APT-P Powercar Transfer

[Ash Bridge]

Wise words Ash Bridge.......Unfortunately I had already left home for my 90 mile journey. When I finally found the Heritage centre (No signs on a key roundabout!) the gates were indeed shut. However they were not locked and there were some people inside and I was given permission to enter see the APT set. Another very helpful gentleman opened the doors on the set and I now have a good collection of images.

Glad it all turned out well in the end for you Phil, I too found the staff there very helpful on my last visit about four years ago, even offering to lift the front nose section to reveal the concealed buffers and coupling gear etc. Not a pretty sight tbh ......

 

[Cowley]

Glad it all turned out well in the end for you Phil, I too found the staff there very helpful on my last visit about four years ago, even offering to lift the front nose section to reveal the concealed buffers and coupling gear etc. Not a pretty sight tbh ......

Very interesting photo. I’m surprised to see a buckeye coupling in there. I see they pulled the retractable buffers out for you (only read about the buffers yesterday or I wouldn’t have known). Do the buffers turn? They look a bit sideways...

 

[Ash Bridge]

Very interesting photo. I’m surprised to see a buckeye coupling in there. I see they pulled the retractable buffers out for you (only read about the buffers yesterday or I wouldn’t have known). Do the buffers turn? They look a bit sideways...

I think they are still in the retracted position in my shot, looking at the picture below they have been rotated and appear more extended wouldn't you say?

 

[Cowley]

I could’ve done with engaging my brain before commenting there .
It looks a bit like the cover wouldn’t clear the buffers in the colour shot but I think it’s just my eyes.

 

[Ash Bridge]

I could’ve done with engaging my brain before commenting there .
It looks a bit like the cover wouldn’t clear the buffers in the colour shot but I think it’s just my eyes.

No I think you're correct there, I can't see another reason for them needing to be rotated although I do stand to be corrected/enlightened.

 

[Flying Phil]

Great pictures there Peter, I presume the internal access doors to the PCs would have been securely locked to prevent this so would the 370 when used on service trains have required 2 train managers/conductors and how did the onboard catering work I wonder?

Having the central power cars did cause catering problems and there seemed to be two buffet style kitchen cars. One in the first class coaches serving pre-prepared meals to the seats and second class getting a trolley service was one solution.
At the time they didn't want power cars at the ends with one pantograph, because they didn't want 25kV running along the top and between coaches (I believe this is what the current Pendolino trains now do??)

 

[Flying Phil]

Wow the crowdfunding has now overtaken the £2700 target! Well done to all those contributors.

 

[Flying Phil]

It would be good to have an official update on this move, as they mentioned the possibility of moving by the end of November, if the funding was in place. Surely they could generate more interest/funds if we knew about and could watch the move.

 

[8089]

Just thought I'd share it here.

https://train-simulator.com/west-coasts-fallen-stallion/

https://train-simulator.com/apt-p-detail/

In the midst if the crowdfunding, the APT-P was announced for Dovetail Games "Train Simulator 2018" for gamers to experience. This train had been development hell for so many years but its chance has come and run on the WCML routes.

 

[Flying Phil]

This is from Facebook via the Crewe Heritage website.

"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"

 

[Dougal2345]

The museum is aimed at families and kids wanting a day out. How many 5 year olds or their parents know or care about ATP? Their knowledge of trains is based on going to work every day and little Johnny being obsessed with Thomas.... Thinking of when I took my kids: Did they want to look at a class 31? Did they hell. They wanted to see: Mallard, Flying Scotsman, The big Chinese thing, the bullet train and something massive on the turntable.

If we're talking about the APT-E here, I would have thought that it has a sheer futuristic visual presence that would blow away anything else in the museum, certainly for a young kid. Seeing it alongside the other locos would be like seeing a Ferrari parked alongside a collection of old Fords and BL cars (with maybe a couple of Jaguars and Rolls Royces).

The APT-P lacks that to some extent, but it's still quite a "mean machine" compared to a modern EMU... if I were a 5 year old being taken to the NRM which featured either variety of APT, I know what I would be making a bee line for...

[If you are just talking about the APT-P power car on its own, I accept that's not the most exciting sight in the world... Glad it's being preserved though ]

 

[E_Reeves]

Just thought I'd share it here.

https://train-simulator.com/west-coasts-fallen-stallion/

https://train-simulator.com/apt-p-detail/

In the midst if the crowdfunding, the APT-P was announced for Dovetail Games "Train Simulator 2018" for gamers to experience. This train had been development hell for so many years but its chance has come and run on the WCML routes.

Well, it has been released for a nice price of £14.99... Hopefully it'll be reduced in the next sale? Looking forward to owning it!

 

[8089]

Might be more pricey than most loco DLC on Steam, but the level of work going into this train makes it worth every penny. I guess its down to how much one really wants it. I once spent £19.99 for the Class 205 "Thumper" unit but that's because I grew up travelling on thumpers and are some beasts.

 

[Flying Phil]

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

 

[Flying Phil]

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."

 

[cambsy]

I would love to see the APT running on the main line on excursions, I remember when aged 14-16, traveling from Birmingham to Preston, to chance my luck at riding on the APT in service to London, I ended up on a 87 and mk2’s doing a non stop run to London, always wished I could have gotten to ride on the APT, but at least we have tilt with the super Voyagers and Pendolino, I always doff my proverbial cap at the APT when I go past it at Crewe on a Pendolino, as I see it as the grandfather of the Pendolino.

 

[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.

 

[Flying Phil]

Just to complete this thread, the Power car was transferred to Crewe in February I believe. it is being repainted externally and there is an event to celebrate 30 years(!) of the preservation of the APT August 2nd - 5th.
I just wonder if there is any way that the APT rake could run again on the mainline or....... on a heritage line - albeit loco hauled.

 

[Dougal2345]

There are some nice photos of the repaint, along with more photos of the APT-P than you could shake a stick at, on this thread on rmweb:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/134786-apt-p-photographs/page-6

 

[Antman]

APT-P is basically a locomotive in the middle. With a small cross - section so it can tilt. Would class 91 gubbins fit inside it ? Given they're serviceable ? If a new P2 loco can be built, or the Baby Deltic recreated, or to make a 'new' LMS 10000, is it easier to do what car modifiers do and simply transplant entire new mechanicals into the hulk of the original power car. Presumably modern equipment takes up a lot less space than the old electronic equipment so could allow for some sort of replication of DVT wiring to both ends, so it could be controlled ? Can any of the Pendolino tilting stuff fit inside APT coaches.

Or is that even more fantasy than making a new steam engine that can do 100mph ? And we'd need Pete Waterman, Phil Collins, Michael Portillo, Chris Tarrant and every other famous railway enthusiast to leave everything to a society to pay for it ?

[NRM was great on Friday.... ran out time before I ran out of exhibits....]