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Crewe Test Train


Mandrover
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Hi im a newby here so I hope this is in the right place. I am after some information on the Crewe Test Train as I would like to model it. Ive had a look at flicker for pictures but im struggling to identify what carriages  are in it and what their running numbers are. I would like to model it as I  can remember it running past my house years ago and also so that I can pretty much stick anything on the front of it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Richard 

 

I Have tried to attach a picture of said train formation, however the pics of it on flicker are not available to copy or download. The train im after is the 8 carriage formation with 7 mk 1's in drab olive type colour and a blue/grey mk2.

Edited by Mandrover
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Have you found www.departmentals.com yet? You might need to register to search effectively, but there's a lot of info there.

Also Platform 5 published lists of departmental coaches going way back to the early 80s, so pick your year and see if you can find a suitable one in an auction site/bookshop

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Another thought - what date are we talking about here? There's a lot of knowledgable carriage people on here, but they might need some help narrowing down when your interest lies.

Generally speaking, some of the main BREL works (Crewe and Doncaster included) had trains of 8 or so departmental coaches allocated to them for main line testing of newly-overhauled locos with a proper load. However, others didn't - I don't think Derby did it this way, preferring to stick the loco on the front of a St Pancras stopping train for the run at least as far as Leicester. That was the case in the early 80s, hence this photo of a Scottish 27 at the head of a train to St Pancras in 1981/82 ish.

Edited by eastwestdivide
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These use to be the "regular Test coaches" I use to see along the North wales coast...

behind rail freight 37350..

My photo collection shows this train being used for the 37 rebuilding programme between 1985 & 1989.

All Mk.1 coaches in filthy blue and grey, with most of the windows borded over. BSK at each end and a FK identifiable with some CKs.

Merf.

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There used to be 2 test trains - an electric one & a diesel one, I remember them both being stabled in Chester during the summer of 1985 when the Crewe remodelling was taking place 

 

CE test train:

 

ADB975051 - This vehicle was formerly DM&EE Test Car 5, ex BTK M34133 - this was in RTC Red & Blue livery

ADB 977081 -  Mk1 FK M13267 B1 - converted 1982

ADB 977082 - Mk1 RKB 1511 - converted 1982

ADB 977083 - Mk1 RKB M1552 - converted 1982

ADB 977084 - Mk1 RKB M1505 - B4's - converted 1982

ADB 977085 - Mk1 RKB M1637 - commonwealth bogies - converted 1982

 

ZC Test Train:

ADB975618 - ex Mk1 BTK M34538 B1 Bogies - converted 1977

ADB975626 - ex MK1 BSK S34939 B1 Bogies - converted 1977

ADB975627 - ex MK1 BSK S34938 B1 Bogies - converted 1977

ADB977146 - ex MK1 TSO E4841 - converted 1983

ADB977147 - ex MK1 CK M16123 - converted 1983

ADB977148 - ex MK1 CK M16133 - converted 1983

ADB977149 - ex MK1 CK M16137 - converted 1983

ADB977150 - ex MK1 CK E15642 - converted 1983

ADB977151 - ex MK1 SK M25339 - B1 Bogies - converted 1983

 

Previously it was made up of ex LMS 50ft Full Brakes - all converted in 1980

ADB975986 - LMS PIII BG M31359M

ADB975987 - LMS PIII BG M30977M

ADB975988 - LMS PIII BG M31057M

ADB975989 - LMS PIII BG M31181M

ADB975990 - LMS PIII BG M31254M

ADB975991 - LMS PIII BG M31045M

ADB975992  - LMS PIII BG M31904M

 

Half an hour with a 1985 diary & a 1984 platform 5 "departmental coaching stock" & a blimp at Departmentals.com & its sorted (perhaps)

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CE test train:

 

ADB975051 - This vehicle was formerly DM&EE Test Car 5, ex BTK M34133 - this was in RTC Red & Blue livery

