British Rail Starship, don't laugh there was a patent for this!

[McColm]

Apparently British Rail did file a patent for a flying saucer and there are several videos on YouTube about this subject. I'm not too sure if they thought that the railways would be obsolete when the Starship entered service but the original purpose was a heavy lifting crane which kept getting bits added on the design.
It was supposed to be powered by a nuclear reactor,  the Americans and the Russians were interested in fitting a nuclear reactor in aircraft. The Russians actually did this but the crew suffered from radiation sickness.
Well if they work in submarines then a Starship shouldn't be a problem,  of course health and safety would be a major hurdle to overcome but if British Rail managed to overcome all the technical difficulties, I wonder what it would have looked like?
Would the passenger seats revolve like the restaurant at the Post Office Tower or look like something from Star Trek? Or something Thunderbirds had a go at?
Maybe Kit would know?

[PR19_Kit]

Oh goodness, not Charles Fredericks' brain storms AGAIN! 

He was the Assistant Director of Research, but unfortunately he must have missed the bit about 'R ailways' in his title................

[Martin H]

Oh goodness, not Charles Fredericks' brain storms AGAIN! 

He was the Assistant Director of Research, but unfortunately he must have missed the bit about 'R ailways' in his title................

Take that as a yes, He knows......................................

[jcf]

He didn't want to miss out on the burgeoning galactic market. 

[tigercat]

It was the only way British Rails catering could be described as out of this world

[Rheged]

This one turns up here every so often.   Last sighting of the BR flying saucer was this :-https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=48225.msg893328#msg893328

[PR19_Kit]

Almost every time I mention that I worked for BR R&D Division in the 70s people say 'Oh, did you have anything to do with the nuclear powered Flying Saucer?'

AAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh! 

For the record, the answer's NO!

[tigercat]

  You would say that , official secrets act and all that 

[zenrat]

Yeah Kit.  You can tell us the truth.  It won't go any further.  Promise.   

[Scotaidh]

Almost every time I mention that I worked for BR R&D Division in the 70s people say 'Oh, did you have anything to do with the nuclear powered Flying Saucer?'

AAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh! 

For the record, the answer's NO!

Not to 'pile on', but is that why you never whiffed up a model or 'artist's impression? of one?  I can't even imagine - yet! - how it'd look ... not like a conventional train, I'm thinking ...

[PR19_Kit]

There's a 'drawing' of it in Charles Fredericks' patent application IIRC.

[tigercat]

It's probably tucked away alongside the Strategic Steam Reserve in some abandoned WW2 base somewhere

Shhhhh

[Rheged]

There's a picture here:-   https://allthatsinteresting.com/british-rail-flying-saucer  and more info here:-  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4801928.stm

[bluedonkey99]

it makes sense.  In the 30s didnt the rail companies have an air service?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_Air_Services

I could see the flying saucers doing the same, except fly from Alphe Centuri to London Gatwick Space and Rail portal at light speed then take 90mins to go the 50miles to Littlehampton...

[McColm]

Although not a Rail Air Service,  Waterloo Station did have a heliport for BAE to and from London Heathrow Airport during the 1950s. It was discounted once the rail service was introduced.