New Measurement Train

New Measurement Train

Power car 43062
In service 2003 - Present
Family name HST
Number built 1 trainsets
Operator(s) Network Rail
Specifications
Maximum speed 125 mph (201 km/h)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Network Rail New Measurement Train (NMT), referred to by railfans as the Flying Banana [1] because of its all-over yellow livery, is a specialised train which operates in the United Kingdom to assess the condition of track so that engineers can determine where to work. It is a specially converted High Speed Train, consisting of two Class 43 power cars (from a pool comprising vehicles 43013, 43014 and 43062) and a rake of Mark 3 coaches. It can check the condition of most main lines and some secondary routes in Great Britain over a 13-week rolling cycle. The train is permitted to travel across any part of the network where HSTs are permitted, as well as HS1.

The train measures the contact between rails, wheels and the overhead electric supply line. Lasers and other instruments are used to make other measurements of the track geometry and other features such as overhead line height and stagger, and the track gauge, twist and cant. On the West Coast Main Line, particular care has to be taken to ensure that clearances are maintained for the use of tilting trains. The train captures video footage from the front and rear power cars, and video of the pantograph and wheel interfaces.

The NMT was launched in 2003, though the vehicles are much older than this. In 2005 it won an award for Innovation in Engineering at the Railway Forum/Modern Railways Innovation Awards. Its formation is power car, messing car, development systems vehicle, track recording systems vehicle, meeting coach with conference area, messing car, and power car.

The Development Vehicle (DV) includes a video based system utilising image recognition systems to look for defects such as missing clips. The vehicle also houses both a contact and non-contact Over-Head Line monitoring system used to detect faults in overhead wires. White lights next to the pantograph project a line followed by cameras to enable the height, stagger and wear of the contact wire to be monitored. The wear on the contact wire is measured as the width of a strip on the underside, where the pantographs of trains come into contact and wear away the cable. If the original thickness of the cable is known, this can be converted into a percentage of remaining area, which in turn when related to a maximum allowable wear can give an estimate of the remaining life left. No traction or system power is drawn using the pantograph, as the train is diesel powered.

The track recording systems vehicle has banks of screens allowing the team of 3 operators to view a range of system outputs, including track faults, train location, and radio signal strength.

One of the Messing Cars hosts a system for monitoring and commissioning of Network Rail's various radio systems (GSM-R, CSR and NRN).

On 24 March 2009 43013 was delivered to Brush Loughborough for fitting with an MTU engine. On June 23, 2009, 43013 was released from Brush after fitment of the MTU engine. On 7 October 2009 the MTU engine of 43014 was repaired. Finally, in 2010 43062 was repaired by Brush.

Formation of New Measurement Train on 1 December 2008

Models

Hornby recently released a train pack of the two HST power cars which can be easily obtained on the website. Hornby also released an ex TF and an ex TGS Mk 3 coaches to go with the two power cars.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Network Rail New Measurement Train.
  1. ↑ RM Web (10 October 2010). "modelling inspiration". rmweb.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
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