Gauge modelling of West Coast Main Line tilting trains

Abstract

One of the UK's main transport arteries, the West Coast main line (WCML) has been upgraded and line speeds increased. A key part of the upgrade entailed the use of tilting trains to meet the demanding journey time commitments, because of the curvaceous nature of parts of the route. This paper provides an overview of specific features of the WCML Class 390 tilting train. How it differs from conventional trains in gauging terms is explored, and the particular gauging challenges faced when introducing the Class 390 Pendolino are examined. An in-depth exploration of the generic gauging model used for the clearance calculation is provided, a description of how the model fits within the gauging process for the train and how substandard clearances were handled by the project.