It was designed during the late 1970s / early 1980s by Brecknell Willis and British Rail Research Division as part of ongoing research into developing a pantograph capable of speeds over the 100 mph (160 km/h) limit of the Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph, which was the standard type fitted at the time.
A single locomotive, D5705, survived by historical accident, being renumbered S15705 and used from December 1968 by the Research Division for its Tribology Test train.
84003 and 84009 passed to the Research Division: 84009 was rebuilt as a load bank tester and 84003 was used for spares.
The Research Division was involved in new signalling systems, such as Solid State Interlocking (SSI) and the Integrated Electronic Control Centre (IECC), and in the design of the overhead lines for the West Coast Main Line.
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Nevertheless its empirical research into vehicle dynamics has produced today's high speed trains, both freight and passenger, including the High Speed Train, Class 91 and worldwide.
British Rail Engineering Ltd. (BREL) and British Rail Research Division : Contemporary British (UK) organisations, no longer extant since privatisation.
Old Dalby is the location of the control centre of the former British Rail Research Division's railway test track, which runs between Melton Mowbray and Edwalton and which was universally known in the industry as simply 'Old Dalby'.
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