Vivarail begins testing battery-powered D-Train
Vivarail has begun testing its new battery-powered demonstrator vehicle at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre, Long Marston.
The single-car ex-London Underground D-Stock vehicle is powered by two detachable battery modules, and performance data is being gathered for its continued development with project partners Strukton and Valence.
Vivarail says that once this concept has been proven, it will be able to offer its D-Train Class 230 upcycled former Tube stock in any mode of motive power, via its easily changeable power modules. This will give operators the option to run D-Trains on either electrified or non-electrified lines, by using diesel engines, electric motors or on-board batteries.
Vivarail Chief Executive Adrian Shooter exclusively told RAIL: “We have built a test car so that we can explore several options, all of which can be incorporated into the modular D-Train.
“These include a pure battery option, diesel/battery hybrid and an EMU option which can continue on batteries. Yesterday I got my first chance to drive this exciting vehicle, which takes off like a rocket.”
Vivarail’s D-Train project had suffered a setback earlier this year, when an eight-month trial of its diesel-powered prototype Class 230 was cancelled by London Midland in January, following an on-board fire which occurred during testing at Kenilworth on December 30 2016 ( RAIL 818, 819).
The cause of the fire was found to be a fuel leak, which the company says has now been rectified following a series of design changes.