Editing British Rail (section)

== British Rail Engineering Limited ==
{{Main|British Rail Engineering Limited}}
[[File:British Rail Engineering Limited Logo 2.png|thumb|Variant logo used on rolling stock and corporate sales]]
Incorporated on 31 October 1969, British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) was a wholly owned [[railway systems engineering]] subsidiary of the British Railways Board. Created through the [[Transport Act 1968]], to manage BR's thirteen workshops, it replaced the British Rail Workshops Division, which had existed since 1948. The works managed by BREL were [[Ashford Works|Ashford]], [[Crewe Works|Crewe]], [[Derby Works|Derby Locomotive Works]], [[Derby Litchurch Lane Works|Derby Litchurch Lane]], [[Doncaster Works|Doncaster]], [[Eastleigh Works|Eastleigh]], [[Glasgow Works|Glasgow]], Horwich Foundry, Shildon, [[Swindon Works|Swindon]], Temple Mills, [[Wolverton Works|Wolverton]] and [[York Carriage Works|York]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap96/british-rail-engineering-ltd |title = British Rail Engineering Ltd |website = Science Museum Group Collection |language = en-gb |access-date = 23 February 2020}}</ref> BREL began trading in January 1970.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = British Rail Engineering Limited formed |magazine = [[Railway Gazette International|Railway Gazette]] |date = 5 December 1969 |page = 882 }}</ref> During 1989, BREL was sold to a consortium of [[ABB|Asea Brown Boveri]] and [[Trafalgar House (company)|Trafalgar House]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title = Buyer for BREL |magazine = The Railway Magazine |issue = 1955 |date = March 1989 |page = 143 }}</ref><ref name="rb">{{cite web |url = http://www.railwaybritain.co.uk/british%20rail%20workshops.html |title = British Rail Workshops |work = railwaybritain.co.uk |access-date = 2 August 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100412011049/http://www.railwaybritain.co.uk/british%20rail%20workshops.html |archive-date = 12 April 2010|url-status = usurped}}</ref>

=== Mark 2 carriages ===
{{Main|British Railways Mark 2}}
A family of railway carriages designed and built by British Rail workshops (from 1969 British Rail Engineering Limited) between 1964 and 1975. They were of steel construction.

=== Advanced Passenger Train ===
{{Main|Advanced Passenger Train}}
[[File:Apt 370004 - euston - 13-02-1980.jpg|thumb|An [[British Rail Class 370|Advanced Passenger Train]] departs [[Euston railway station|Euston]] for [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow]].]]
In the 1970s, British Rail developed [[tilting train]] technology in the [[Advanced Passenger Train]]; there had been earlier experiments and prototypes in other countries, notably Italy.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/tilting/ |title = Tilting Trains |website = Railway Technology |language = en-GB |access-date = 25 April 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190425142333/https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/tilting/ |archive-date = 25 April 2019 |url-status = live}}</ref> The objective of the tilt was to minimise the discomfort to passengers caused by taking the curves of the [[West Coast Main Line]] at high speed. The APT also had [[hydrokinetic brake]]s, which enabled the train to stop from 150&nbsp;mph within existing signal spacings.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docSummary.php?docID=87 |title = Tomorrow's Train, Today |author = British Railways Board |year = 1980 |via = The Railways Archive |publisher = British Railways Board |page = 18 |access-date = 25 November 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070820044056/http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docSummary.php?docID=87 |archive-date = 20 August 2007 |url-status = live}} (Promotional leaflet)</ref>

The introduction into service of the APT was to be a three-stage project. Phase 1, the development of an experimental APT ([[British Rail APT-E|APT-E]]), was completed. This used a [[gas turbine-electric locomotive]], the only [[multiple unit]] so powered that was used by British Rail. It was formed of two [[power car]]s (numbers PC1 and PC2), initially with nothing between them and later, two trailer cars (TC1 and TC2).<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.old-dalby.com/apt-e.htm |title = E Train |work = The Old Dalby Test Track |access-date = 26 November 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070829065627/http://www.old-dalby.com/apt-e.htm |archive-date = 29 August 2007 |url-status = live }}</ref> The cars were made of aluminium to reduce the weight of the unit and were articulated. The [[gas turbine]] was dropped from development due to excessive noise and the high fuel costs of the late 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.northeast.railfan.net/pro_faq2.html#turbine |title = Diesel-Electric Engine Operation – NE Rails |access-date = 26 November 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070106163915/http://www.northeast.railfan.net/pro_faq2.html#turbine |archive-date = 6 January 2007 |url-status = live }}</ref> The APT-E first ran on 25 July 1971. The train drivers' union, [[Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen|ASLEF]], black-listed the train due to its use of a single driver. The train was moved to [[Derby]] (with the aid of a locomotive inspector). This triggered a one-day strike by ASLEF that cost BR more than the research budget for the entire year.<ref name="APTP">{{cite web |url = http://www.apt-p.com/APTWithHindsight.htm |title = APT – With Hindsight |access-date = 26 November 2006 |author=Alan Wickens |work = Prototype Advanced Passenger Train (APT-P.com)}}</ref>

