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.