▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁being ▁investig ated ▁elsewhere ▁for ▁medical ▁di agnostics . ▁The ▁Research ▁Division ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁new ▁sign alling ▁systems , ▁such ▁as ▁Sol id ▁State ▁Inter lock ing ▁and ▁the ▁Integr ated ▁Electron ic ▁Control ▁Centre , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁design ▁of ▁the ▁overhead ▁lines ▁for ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁Main ▁Line . ▁ ▁The ▁Research ▁Division ▁developed ▁two ▁test ▁tracks . ▁The ▁first ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁old ▁Great ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁line ▁between ▁E gg inton ▁J unction ▁and ▁Derby ▁Fri arg ate ▁( l ater ▁used ▁only ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁M ick le over ) ▁and ▁was ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Train ▁Control ▁Group . ▁When ▁the ▁Advanced ▁Pass enger ▁Train ▁was ▁being ▁developed , ▁a ▁second ▁test ▁track ▁was ▁created ▁on ▁the ▁line ▁between ▁Mel ton ▁J unction ▁and ▁Ed wal ton ▁( known ▁as ▁the ▁Old ▁Dal by ▁Test ▁Track ), ▁which ▁was ▁acquired ▁specifically ▁to ▁test ▁this ▁revolution ary ▁train . ▁The ▁M ick le over ▁test ▁track ▁was ▁closed ▁and ▁lifted ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁but ▁Old ▁Dal by ▁is ▁still ▁in ▁use ▁today . ▁ ▁End ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁fin ance ▁for ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁moved ▁from ▁the ▁board ▁to ▁the ▁operating ▁divisions . ▁Thus ▁emphas is ▁shift ed ▁from ▁pure ▁research ▁to ▁problem ▁solving . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁BR ▁Research ▁became ▁a ▁self - cont ained ▁unit ▁working ▁under ▁contract ▁to ▁British ▁Rail ▁and ▁other ▁customers ,