Phase 2, the introduction of three prototype trains (APT-P) into revenue service on the [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow]] – [[Euston railway station|London Euston]] route, did occur. Originally, there were to have been eight APT-P sets running, with minimal differences between them and the main fleet. However, financial constraints led to only three being authorised after two years of discussion by the British Railways Board. The cost was split equally between the Board and the [[Department for Transport|Ministry of Transport]]. After these delays, considerable pressure grew to put the APT-P into revenue-service before they were fully ready. This inevitably led to high-profile failures as a result of technical problems.<ref name="APTP"/>

These failures led to the trains being withdrawn from service while the problems were ironed out. However, by this time, managerial and political support had evaporated by 1982. Although the APT never properly entered service, the experience gained enabled the construction of other [[High-speed rail|high-speed trains]]. The APT powercar technology was imported without the tilt into the design of the [[British Rail Class 91|Class 91]] locomotives, and the tilting technology was incorporated into [[Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane|Italian State Railway's]] ''[[Pendolino]]'' trains, which first entered service in 1987.

=== InterCity 125 ===
{{Main|InterCity 125}}
[[File:Intercity 125 original logo.svg|thumb|InterCity logo 1978–1985]]
[[File:Intercity 125 2169045.jpg|thumb|left|An [[InterCity 125]] about to depart [[Manchester Piccadilly railway station|Manchester Piccadilly]] in 1986]]

The InterCity 125, or High-Speed Train, was a diesel-powered passenger train built by BREL between 1975 and 1982 that was credited with saving British Rail.<ref>{{Cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/berkshire/5407016.stm |title = High Speed Train marks 30 years |date = 4 October 2006 |access-date = 23 July 2018 |language = en-GB |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180723214328/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/berkshire/5407016.stm |archive-date = 23 July 2018 |url-status = live}}</ref> Each set is made up of two [[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|Class 43]] [[power car]]s, one at each end and four to nine [[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3]] carriages. The name is derived from its top operational speed of {{convert|125|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. Key features of the Intercity 125 over predecessors include the high power-to-weight ratio of the locomotives (1678&nbsp;kW per ~70-tonne loco), high performance [[disc brake]] system (in place of the [[clasp brake]]s traditionally used), improved [[crashworthiness]], and [[push-pull train|bi-directional running]] avoiding the need to perform any run arounds at terminating stations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/OurCollection/LocomotivesAndRollingStock/CollectionItem.aspx?objid=1988-7000 |title=HST Power Car |publisher=[[National Railway Museum]] |access-date=18 May 2009 |archive-date=11 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011100217/http://www.nrm.org.uk/OurCollection/LocomotivesAndRollingStock/CollectionItem.aspx?objid=1988-7000 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Marsden |first = Colin |publisher = Ian Allan |year = 2001 |title = HST: Silver Jubilee |page = foreword |isbn = 0-7110-2847-8}}</ref><ref name="Semmens1990"/><ref name="CC125"/>

By 1970, the setbacks of the APT project had led the [[British Railways Board]] (BRB) to conclude that a stopgap solution would be desirably to reduce journey times in order to compete effectively with other modes of transport. At the instigation of [[Terry Miller (engineer)|Terry Miller]], Chief Engineer (Traction & Rolling Stock), the BRB authorised the development of a high-speed diesel train using tried and tested conventional technology, intended for short-term use until the APT was available.<ref>Marsden 2001, pp. 10–11.</ref> Within two years, a [[prototype]] trainset had been completed by BREL; it performed extensive trial runs between 1972 and 1976.<ref>Marsden, pp. 15–16.</ref>

Encouraged by the prototype's performance, British Rail chose to put the type into production. The production version had a substantially redesigned forward section; this change was primarily made by the British industrial designer [[Kenneth Grange]] who, after being approached by British Rail to design the livery, decided to redesign the body in coordination with an aerodynamic engineer and guided by [[wind tunnel]] testing.<ref>{{cite web |title=How we made the InterCity 125 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/sep/09/how-we-made-intercity-125 |work=The Guardian |access-date=1 June 2022 |date=9 September 2013}}</ref><ref>Channel 5 documentary ''Intercity 125'' episode 1, broadcast 15 May 2018</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/2221b178-87f6-11e0-a6de-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1VgPEvCdV |title= Everywhere and Nowhere |newspaper= Financial Times |location= London |date=27 May 2011 |access-date=21 August 2011}}</ref> A total of 95 Intercity 125 trainsets were ultimately brought into service.<ref name="Semmens1990">{{cite book |last1=Semmens |first1=Peter |title=Speed On The East Coast Main Line: A Century and a Half of Accelerated Services |date=1990 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |isbn=0-85059-930-X |pages=129–225}}</ref><ref name="CC125">{{cite web |title=Trackside Classic: 1976 British Rail Inter City 125 High Speed Train – Still Setting The Standard |date=18 October 2021 |url=https://www.curbsideclassic.com/trackside-classic/trackside-classic-1976-british-rail-inter-city-125-high-speed-train-still-setting-the-standard/ |publisher=Curbside Classic |access-date=30 March 2022}}</ref> British Rail enjoyed a boom in patronage on the routes operated by the HSTs and InterCity's revenues noticeably increased.<ref>{{cite book |last = Harris |first = Sim |publisher = Ian Allan |year = 2016 |title = The Railway Dilemma |page = 16 |isbn = 978-0-7110-3835-6 }}</ref>

