Hidden amongst the trees, slowly rotting away are some concrete trestles which used to have 5" gauge track mounted on them and was used by British Rail Research Depot, where development work was carried out for the Channel Tunnel Railway.
This was part of the aerodynamics laboratory.
“This test track was known as the TIT rig (Trains in Tunnels) and was for testing pressure dispersal between passing train, hence the Channel tunnel having 3 tunnels, 1 up, 1 down and a service tunnel between them to act as a pressure release system for the moving trains. This was all developed here at the Mickleover and at BR Research on London Road.
The test track stretched from behind the old Mickleover station signal box to the first farmers bridge, the one that is just two stacks of bricks now.”
I would like to thank Andy Turner for the above info.
“The catapult used to fire the model train was made from 4 bungee ropes and 100M long, the track bed was level to within 1mm. To test its power they used a wooden model first and the first time this was tested it fired straight through the end of the building !”
I would like to thank Malcom Spencer for the above info.
Strange to think that this contribution to a major industrial triumph has been left to rot here.
