On the subject of the "chicken gun", I am told that there is some footage (from BR Crewe I believe) in existance which has a slight "accidental modification" to the test. Everything was set up for an early afternoon start and the chicken was loaded up before just before the techs went for lunch. When the gun was charged and fired there was some consternation as the test piece was found covered in blood and fur, it appears that a feral cat had climbed into the barrel, attracted by the smell, and was fired out (I'm surprised nobody checked). The test was filmed by a high speed camera (usual practice) and the cat can be seen as a black blob preceding the "official" projectile. It all sounds *very* messy.

Walrus