The Official Rapido APT-E Thread

[UP 4000]

I thought that had already been done. There were 2,000 of them at Shildon but Sandra posted them all across the globe

 

Not in front of E-Train though, Could you imagine a mass gathering of them, with sound roaring, you could probably swear the real E-Train was back up and running screaming the house down!!! what a sight and sound,

[big jim]

I think it was also the debut of the flying APT-E (technically though it wasn't flying......................)

 

yep more "falling with style"

 

we both winced as we heard a clatter behind us and turned to see mr tilt's apt on the floor, hope its ok kit, there looked to be a piece left over on the table after you reassembled it

[UP 4000]

Only two APT-E's on show, mine and Kits!

 

cheers

 

Shane

 

We defiantly need to do a gathering at Locomotion, one awesome sight that would be!!!

[UP 4000]

yep more "falling with style"

 

we both winced as we heard a clatter behind us and turned to see mr tilt's apt on the floor, hope its ok kit, there looked to be a piece left over on the table after you reassembled it

 

Oh my god, What Happened??? Hope everything is O.K?

[Wolf27]

Everything is ok, Kits APT-E took a tumble to the floor when he was adjusting the running line it was sat on. It came unclipped in a few places but went back together and the patient recovered nicely. A part of the swinging arm broke its mounting pins but I glued it back in place today. Quite a test for it and not to be recommeded!

Cheers

 

Shane

[UP 4000]

Everything is ok, Kits APT-E took a tumble to the floor when he was adjusting the running line it was sat on. It came unclipped in a few places but went back together and the patient recovered nicely. A part of the swinging arm broke its mounting pins but I glued it back in place today. Quite a test for it and not to be recommeded!

Cheers

 

Shane

 

Glad to here it, We already have one E-Train out of action, hate to see another be part of it, And ironically Kit's, could you honesty believe it.

[Holmesfeldian]

A quick question to kit - what was the usual route for testing North of Derby, please?

 

I've seen a photo taken of the E train near Duffield and was curious as to how regularly it travelled North and where it went to, especially whether it travelled through my home station of Dronfield.

[Wolf27]

Pretty sure it only went north to Duffield on it very first run and possibly it very last, most runs would have headed the other way out of Derby toward Syston, Melton Mowbray and the Old Dalby test track, the Defby Stafford line to Mickleover or along the MML to St Pancras or OOC.

 

kit will no doubt confirm.

 

Cheers

 

Shane

[Mr_Tilt]

My E-Train model did suffer some 'impact damage' after i turfed it off Shane's test track, and it took most of the test track with it too, sorry Shane! 

 

As Shane mentioned one of the steering beam ends came off and appeared at all sorts of weird places on the stand during the rest of the weekend, but he glued it back in position, thanks very much. My PC2's E1 bogie isn't quite the same as as PC1's now, it has about twice the amount of vertical play as PC1's, but it still seems to work OK and it still tilts.

 

The Karry Kase went down a storm, but while I'll be happy to provide 'design notes'  I'm not going into production with the things, life's just too busy now I'm afraid.

 

As for E-Train running north of Derby, it only ever traveled to Duffield once, and that was the very first run on June 25th 1972. On the last run, headed to York on June 11th 1976 (it's the 40th Anniversary next Saturday!) we went up past Duffield again and it seemed we did go past Dronfield en route to Sheffield and thence to York, but that was the only time we did that. 

 

The great majority of our test miles took place either on the Test Track or on the MML south of Trent Junction, all the way south to St. Pancras in fact. 

 

I suggested an 'E-Train Rally' at Shildon some months ago, and I even suggested that it take place during the Shed Bash in late July, but the management at Shildon have prevented us from opening the train during that event now............. 

 

It seems that the Kettle Fans still rule up there, and I'm VERY upset about it!

Edited June 5, 2016 by Mr_Tilt

[Holmesfeldian]

Thanks Kit

 

Here's a collector's item then - note the paved slab track (P.A.C.T.) under construction.
 

[Mr_Tilt]

Yes, that was the very first 1972 run. You can identify it because the Power Cars don't have the square turbine cooling grilles immediately underneath the blue trim line. If it was taken a little later you'd have been able to see the dreaded Swinging Arm bogies too. 