ADB 977081 -  Mk1 FK M13267 B1 - converted 1982

ADB 977082 - Mk1 RKB 1511 - converted 1982

ADB 977083 - Mk1 RKB M1552 - converted 1982

ADB 977084 - Mk1 RKB M1505 - B4's - converted 1982

ADB 977085 - Mk1 RKB M1637 - commonwealth bogies - converted 1982

 

ZC Test Train:

ADB975618 - ex Mk1 BTK M34538 B1 Bogies - converted 1977

ADB975626 - ex MK1 BSK S34939 B1 Bogies - converted 1977

ADB975627 - ex MK1 BSK S34938 B1 Bogies - converted 1977

ADB977146 - ex MK1 TSO E4841 - converted 1983

ADB977147 - ex MK1 CK M16123 - converted 1983

ADB977148 - ex MK1 CK M16133 - converted 1983

ADB977149 - ex MK1 CK M16137 - converted 1983

ADB977150 - ex MK1 CK E15642 - converted 1983

ADB977151 - ex MK1 SK M25339 - B1 Bogies - converted 1983

 

Previously it was made up of ex LMS 50ft Full Brakes - all converted in 1980

ADB975986 - LMS PIII BG M31359M

ADB975987 - LMS PIII BG M30977M

ADB975988 - LMS PIII BG M31057M

ADB975989 - LMS PIII BG M31181M

ADB975990 - LMS PIII BG M31254M

ADB975991 - LMS PIII BG M31045M

ADB975992  - LMS PIII BG M31904M

 

Half an hour with a 1985 diary & a 1984 platform 5 "departmental coaching stock" & a blimp at Departmentals.com & its sorted (perhaps)

 

from the 1985 diary:

 

Chester  - 21st November 1985

 

47444 - Large Logo Blue with one of the test train rakes

47631 - Large Logo Blue with the other test train rake

 

so both rakes in use on the same day testing ex-works diesels - unfortunately didn't record which rake was which

 

coaches ADB977148 / ADB977149 /  ADB977150 /  ADB977151 / ADB977326 / ADB977327 / ADB977081 / ADB975626 / ADB975918 / ADB975627

 

2 extra coaches in these rakes not id'd above

 

ADB977326 - ex MK1 CK 16138

ADB977327 - ex MK1 CK 16114

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But it was much more fun when the locos from the works went on service trains along the coast

 

My first ever trip on my own on a train was behind a 37/9 and 47 between prestatyn and llandudno jn, i'd gone to stay with my grandparents in prestatyn and my grandad let me go on the train by myself (id have been about 11 i recon) probably to get me out of his hair for the day, i went down to the station and bought a ticket and low and behold the 37/47 combo rolled in!!

 

Happy days!!

 

Edit:

 

One of my dads pics taken from prestatyn box

37testprest.jpg

Edited by big jim
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The olive set with the B/G Mk2 Aircon in sounds more like the Crewe Electric Test Train from the Mid 1990's, and was used to commission 92's and other locos that had received attention. I'm sure I had a list of the numbers somewhere but can't find the resourse, and the Mk2 I had set aside for the rake currently has a fictional ADB number on...

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The olive set with the B/G Mk2 Aircon in sounds more like the Crewe Electric Test Train from the Mid 1990's, and was used to commission 92's and other locos that had received attention. I'm sure I had a list of the numbers somewhere but can't find the resourse, and the Mk2 I had set aside for the rake currently has a fictional ADB number on...

 

Looking at current pics of some of these coaches on departmentals.com 

 

ADB975051 & ADB977084, ADB977085  still exist  & were still at Crewe in OG as late as 2005

 

Cheers 

 

Paul.........

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  • 6 years later...
On 25/11/2014 at 16:55, Mandrover said:

Im interested in the late 80's early 90's when I used to see it coming through Oxenholme normally with a new 90 on the front.

 

An evening idling through Flickr finding this... and I'm now digging up this Topic again :D

Think 298's post there about the Crewe Electric test train might be on the money..

 

Rain, Electricity and Speed.

 

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