1960TS ATO development

[neilw]

I'm really enjoying the articles in the latest UN about the 60 year history of the 1960TS. However, I have a memory not referred to that I can see, and that is of a car with the section between the cab and the first pair of doors closed off and full of equipment. Obviously this was some form of R&D, but I don't recall if this was for the initial ATO or something later. Anyone know the car and dates, and anyone have a photo please? Many thanks

[100andthirty]

That train was used for the development of the "Fully Automatically Controlled Train" concept although some wanted to call it the "Fully Automatic Railway Train". I can't imagine why the latter wasn't adopted. As to dates, I dimly remember later 1970s to early 1980s. By the 2010s the issues involved in introducing what became "unattended trains" were not generally engineering ones.

[jimbo]

Jul 2, 2020 12:44:51 GMT neilw said:

I'm really enjoying the articles in the latest UN about the 60 year history of the 1960TS. However, I have a memory not referred to that I can see, and that is of a car with the section between the cab and the first pair of doors closed off and full of equipment. Obviously this was some form of R&D, but I don't recall if this was for the initial ATO or something later. Anyone know the car and dates, and anyone have a photo please? Many thanks

I haven't read the article yet, but I remember those starting as 8-car trains on the main! I am sure that I recall the unit you mention during an official visit. It was only a temp. modification for r&d, but was it at one end or both cabs, and was it converted to standard at the end of the initial trials? The FACT project was much later on one unit only and nearly went to trials on the East London Line. It was intended for the coming 92TS for the Central at a time of falling demand, and envisaged off-peak trains splitting at Leytonstone and North Acton, with both halves going to different branches!

[neilw]

I seem to recall it was the car at the Hainault end, the windows were whitewashed out like when you are decorating

[t697]

The closed off section of the saloon was known amongst the engineers as the caboose for some reason. Casey Jones never showed up though...
There was also a 'caboose' when the Experimental Tube Train ran there. ETT was a 73TS temporarily fitted with 'chopper' traction equipment and the caboose at each end contained an add-on Fail Safe Monitor and associated kit.

Anyone got ideas on adding kit to the hopefully temporary caboose areas on the Bakerloo 72TS?