train for the APT Power Car.

Fortunately this vehicle appears to have survived and is now used as part of a Crewe Works Test Train.

Test Car 6 comes next and is a converted Mk2 FK that was used as a general test coach with the Running Nº ADB975290.

Sadly she was scrapped in 2013.

This Bachmann model dates from 2012 and was produced exclusively for ModelZone with the Catalogue Nº 39-330Z.

Finally we have this Hornby model of Test Car 10, Catalogue Nº R439, which was originally a part of the prototype HST and was one of only a couple of Mk3 coaches that were converted.

The Running Nº is ADB975814 and it was another general test coach that is, currently in use by Network Rail as a high speed track recording coach, as part of the New Measurement Train.

RTC Laboratory Coaches

Having recently featured our fleet of RTC liveried locomotives, I thought it would be a good idea to now take a look at the RTC rolling stock that we have for use on the railway and I will begin with the coaches converted for laboratory use..

First up is this Bachmann version of Laboratory 10, with Hornby's version coming up later.

This coach was issued with Laboratory 11 as a two-coach pack, through Invicta, in 2011 and was limited to 504 packs.

The Running Nº is RDB975428 and the Catalogue Nº 39-001W.

In real life, Laboratory 10 was a Mk1 BSO which was converted to a generator car, providing auxiliary power to the early development of the APT-E test train. 

Unfortunately it was scrapped in 2003.

Here, then, is Laboratory 11, which was issued with Laboratoy 10 in Bachmann's twin coach pack.

The Running Nº for this is RDB975046 and she was converted from a Mk1 BSK.

She was used as part of the Tribometer Train, which investigated the friction, or virtual lack of, between wheel and rail. 

This coach was acquired by the Dartmoor Railway but I am not sure what state it is currently in.

After Laboratory 11, naturally enough, comes Laboratory 12, with the Running Nº RDB975136.

This is part of another Bachmann two-coach pack that was issued, this time, by ModelZone, together with Test Car 5 in 2006. 

The Catalogue Nº is 39-000V and, again, I believe only 504 packs were produced.

This was another Mk1 BSK conversion that was used as an acoustics test vehicle but it was, sadly, scrapped in the mid-1990s.

I am not sure if a model of Laboratory 13 has ever been produced and, if there was, I do not own one, so next up is Laboratory 14.

This is another coach made by Bachmann for ModelZone with the Running Nº RDB975427 and Catalogue Nº 39-280Z.

It is a former Metro Cammell Pullman Kitchen Car which was converted in the mid 1970s to become an acoustics test coach although I have no idea as to why it was named 'Wren'.

This coach, too, has been scrapped, meeting its fate in the late 1980s.

This odd-looking vehicle is Laboratory 22 and is a home-made conversion from an old Tri-ang Mk1 coach, although not by me.

I am not sure how representative it is of the original but it is a nice model and is probably unique, so, for now at least, it is staying as part of the fleet.

The Running Nº is RDB975038 and it was used as an instrumentation vehicle, as part of the Soil Mechanics testing train but, like most of those before, it was scrapped in the early 1990s.

The final Laboratory coach is this Hornby version of Laboratory 10, Catalogue Nº R40009. 

The colours of this coach, especially the blue, are somewhat different to those of the Bachmann but which of the two used the correct colours, I would not like to say.

Mind you, when you note the colours that were applied to their two GBRf Class 50s, it is obvious that Hornby don't always get it right!

Next time we will take a look at the Test Cars as well as the other RTC rolling stock by both Bachmann and Hornby.