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A tidal river reaches a town well served by railways. Where is it? Answers to raildate.co.uk@gmail.com
The APT-E is on a test run. Where is it?
Answer: Reading on 25th July 1975. Image credit: Kevin Hughes RCTS Collection Congratulations are due to the following for their correct answers: David Goddard, Colin Penfold, John Lacy, Lee Bumstead, Leslie Braithwaite, Jum Allwood, Neal Kearns, Jeremy Harrison, Chris Gibbard, Pater Yarlett, Simon Moppett, Bill King, Bryn Picher, Paul Hopper, Simon Wass, Neil Spencer, Marting King, Dave Goodyear. A record number!
The distinctive clock-tower and 1960s buildings behind should have helped with identification. Over £1bn has since been spent on remodelling the Reading area but, when standing on the platforms, the elements still get through. The white hexagonal building (Forbury House) was HQ of the Metal Box Company, and combined a staff swimming pool in the roof with the fire spinkler system.
The gas-turbine powered experimental APT first ran in 1972 but further testing was delayed for a year by ASLEF action. In the summer of 1975, testing was undertaken on the Great Western mainline. This was probably the least suitable route to challenge the tilting mechanism, yet was an opportunity to push the top speed - 153mph achieved on 10th August.
After testing, the APT-E was moved to the National Railway Museum in 1976 - where its faded remains can still be seen mouldering outside. The next generation Class 370 electric version (APT-P - Prototype) had a short ignominious life, peppered with on-board accidents - though it did push the speed record up to 162mph.
Despite being "prototypes", the May 1980 timetable included a scheduled APT-P service. It was a PR disaster and was quickly pulled. The APT-S (Squadron) fleet was never built. The producer-centric vision of the nationalised railway's engineers had turned to dust when national priorities moved elsewhere around 1979.
Extract from Timetable World
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© Matthew Shaw 2024