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The pre-production Advanced Passenger Train (APT-P) on show today provides a glimpse of the Inter-City trains of the future. This particular train has been formed using the first vehicles to emerge from British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) at Derby. Such trains hauled by an HST prototype power car are being used for the commissioning and testing phase of the APT introduction programme. It includes the first "front end" or driving trailer car and two other passenger carrying coaches. These have been fitted with instruments in order to monitor the performance of the rake during trials.
The 4000 horsepower electric Power Car, one of six being built, has, during separate trials, already run over 4000 miles attaining speeds of up to 125 mile/h. APT Power Cars are initially tested separately in rakes incorporating instrumentation and laboratory coaches. HST Power Car is used as a locomotive when operating under non-electrified lines and providing a driving cab for the test unit.
The three trains now being built in Derby Locomotive and Litchurch Lane Works of BREL have been designed by the Board's Chief Mechanical & Electrical Engineers design team and are based on fundamental research carried out in the Railway Technical Centre, Derby, BR's Research & Development Division. The research originated in basic studies of rail freight and passenger vehicle dynamics and culminated in the highly successful demonstration trials of the 152 mile/h experimental train, APT-E.
The results obtained with this train led to the authorisation in October 1974 of the building of three pre-production electrically propelled passenger carrying APT-Ps to be the forerunners of a fleet of trains for Inter-City routes.
Advanced Passenger Trains are designed with a tilting facility to enable them to operate on curves at speeds typically 20 - 40% above those of conventional trains. This results in higher average speeds and much shorter journey times.
The three pre-production APT's will run at 125 mile/h maximum to cover the 401 miles between London and Glasgow in passenger carrying service in 4 hours 10 minutes. This compares with 5 hours for todays fastest Inter-City train.
Each rake of trailer cars is self-contained, incorporating both first and second class accommodation and catering facilities. First class accommodation is in the middle of the train and second class towards the ends, the division being marked by the intermediate catering car. The catering unit provides full meals for first class passengers in their seats and a buffet service for all passengers. The train is fully air conditioned and has sliding power operated passenger doors.
Coaches are constructed of aluminium alloy to give a weight saving of some 40% over conventional coaches with no loss of strength. The trailer cars are articulated with the ends of adjacent coaches sharing a single bogie.
The braking system is designed to stop the train within the distances allowed for by todays signalling system based on 100 mile/h trains. Hydrokinetic, or water turbine brakes, are used to dissipate the large energy levels involved.
The first train of 2 power cars and 6 trailer vehicles when commissioned will become a familiar sight on the London-Glasgow line, particularly in North West England and Scotland as the intensive programme of proving trials gets under way.
As more vehicles roll off the production lines, they will be commissioned and tested and then formed into complete trains. After a period of crew training APT's will substitute for selected 100 mile/h Anglo-Scottish trains in daily passenger service in mid 1979. The first 125 mile/h schedules will be introduced in October 1979.
Plans for the future fleets of Advanced Passenger Trains will include the development of diesel powered trains for use on non-electrified lines.
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