Shooter hails prospects of battery-powered variants

Vivarail Chairman Adrian Shooter has welcomed Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling’s comments that battery-powered trains present a viable alternative to electrifying parts of Britain’s rail network.

In a statement on July 20, Grayling announced an end to plans to electrify routes in south Wales, northern England and the Midland Main Line, in favour of procuring new bi-mode or alternative-fuel source rolling stock.

He said the same benefits could be delivered to passengers and the environment by using these alternative technologies, while also mitigating the need for disruptive engineering works.

Shooter responded that while he did not think electrification should be abandoned entirely, Vivarail was well-placed to offer its batterypowered variant of the modular D-Train as an alternative solution on appropriate regional routes.

Vivarail has manufactured a diesel-powered prototype threecar D-Train (230001). Made from refurbished ex-London Underground vehicles, it made its main line passenger-carrying debut during the Rail Live event held at Long Marston on June 20-22.

The company also has a singlecar battery-powered D-Train that is currently undergoing testing, and which is forecast to be available to interested parties from early 2018. Its development is partially being supported by grant funding awarded under the Accelerating Innovation in Rail competition run by Innovate UK.

Shooter told RAIL: “As the person who with [former Network Rail Chief Executive] Iain Coucher persuaded a previous Secretary of State to resume electrification, when I was chairman of ATOC, I think it is very disappointing that Grayling has had to make these announcements.

“However, he is quite right to say that technology advances, and hybrid trains that can be EMUs or DMUs or trains that can be propelled entirely by batteries have come of age.

“Vivarail is at the forefront of these developments. The prototype three-car train which carried passengers to Rail Live happens to be powered by diesel engines driving alternators. However, right from the start we intended that any source of power could be used.

“To this end, we have been developing a battery version and have built and operated a battery-powered test car. This has demonstrated that even with today’s battery technology, quite considerable distances can be run between charges.

“For example, a three-car train fitted with eight battery modules could operate all the Cardiff Valley lines which extend North from Cardiff Queen Street.