The LMS Scientific Research Laboratory was set up following the formation of the

London, Midland and Scottish Railway The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally u ...

in 1923. In 1929, the Company President, Lord Stamp read a paper ''Scientific Research in Transport'' to the Institute of Transport, and, in 1930 he founded the Advisory Committee on Scientific Research for Railways. The Scientific Research Laboratory was formed by the Vice-President and Director of Scientific Research, Sir Harold Hartley. Purpose-built accommodation was provided on the west side of London Road,

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

which opened in December 1935. The various paint and varnish laboratories were amalgamated and brought there, joining the textile research from Calvert Street and the metallurgy and general engineering research in the locomotive works. In addition the laboratory liaised with various university departments, its remit covering all areas of railway operation. In 1936 an aerodynamics laboratory was formed, located in the locomotive works, using 1/24 scale models. It was involved in the design work for Stanier's

Coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...

locomotives, and went on to assess smoke deflectors, carriage ventilation and the effect of passing trains on structures and passengers in stations. This passed to the Derby College of Technology in 1960. The Rugby Testing Station was opened in 1948 as a joint venture with the

LNER LNER may refer to: * London and North Eastern Railway, a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1923 until 1947 * London North Eastern Railway, a train operating company in the United Kingdom since 2018 * Liquid neutral earthing resistor, a typ ...

. Work continued into the nationalised era, when a decision was made to concentrate various headquarters functions, particularly that of the Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, in one national centre. This produced the

Railway Technical Centre The Railway Technical Centre (RTC) in London Road, Derby, England, was the technical headquarters of the British Railways Board, and was built in the early 1960s. British Rail described it as the largest railway research complex in the world. T ...

(RTC) on the opposite side of London Road, on a site which had formerly been part of the Way and Works sidings. Part of the RTC would be occupied by a new

British Rail Research Division The British Rail Research Division was established in 1964 directly under the control of the British Railways Board, moving into purpose-built premises at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby. The intention was to improve railway reliability an ...

, reporting directly to the

Board Board or Boards may refer to: Flat surface * Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat ** Plank (wood) ** Cutting board ** Sounding board, of a musical instrument * Cardboard (paper product) * Paperboard * Fiberboard ** Hardboard, a ty ...

, under the Chief Civil Engineer's Department. This went on, in addition to its other work into all aspects of the railway, to design the experimental version of the

Advanced Passenger Train The Advanced Passenger Train (APT) was a tilting high speed train developed by British Rail during the 1970s and early 1980s, for use on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The WCML contained many curves, and the APT pioneered the concept of activ ...

(APT-E). The Scientific Research Laboratory was renamed Hartley House, and formed the Scientific Services department of the Research Division. Later, after British Rail privatisation and the sale of the Research Division to

AEA Technology Ricardo-AEA Ltd, trading as Ricardo Energy & Environment, was formed on November 8, 2012, when Ricardo acquired the business, operating assets and employees engaged in the business of AEA Technology Plc (AEAT, in administration) (AEA Europe), fo ...

, the Scientific Services department was separately privatised to form the company Scientifics Ltd. Since 2012, the laboratory buildings have been occupied by the Zaytouna School, an Islamic faith primary school.

References

* Marsden, C.J., (1989) ''Twenty Five Years of Railway Research'', Oxford Publishing Co (Haynes Publishing Group). ;Specific {{authority control Engineering research institutes London, Midland and Scottish Railway Rail transport in Derby Science and technology in Derbyshire Buildings and structures completed in 1935