The testing of new and overhauled locomotives and power cars is undertaken in a modern purpose built facility, catering for both electric and diesel units as follows:
The facility for testing electric traction consists of a test house with five indoor test bays and approximately 90 metres of outdoor running track, which is contiguous with test bay No 1 to give approximately 120 metres of track overall. In addition to the main test house, a control room and transformer compound/sub-station switch room are positioned adjacent to the main building.
The test bays contain a variety of electrical supplies, briefly detailed below:
Fixed 25KV AC 50Hz - Bays 1,2 and 3 - Fed from a 750kVA variable transformer
Variable 2.5KV to 20 KV AC 50Hz - Bays 1, 2 and 3 - Fed from a 4MVA single phase
transformer
Variable 350V to 950VDC - Bays 1 and 2 - Fixed point wander lead, fed from a
dc twelve phase 3 MVA transformer and rectifier set
1500V DC - Bays 1, 2 and 3
380V - 440V AC Variable - Fed from a 3 phase 1 MVA transformer, to all five
test bays
110V DC - All five bays
Each test bay is securely interlocked, the supplies being selected via a series of isolators/disconnectors.
The test bays 1, 2 and 3 within the building are seperated by floor to ceiling partition walls, designed to provide controlled access, sound insulation and segregated working areas. Bays 4 and 5 have 3 tonne overhead cranage facility.
The supplies to the sub-station consist of one 11 KV 400 Amp incomer and one 415V 3 phase and neutral, rated at approximately 200 Amp.
External to Bay 1 is a 90 metre test track, fitted with an overhead pick-up wire which may be connected to either the Variable 2.5kV to 30kV AC 50Hz supply or the 1500V DC supply. This test track is also fitted with a 3rd rail, which may be connected to the Variable 350V to 950V DC supply.
This test track is securely fenced off from the rest of the test area.
The external test area comprises a standard gauge track layout which will accomodate approximately 20 mainline locomotives. A soundproof load bank platform with a data logger system is used for the continuous load running of diesel units when directly coupled to a resistive load bank. The load bank platform also contains battery charging, 10 bar compressed air, diesel fuel and water storage facilities. The load bank is rated at up to 2.3MW and can accomodate six motors per locomotive. It can be made available twenty-four hours per day if required.
Directly adjacent to the load bank is a water test rig capable of delivering approximately 3,500 litres of water in a 20 minute period, via a series of strategically placed nozzles for the purpose of water testing locomotive of vehicle seals. The test rig completly encloses the vehicle under test, and can accomodate a vehicle up to 23 metres in length.
Also contained within the test area is an electronic weighbridge which can accomodate different axle centre or bogie configurations (Bo-Bo-Bo, Co-Co etc.) and give the total weight up to 200 tonnes with an accuracy of 0.01 tonne per cell.
There are two shunters currently in use; a conventional 32 Ton Hudswell 0-4-0 shunter and an on-off rail 'Unimog' shunter, which is capable of shunting in excess of 400 tonnes.
There are two pits in the test areas for underside vehicle maintenance, with a further two pits in the despatch area of the assembly shops.
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