 

In passing I was involved with the very first PACT track at Radcliffe-on-Trent on the Nottingham - Grantham line when I was with Track & Structures before I moved to APD. The whole idea amazed me, and it was the first time I'd ever seen a laser, which they used to align the  slip-form paver that laid the slab.

[UP 4000]

Post Deleted.

Incorrect, misleading information.

Edited June 8, 2016 by UP 4000

[apt-e]

Just being contact by this guy, really nice work.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/141280199@N02/sets/72157667557779350

 

Just thought I'd share with the group.

 

Paul

[Wolf27]

Just gotta love Lego!

 

cheers

 

Shane

[JSpencer]

My E-Train model did suffer some 'impact damage' after i turfed it off Shane's test track, and it took most of the test track with it too, sorry Shane! 

 

As Shane mentioned one of the steering beam ends came off and appeared at all sorts of weird places on the stand during the rest of the weekend, but he glued it back in position, thanks very much. My PC2's E1 bogie isn't quite the same as as PC1's now, it has about twice the amount of vertical play as PC1's, but it still seems to work OK and it still tilts.

 

it!

I have found Rapido very helpful fixing little things, so I,m sure they will help getting Mr Tilt's looking and acting like new again.

[Jitmen]

Was the one driver seat on the apt-e a sneaky ploy by BR to introduce one driver only cabs on the apt-p or was it just a one off for experiment?

[No Decorum]

No doubt I shall be corrected but I think there was concern about the strength of the window glass, so it was made small. There was also the factor that only one driver was needed. The unions were concerned about the loss of jobs but they also made the reasonable point that it was sometimes necessary to have a second person in the cab with a forward view, for example another driver learning a route or an inspector checking a driver. These extra people would need to be accommodated in the cabs of service trains rather than an experimental one. In addition, the APT-E cab was very narrow to avoid being out of gauge, the bogie being so far back. A feature of the model which has been much discussed.

[Removed a/c]

Does anyone have a non-sound APT-E that they have chipped for DCC use? I do,  I bought a 8pin DUH !! but it says you can use the adapter which I did. The cab lights did not work, the headlights worked but no the tail lights. I noticed a stray wire so sent PC1 back to Rapido and they repaired it for me very quickly I might add. They tested it and said it worked with a 21 pin decoder, so when I received it I had a 21pin decoder waiting and chipped it. The cab lights still do not work and the headlights come on on one end and on the other end I get head & tail lights at the same time. I am using a Bachmann 21pin decoder with 3 functions. The book says ESU with 4 functions. Hoepfully I will be able to get one of those on Sunday but would it make that much difference........it is only lighting? 

[Mr_Tilt]

Was the one driver seat on the apt-e a sneaky ploy by BR to introduce one driver only cabs on the apt-p or was it just a one off for experiment?

 

 

No doubt I shall be corrected but I think there was concern about the strength of the window glass, so it was made small. There was also the factor that only one driver was needed. The unions were concerned about the loss of jobs but they also made the reasonable point that it was sometimes necessary to have a second person in the cab with a forward view, for example another driver learning a route or an inspector checking a driver. These extra people would need to be accommodated in the cabs of service trains rather than an experimental one. In addition, the APT-E cab was very narrow to avoid being out of gauge, the bogie being so far back. A feature of the model which has been much discussed. 

 

Not really.

 

Because the train would be going at 155 mph under the original plans it was essential that the driver kept his view waaaaaay out in front of the train to see the special APT signals (which never got installed of course.........) In addition E-Train's cab was designed to be a crash cell so that the whole cab, from the front bulkhead to the rear bulkhead leading to the turbine bay, stayed in one piece in the event of an accident. There was a large hydraulic jack under the floor, the piston of which protruded forward into the fiberglass nose cone, and this was meant to take the initial impact. After that the cab 'rode down' on the turbine bay immediately aft of the cab, which was designed to collapse progressively.

 

In order that the crash loads were transmitted back through the cab cell there were four hefty beams, two under the floor and two at head height, and you can still see where they run in the cab to this day, pic below.

