The Sleeper's Blog

18.05.17

Vivarail: D-Trains now ready for sale

Vivarail has announced that its first two production D-Trains are ready for sale, with delivery likely to be completed in early 2018.

The trains can be built and delivered ahead of the forecast schedule due to increased production capacity as Vivarail scale up for 2017 and beyond.

Preparation for construction is already underway at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre. The carriages can be supplied as either two or three car units with or without UAT.

D train pic 1

Vivarail also confirmed that the rolling stock will be fully compliant with all standards and regulations up to and including PRM-TSI.

Companies can also order the trains with a number of different power configurations, including DEMU, a battery with a range of up to 50 miles or a diesel/battery hybrid.  It is also offering a full maintenance package and driver training to ease the implementation of the D-Trains.

d train pic 2

Back in March, the company unveiled a number of new images for the D-Trains, revealing the slick interior design of the new carriages.

And before that, RTM reported that the Vivarail’s new test car, operated as a battery train, had completed the first run on a test track at Long Marston. This was good news after the innovative project encountered problems last year, as a carriage set on fire during testing on the Coventry to Nuneaton (NUCKLE) line.

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Comments

Andrew Gwilt   18/05/2017 at 22:10

Great Western Railway and Arriva Trains Wales could replace the Class 142's and Class 143's Pacers DMU's with the Class 230's D-Trains DEMU's. Whilst London Midland could order some Class 230's to work on the Leamington Spa-Coventry and Coventry-Nuneaton services and possibly Bletchley-Bedford Marston Line service. Southern may order some Class 230's to operate on the Brighton-Ashford International Marshlink Line service. There were plans to use the Class 230's by Greater Anglia to operate on the Marks Tey-Sudbury line and Ipswich-Felixstowe service but instead GA are currently ordering the Stadler Flirt EDMU's (Bi-Mode units). Plus some D78 Stocks have been retained for the RAT (Rail Adhesion Trains) units to be used on the Metropolitan Line and possibly on other Sub-Surface lines.

George Chmielewski   19/05/2017 at 12:14

Seen information that the last few complete D stock trains withdrawn have gone for scrap. What if Vivarail runs out of units if orders are good. On other hand (hope it does not happen), no or too few takers. Seems a hit and miss operation to have the right number of trains in stock for conversion. Hope that this innovative idea takes off.

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