Articulation in the UK

[sprinterguy]

- A much more rigid formation which is advantagous in case of a derailment. Compare any TGV derailment to Grayrigg, Ufton or many others and you can see the difference. The TGVs remain upright and inline with the occasional exception of the power cars which have conventional couplers and bogies.

It is worth noting that the main complicating factor in dictating how severe the Grayrigg and Ufton Nervett accidents were was the prescence of facing crossovers at the site of the derailment: I've read through details of a number of TGV derailments and collisions over the years and I can't find much reference to this being the case in those incidences: There have been a number of derailments, notably with mark 3s, on plain line track in the UK where the train has remained upright and in line: Great Heck probably would have been one of these if it wasn't for the prescence of a Freightliner coal train heading in the opposite direction.
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Other than Longsight, where else in the UK has this facility?

Doesn't Central Rivers, where the Voyagers are maintained, have one? And where were Hull Trains' 222s maintained, as I believe that it was a malfunction with a full-unit lift that caused one to be dropped.

 

[DXMachina]

Not want to go OT but whilst searching for that photo I came across this image - a TGV power car hauling a freight wagon! Must be coupled using the screw coupling you have mentioned... Judging by the matching livery it may be an adapter/match wagon?

http://images-00.delcampe-static.net/img_large/auction/000/147/615/662_001.jpg

Don't think it's hauling anything with its pan down. Possibly waiting for a drag - and i concur probably a match-truck or adapter vehicle.

 

[TGV]

It is worth noting that the main complicating factor in dictating how severe the Grayrigg and Ufton Nervett accidents were was the prescence of facing crossovers at the site of the derailment: I've read through details of a number of TGV derailments and collisions over the years and I can't find much reference to this being the case in those incidences: There have been a number of derailments, notably with mark 3s, on plain line track in the UK where the train has remained upright and in line: Great Heck probably would have been one of these if it wasn't for the prescence of a Freightliner coal train heading in the opposite direction.

I'll concede that you make a good point with those examples, but I stress that an articulated formation has far greater longitudinal rigidity than a conventional bogie/coupler system. If you were unlucky enough to be in a derailment at anything over 150mph, you would want to be sat in an articulated train over anything else.