 

 

Because the crash beams were where they are and the nose was narrow for aerodynamic reasons, there just wasn't enough room for a second seat alongside the driver. When ASLEF threw their toys out of the pram over the issue we installed a fourth seat mounted on the door leading to the turbine bay, but the HST had a much wider cab and they could move the driver's seat to one side. 

 

APT-P was designed with two seats to start with and made do with a slightly un-aerodynamic nose as a result. Both APT-P and the 253 HST sets had large side windows too, as a result of ASLEF's demands, thus negating the attempt to concentrate the driver's view out to the front.

 

You can't win 'em all............. 

Edited June 10, 2016 by Mr_Tilt

[UP 4000]

Does anyone have a non-sound APT-E that they have chipped for DCC use? I do,  I bought a 8pin DUH !! but it says you can use the adapter which I did. The cab lights did not work, the headlights worked but no the tail lights. I noticed a stray wire so sent PC1 back to Rapido and they repaired it for me very quickly I might add. They tested it and said it worked with a 21 pin decoder, so when I received it I had a 21pin decoder waiting and chipped it. The cab lights still do not work and the headlights come on on one end and on the other end I get head & tail lights at the same time. I am using a Bachmann 21pin decoder with 3 functions. The book says ESU with 4 functions. Hoepfully I will be able to get one of those on Sunday but would it make that much difference........it is only lighting? 

 

I have a non sound version, but was quickly fitted with a Legomanbiffo sound decoder, Yes I had problems with the cab lights but that was due to a fault on the PCB board which is now sorted.

 

I'm only guessing here, but you should need a 4 function decoder,

 

aux1 front headlights

aux2 rear taillights

aux3 cab light in pc-1

aux4 cab light in pc-2

 

I couldn't see why using a 3 function decoder would affect the head/tail lights, but may be wrong,

 

Hope this Helps,

[Removed a/c]

Thanks hopefully going to get a 21-pin on Sunday, never had so much "trouble" with a loco LOL. I think it isn't my week as I also programmed all my locos as 4468 !!! 

Edited June 10, 2016 by thebritfarmer

[UP 4000]

 Ohh we all get days like that, I ordered 8 lokpilot fx's for service use's coaches, took nearly 2 weeks to arrive, when I went to pick them up it was the wrong ones (loco decoders) but an order can't be placed for 2-3 weeks then delivery time.

 

Not to worry though, got her booked in now for the coach numbers to be applied and a little something else, at least still moving on with things.

[No Decorum]

Not really.

 

Because the train would be going at 155 mph under the original plans it was essential that the driver kept his view waaaaaay out in front of the train to see the special APT signals (which never got installed of course.........) In addition E-Train's cab was designed to be a crash cell so that the whole cab, from the front bulkhead to the rear bulkhead leading to the turbine bay, stayed in one piece in the event of an accident. There was a large hydraulic jack under the floor, the piston of which protruded forward into the fiberglass nose cone, and this was meant to take the initial impact. After that the cab 'rode down' on the turbine bay immediately aft of the cab, which was designed to collapse progressively.

 

In order that the crash loads were transmitted back through the cab cell there were four hefty beams, two under the floor and two at head height, and you can still see where they run in the cab to this day.

 

Because the crash beams were where they are and the nose was narrow for aerodynamic reasons, there just wasn't enough room for a second seat alongside the driver. When ASLEF threw their toys out of the pram over the issue we installed a fourth seat mounted on the door leading to the turbine bay, but the HST had a much wider cab and they could move the driver's seat to one side. 

 

APT-P was designed with two seats to start with and made do with a slightly un-aerodynamic nose as a result. Both APT-P and the 253 HST sets had large side windows too, as a result of ASLEF's demands, thus negating the attempt to concentrate the driver's view out to the front.

 

You can't win 'em all............. 

I knew I should have kept quiet. “Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and place the matter beyond doubt.”

[Mr_Tilt]

I knew I should have kept quiet. “Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and place the matter beyond doubt.”

 

Not at all, there's no such thing as a bad idea in engineering. It's just that some work and others don't, as I found to my cost MANY times! 

 

Of course the intervention of Trade Unions always complicate such matters............ 

[newbryford]

Not at all, there's no such thing as a bad idea in engineering.

 

Oh yes there is - The Fell locomotive............

 

And the Trabant.

 

Cheers,

Mick