British Rail Class 112 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids British Rail Class 112 |
|
|---|---|
| In service | 1960- |
| Manufacturer | Cravens |
| Number built | 1960. |
| Operator(s) | British Rail |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 57 ft 6 in |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in |
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (112 km/h) |
| Weight | 29 tons 10 cwt |
| Prime mover(s) | Rolls Royce of 238 hp |
The Class 112 was a special type of train used by British Rail. These trains were known as Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs). This means they ran on diesel fuel and could operate as a single unit, without needing a separate engine car to pull them.
The Class 112 trains were built by a company called Cravens in 1960. They looked similar to another train type, the Class 105s. What made the Class 112 special was that each train set had two cars, and both cars had their own powerful Rolls-Royce engine. Each engine produced 238 hp. Because both cars were powered, these trains were called 'power twins'. This design gave them extra strength for climbing hills!
How Were They Built?
Cravens built these trains in two main groups, or "batches."
- The first group included 50 cars, which made up 25 train sets. These were the Class 112 trains. They used a standard mechanical system with a gearbox to transfer power from the engine to the wheels.
- The second group also had 50 cars (25 sets). These trains used a different, smoother system called hydraulic transmission. Because of this difference, they were given a separate name: the Class 113.
Where Did They Run?
These powerful trains were mainly used in the London Midland Region of British Rail. They were especially useful in areas like Liverpool and St Helens. The land there had many steep hills, which train engineers call "gradients." The extra power of the Class 112 trains helped them easily climb these gradients. They also spent some time working from Cricklewood.
How Powerful Were They?
The Class 112 trains were quite strong for their size. When a two-car set was full of passengers, it weighed about 70 tons. This meant each ton of the train had about 6.8 horsepower pushing it along. When the train was empty, it had even more power per ton, about 8.1 horsepower. This was a lot more power compared to other similar trains of that time.