Prior to the HST's introduction, the speed of British diesel-powered trains was limited to {{convert|100|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name = 'EarlyHighspeedBR' >{{cite journal |title=High speed track on the Western Region of British Railways |last= Collins |first=R.J. |volume=64 |issue=2 |date=May 1978 |pages=207–225 |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers |url=http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/iicep.1978.2755 |doi=10.1680/iicep.1978.2755 |publisher= [[Institution of Civil Engineers]] |access-date = 2 October 2015}}</ref> The prototype InterCity 125 (power cars 43000 and 43001) set the [[Land speed record for railed vehicles|world speed record]] for diesel traction at {{convert|143.2|mph|abbr=on}} on 12 June 1973.<ref name="proto">{{cite web |url = http://www.traintesting.com/HST_prototype.htm |title = Testing the prototype HST in 1973 |publisher = traintesting.com |access-date = 29 April 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090915204316/http://www.traintesting.com/HST_prototype.htm |archive-date = 15 September 2009 }}</ref> This was succeeded by a production set reaching {{convert|148.5|mph|abbr=on}} in November 1987.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = World speed record smashed |magazine = [[Rail (magazine)|Rail]] |issue = 76 |date = January 1988 |page = 5 }}</ref>

===Sprinters===
{{Main|Sprinter (British Rail)}}
[[File:150001 pancras.jpg|thumb|Prototype 150001 at St Pancras]]
By the early 1980s British Rail operated a large fleet of [[List of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes#First generation|first generation DMUs]], which had been constructed in prior decades to various designs.<ref name="Thomas"/> While formulating its long-term strategy for this sector of its operations, British Rail planners recognised that there would be considerable costs incurred by undertaking refurbishment programmes necessary for the continued use of these ageing multiple units, particularly due to the necessity of handling and removing hazardous materials such as [[asbestos]]. In light of the high costs involved in retention, planners examined the prospects for the development and introduction of a new generation of DMUs to succeed the first generation.<ref name="shore">{{cite journal |last1 = Shore |first1 = A. G. L. |title = British Rail Diesel Multiple Unit Replacement Programme |journal = Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Transport Engineering |date = April 1987 |volume = 201 |issue = 2 |pages = 115–122 |doi = 10.1243/PIME_PROC_1987_201_165_02 |s2cid = 109194039 }}</ref>

In 1984/1985, two experimental DMU designs were put into service: the BREL-built [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] and [[Metro-Cammell]]-built [[British Rail Class 151|Class 151]].<ref name="Motive">{{cite book |first = Brian |last = Morrison |year = 1986 |title = Motive Power Annual 1987 |publisher =  Ian Allan |location = Shepperton |isbn = 0-7110-1635-6 |display-authors = etal}}</ref> Both of these used [[Torque converter|hydraulic transmission]] and were less bus-like than the [[Pacer (British Rail)|Pacer]]s.<ref name="shore"/> After trials, the Class 150 was selected for production. Starting in 1987, production standard units entered service. Reliability was much improved by the new units, with depot visits being reduced from two or three times per week to fortnightly.<ref name="Thomas"/>

The late 1980s and early 1990s also saw the development of secondary express services that complemented the mainline [[InterCity (British Rail)|Intercity]] routes. [[British Rail Class 155|Class 155]] and [[British Rail Class 156|Class 156]] Sprinters were developed to replace locomotive-hauled trains on these services, their interiors being designed with longer distance journeys in mind.<ref name="TodayMar09">{{cite magazine |title = The Class 156 Super Sprinter story |magazine = Today's Railways UK |issue = 87 (March 2009) |pages = 44–56}}</ref> Key Scottish and Trans-Pennine routes were upgraded with new [[British Rail Class 158|Class 158]] Express Sprinters, while a network of '[[Alphaline]]' services was introduced elsewhere in the country.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = Crack 158 services to be marketed as Alphaline |magazine = [[The Railway Magazine]] |issue = 1123 |date = November 1994 |page = 10}}</ref>

By the end of the 1980s, passenger numbers had increased and costs had been reduced to two-and-a-half times revenue.<ref name="Thomas"/> Specific areas for this cost reduction include the lower fuel consumption of Sprinters in comparison to traditional locomotive-hauled trains as well as their reduced maintenance costs.<ref name = "shore"/>