Evidently you have made your mind up already.What is the truth? Do we have to wait for them to knacker one of those Porterbrook donor 43s before we find out?
Why not request it at your local library (if there is still such a thing where you live)?I'd love to read it, problem is finding a spare £25
Yep, I teach this as well...
Nothing quite like sweeping generalisations and tarring everyone with the same brush, is there?
in what way? I would imagine the VP sets had to endure a lot more full power running on the ECML due to the nature of the route and length between some stops.The engines are pretty hardy, you'd have to do a lot to damage it with your driving style! That said, when the EC boys and girls get hold of a VP set it doesn't come back the same
Indeed! Look at that acceleration
Sounds like at least notch 4, if not 5 applied as the train passes the camera.
They can fairly shift when they want to! Brand new, the performance knocked spots off everything really
It's also 40 out of Paddington on many platforms so they can get up more speed than exiting the likes of King's Cross or St Pancras.
Fantastic!!
It was a joke really, I drive both types and the MTU definitely puts its power down quicker.
I've seen (and heard!) similarly enthusiastic departures from Peterborough and Stevenage back in Valenta days - it wasn't that unusual for the rear power car to be at or near full power by the time it went past. Remember that the 4500 hp wasn't just for maintaining 125 mph, it also enabled faster acceleration away from stops - that was an important part of the service improvement that HSTs bought to the table. It's a waste of money if you buy high-performance trains and then don't use their full capability whenever it's beneficial.
Perhaps off-topic, but I've been lucky enough to have a few cab-rides on Montreal suburban trains, (diesel loco hauled push-pull stock) & departures usually were as follows:- The train would have been stopped & held on the train brakes, (the loco's have a valve which disables the loco brakes when using the automatic brake). Just before departure the power controller would be moved to notch 1, (out of 8) & the train brakes released when then conductor gave the signal to depart. The reason quoted was to keep the couplers taut & to enable a faster start without having for the engine to "load". I was surprised, 'cos the loco's concerned were all EMD units with 2-stroke engines, rather than the slow-loading GE's that were used in freight service on the same tracks.
