All Vivarail articles
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Rail Business UKBattery train sets 320 km distance record as GWR explores alternatives to diesel traction
UK: Great Western Railway has set a world record for the furthest distance travelled by a battery-electric train on a single charge. The operator said this demonstrates the capability of battery trains as it looks to replace its ageing diesel fleets.
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Rail Business UKClass 230s finally enter service with Transport for Wales
UK: Transport for Wales has run its first Class 230 battery-diesel hybrid trainset in passenger service on the Wrexham – Bidston Borderlands Line. Tony Miles reports.
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Rail Business UKGWR buys Vivarail battery train assets to secure Greenford trial
UK: Great Western Railway has agreed contracts to buy Vivarail’s battery train related assets, saying this will secure the future of planned trials of the technology in London. The deal announced on February 16 includes intellectual property, rolling stock and equipment relating to the development of ...
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In depthTraction Technology: Remanufacturing diesel trains with battery power
Although UK rolling stock specialist Vivarail entered administration on December 1, the company’s Managing Director Steve McBride argues that remanufacturing of existing trains with battery traction remains a compelling choice for a quick and cost-effective transition away from diesel power.
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Rail Business UKTrain operators respond as Vivarail enters administration
UK: Vivarail Ltd went into administration on December 1, with the appointment of joint administrators from Grant Thornton UK. Vivarail produces multiple-units using old London Underground cars and develops battery traction technology. In a post on LinkedIn, Managing Director Steve McBride wrote ‘it feels like we ...
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Rail Business UKVivarail files intention to appoint administrators
UK: Vivarail has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, after failing to secure new investment. ‘We will now be consulting with our customers and other stakeholders to try and drive the business forwards, but we must be realistic in that if we are unable ...
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Rail Business UKClass 321 EMU battery option to be developed
UK: Leasing company Eversholt Rail is to assess the possibility of using Vivarail’s battery traction technology to enable its Class 321 Renatus electric multiple-units to operate on non-electrified lines. The outer-suburban EMUs built by BREL in 1998-90 were refurbished by Wabtec in 2015-19 under the Renatus ...
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Rail Business UKBattery train and fast charger to be tested in London
UK: Great Western Railway has signed an agreement to test Vivarail’s Class 230 battery multiple-unit and fast charging technology under real-word conditions on the 4 km non-electrified branch between West Ealing and Greenford in west London. Part of Vivarail’s family of multiple-units produced from London Underground ...
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Rail Business UKIsle of Wight’s Island Line reopens following £26m modernisation
UK: The Isle of Wight’s Island Line reopened on November 1, following a £26m renewal programme including the introduction of a replacement fleet of electric multiple-units rebuilt from former London Underground trains. ‘We are so excited to welcome our customers back onboard having completed the ...
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Rail Business UKVivarail ‘set to become an ever more important player’, says new MD
UK: Steve McBride has been appointed Managing Director of Vivarail’s UK operations, with founder Adrian Shooter continuing as Chairman of the company which produces multiple-units by reusing the bodyshells and bogies of former London Underground trains. ‘Running Vivarail has been both one of the most challenging ...
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Rail Business UKIsland Line reopening delayed by ‘unforeseen difficulties’ with Class 484 software
UK: The reopening of the Isle of Wight’s Island Line following modernisation work is to be delayed, as a result of ‘complex software issues’ with the Vivarail Class 484 electric multiple-units, South Western Railway has confirmed. The first of the five Class 484 EMUs being produced ...
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Rail Business UKClass 230 variants approved for passenger service
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has given authorisation for battery and diesel-battery versions of Vivarail’s Class 230 D-Train multiple-units to be used in passenger service. Battery set No 230 002 is a demonstrator trainset powered only by batteries which was completed in 2018 and is ...
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Rail Business UKVivarail to relocate
UK: Vivarail is to move its main manufacturing base from the Quinton Rail Technology Centre at Long Marston to Southam near Leamington Spa. The company said the relocation was driven by its growing order book and its development of a ‘full suite of emission-free trains’ based on ...
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Rail Business UKVivarail units take over Marston Vale services
VIVARAIL: Class 150 and 153 diesel multiple-units have been withdrawn from West Midlands Trains services on the UK's Marston Vale Line, with all services now operated using Class 230 DMUs supplied by Vivarail. The first Class 230 unit entered service between Bletchley and Bedford last month. Vivarail has ...
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Rail Business UKFuel cell proof-of-concept train to be tested
UK: A collaboration agreement for the development of a multiple-unit able to operate on either hydrogen or battery power was announced by Vivarail and fuel cell specialist Arcola Energy on May 8. The companies said they ‘share a determination to help de-carbonise the UK’s transport system’. A diesel version ...
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Rail Business UKVivarail D-Train enters passenger service
UK: West Midlands Trains put its first Class 230 ‘D-Train’ DMU into passenger service on April 23, working the Marston Vale route between Bletchley and Bedford, which forms part of its London Northwestern Railway business unit. The Abellio-led franchise operator ordered the three two-car units from Vivarail to provide extra ...
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Rail Business UKVivarail Class 230 DMU entry into service delayed
UK: The three two-car D-Train diesel multiple-units which Vivarail is producing for London Northwestern Railway will not enter service in December as had been planned, the supplier announced on October 30. The Class 230 DMUs are being produced using the bodyshells and bogies from former London Underground D78 metro trains. ...
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Rail Business UKMarston Vale D-Train contract signed
UK: The contract for the supply of three two-car Class 230 D-Train diesel-multiple-units for the Marston Vale line between Bedford and Bletchley has been formally signed, manufacturer Vivarail announced on August 22. Testing is expected to begin in the next few weeks, and entry into service is planned for December. ...
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Rail Business UKVivarail D-Trains for Wales & Borders
UK: Incoming Wales & Borders franchisee KeolisAmey is to take delivery of five three-car Class 230 D-Train diesel-battery multiple-units from Vivarail, which is to produce them using the bogies and aluminium bodyshells of withdrawn London Underground D78 metro trains. Intended for use on the Wrexham – Bidston, Conwy Valley and ...
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NewsD-Train to target US transit market
USA: Next year could see the deployment of Vivarail D-Train diesel multiple-units in North America, under proposals being developed by Railroad Development Corp. RDC Chairman Henry Posner III told Railway Gazette that the remanufactured London Underground trainsets offered a unique opportunity to test the market for urban rail services in ...