• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Valentas on VXC Summer Saturdays?

Status
Not open for further replies.
The Snap

The Snap

Established Member
Joined
10 Jun 2005
Messages
3,147
Hey guys,

What are the chances of MML Valentas being on the Manchester Picc to Newquay VXC trains from July 7th?

My logic dictates (however dodgy :lol:) that it would be pretty high, as MML would want the MTUs for a more reliable passenger service on their own network...?

I only ask as I don't really want to spend my money on an MTU HST bash...:|

Any ideas?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

D

Daniel

Established Member
Joined
5 Oct 2005
Messages
2,532
Location
London
MML do not have any MTUs.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oh, and having previously done Man Picc - Newquay, it is an MML set.
 
C

class 313

Established Member
Joined
10 Dec 2005
Messages
6,477
Location
St Albans
MML's fleet of HSTs are 3/4 VP185s and 1/4 Valenta. Chances of getting a Valenta is low compared to the chance of getting a VP.
 
trains2

trains2

Member
Joined
30 Jun 2005
Messages
315
Location
Winchester
class 313 said:
MML's fleet of HSTs are 3/4 VP185s and 1/4 Valenta. Chances of getting a Valenta is low compared to the chance of getting a VP.
Click to expand...

Excusing my ignorance, what is the difference between the two? I always thought there was only one type and that was Valenta.
 
C

class 313

Established Member
Joined
10 Dec 2005
Messages
6,477
Location
St Albans
VP185
The InterCity 125 In 1994 trials commenced using a 12 cylinder VP185 in an HST power car in place of the original Valenta. The trials proved highly successful, leading to other IC125 power cars being re-engined with the 12VP185. As at November 2002, seven Great Western and five (soon to be six) Midland Mainline re-engined power cars are in service. Work is in progress re-engining a further twelve Midland Mainline power cars with the VP185, the last of which should be in service by about September 2003.The Australian XPT (Express Passenger Train) Most, if not all, of the Australian XPT fleet of power cars has now been re-engined with the VP185.

Valenta Y3J
The British High Speed Train (HST) More than 230 Valenta engines have been supplied for the HST, now better known as the InterCity 125. The first two engines were delivered in 1972 for installation in the prototype HST. Because 30 years have elapsed since then, the magnitude of the technical achievements involved is often forgotten. The Valenta was not ready for the market until 1972, and the HST project was a major step into uncharted territory. Yet, just a year after it was built, in June 1973, the prototype HST with its two Paxman engines established a world speed record for diesel rail traction at 143.2 mph (230.4 kph). In 1987 it beat its own previous world record with a speed of 148 mph.

http://www.nelmes.fsnet.co.uk/paxman/applics1.htm
 
D

devon_metro

Established Member
Joined
11 Oct 2005
Messages
7,715
Location
London
They are booked to run from the 7th July until early September so unless there is a catastrophic failure 1V53 will be non MTU MML HST
 
matt

matt

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
30 Jun 2005
Messages
7,828
Location
Rugby
They ran for two weekends around Spring Break and then the services were voyagers for a few weeks before the HSTs started again
 
The Snap

The Snap

Established Member
Joined
10 Jun 2005
Messages
3,147
Right OK.

So, no MTUs, but are these VT185s or whatever they are like propper HST engines, or the modern crap (similar to MTU)?

(Sorry, I know nothing about the engines, all I care about is whether it is propper, or a new modern engine which makes it sound like a Voyager or 185.:razz:)
 
C

class 313

Established Member
Joined
10 Dec 2005
Messages
6,477
Location
St Albans
Rich said:
Right OK.

So, no MTUs, but are these VT185s or whatever they are like propper HST engines, or the modern crap (similar to MTU)?

(Sorry, I know nothing about the engines, all I care about is whether it is propper, or a new modern engine which makes it sound like a Voyager or 185.:razz:)
Click to expand...

They sound like Valentas just without the scream and the fans...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehz8GxWbOLM
You will see 43104 as a Valenta Y3J. Then at Leicester 43050 departs on the back of a NB service which is a VP185
 
C

ChrisCooper

Established Member
Joined
7 Sep 2005
Messages
1,787
Location
Loughborough
None of the VP185s have Napier Turbochargers, but they still scream, it's just quieter and higher pitch (Valentas have one big Turbocharger, VP185s have I think 4 smaller ones). A big difference in sound is that the VP185s rev slower, and have more of a low pitched growl to them. They also lack the great revving up surge before settling down at the new notch that you get with Valentas, caused by the primative control electronics (the fuel supply is increased suddenly before the load regulator increases the load on the engine, causing it to surge, and also it runs very rich until the Turbo can pick up and get more air into the engine, wheras on a VP185s, the fueling is more controlled to give a smooth increase in power, and the smaller Turbos have a lot less lag). Problem with VP185s though is that they put power down slow, so HSTs with them are slower to pull away.
 
1

1VWC

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2007
Messages
193
theblackwatch said:
They ran during the 2 half term weekends at the end of May/early June but don't start properly until next month.
Click to expand...
Correct. Operated like that to give additional capacity for the half term holidays but also to ensure that no nasty surprises (that no-one has spotted in the planning stages) take place when they run 'for real'.
 
C

class 313

Established Member
Joined
10 Dec 2005
Messages
6,477
Location
St Albans
ChrisCooper said:
None of the VP185s have Napier Turbochargers, but they still scream, it's just quieter and higher pitch (Valentas have one big Turbocharger, VP185s have I think 4 smaller ones). A big difference in sound is that the VP185s rev slower, and have more of a low pitched growl to them. They also lack the great revving up surge before settling down at the new notch that you get with Valentas, caused by the primative control electronics (the fuel supply is increased suddenly before the load regulator increases the load on the engine, causing it to surge, and also it runs very rich until the Turbo can pick up and get more air into the engine, wheras on a VP185s, the fueling is more controlled to give a smooth increase in power, and the smaller Turbos have a lot less lag). Problem with VP185s though is that they put power down slow, so HSTs with them are slower to pull away.
Click to expand...

I'm not to sure about that. So why do only some VPs scream?
 
The Snap

The Snap

Established Member
Joined
10 Jun 2005
Messages
3,147
Any ideas what 43043 is fitted with, as I saw that last year at Piccadilly, and it sounded like a Class 185...! :shock:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top