DVT - HST's

[Kris]

Reading a mag - whilst I couldn't sleep; I came across an article about HST power cars used as DVT's whilst at the other end there were class 91's.

Talk about a hybrid high speed train; went like schizer off a shovel ! :grin:

I only experienced it once coming back from Leeds many years ago - when they were electrifying the line further North.

In the article - traincrews described it as driving a mini with a juggernaut up the *rse.

 

[Turbostar]

The HST-DVT's were more used for, if not all, for supplying power to the coaching stock, not for traction. As it was MkIII stock being used, until the MkIV was delivered, the 91's wern't compatible with the electrics on the MkIIIs, hence why the use of the HST-DVT's.

Mart

 

[Daniel]

A fitter from MainTrain told me that the HST power car was used to power everything in train, and the 91 powered the movement.

 

[westcoaster]

i thought the hst was enpty and just used to drive the train, just like a dvt does?

 

[westcoaster]

During 1987, eight power cars were converted for use as Driving Vehicles with Class 91 locomotives during trials on the East Coast Main Line. The power cars were fitted with buffers and Time Division Multiplex equipment that allowed them to directly control a Class 91, and were moved over to the ECML where they were used on workings with Class 89 and then 91 locomotives from London to Leeds. After the Mk4 stock had been delivered, the power cars had the TDM equipment removed, and then reverted to their normal duties. The power cars used for this project can be easily identified as they are still fitted with buffers. They were transferred to Cross Country services for a while, but most are now in storage.

from wikipedia

 

[O L Leigh]

They initially were just used to power the on-train systems with the Cl91's providing all the traction power. However, they quickly became very unreliable because they were spending hours just idling, so they cut all the motors back in again so that there was power at both ends. They were indeed mightily fast as a result.

Incidentally, these trains were actually HST's with a few modifications and 1 x Cl91 replacing 1 x Cl43.

one TN

 

[mbonwick]

I hadn't thought of it like that before, but yes, thats effectively what it was.

 

[Bastiaan]

When I saw this thread, I remembered a video that I have somewhere on a CD-ROM. I don't know where it's originally from. I think it's interesting for this topic though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoCZUAS1idI

 

[Kris]

Must have been a very interesting beast to drive especially when you change ends.