SINCE this series began almost six-years ago, we have recorded 71different classes of locomotive and unit making a start from 0-60mph on the level. This has included examples of diesel and electric locos, ex-British Rail and post-BR DMUs, and AC and third-rail EMUs.
A general rule of thumb is that units are quicker off the mark than locos, electric traction faster than diesel, and AC power better than DC. This is reflected in our combined league table, which is headed by AC-powered EMUs and tailed by diesel locos. But within these broad categories are some interesting variations.
The quickest run we have recorded so far is on one of Northern’s new CAFbuilt Class 331 EMUs, which took just 35 seconds to hit 60mph from a standing start on the level. The slowest is the CFPS’ main line-certified Class 40 No. 40145, which took 325 seconds, while the median value in the series – and also coincidentally the fastest diesel loco – is a GWR Class 57 at 76 seconds.
The devil is in the detail, however, and pure times alone cannot tell the whole story as the load is an important consideration. For example, the table for diesel locomotives and HSTs shows that a 2+4 HST set was (not surprisingly) quicker than a 2+7 or 2+8 set – but Class 57 and 68 locos on roughly similar loads are not too far behind the 2+4 HST.
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Esta historia es de la edición June 2020 de Rail Express.
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LNER puts remaining ‘91s' into warm store
The ongoing pandemic restrictions and major engineering works have resulted in the complete withdrawal of the last remaining ‘Electras’ from passenger service, although the plan is to resurrect them in the summer.
Mk.1 Restaurant-Buffet (RBR) cars
A SURPRISING number of Mk.1catering cars have survived to see service on the privatised railway, in private operator and charter trains. They may turn up on anything from an enthusiast special to higher-end dining trains and have been formed in trains as prestigious as the locomotive-hauledBlue Pullman’ set, the ‘Great Britain’ tours operated by West Coast Railways and the ‘Northern Belle’ tour train.
Powerscene
Our authoritative class-by-class review of newsworthy locomotive workings.
End for Freightliner Class 86/6s
The company’s Class 86/6 fleet down to just two examples as seven locos are stored.
Service reductions as Covid cases increase
An increase in Covid-19 cases in early January saw the governments in Ireland and Northern Ireland impose stricter lockdown measures that impacted on public transport.
East West Rail funding go-ahead
Although it was expected, £760 million of funding has now been confirmed to build the Western Section of the East West Railway scheme.
Travellers-Fare with Hornby's Mk.1 Restaurant-Buffet car
Hornby expands its range of retooled ‘OO’ gauge Mk.1 coaches with a brand new tooling for the Diagram 24 Restaurant-Buffet car (RB) and the Diagram 33 refurbished version (RBR). It models the vehicles in both original form, finished in BR maroon and Southern Region green, together with the RBR refurbished coaches. They remained in frontline service well into the 1990s, including Cross-Country workings.
Class 92 revolution
Despite its complex shape and high detail ratio compared to other modern six-axle locomotives, Revolution Trains chose the Class 92 to be its first 'N' gauge locomotive model.
Bottling it!
A dig into the Rail Express archive has revealed some rarely-seen photographs of the former rail-connected Express Dairy bottling plant in South West London, which today is the site of a large mosque.
1990s ‘N' gauge Class 950
Work on the ‘N’ gauge Class 950 Track Recording Unit project, a conversion based on a standard Graham Farish Class 150/1 model, is concluded by finishing the model in 1990s condition.
