Orion Class 768 trialled at Euston
ORION HIGH Speed Logistics has carried out a demonstration of its parcel delivery concept at London Euston on July 7 in conjunction with Network Rail.
The Euston demonstration is one of a number of showcase events being promoted by the operator, as it prepares to launch its highspeed parcel delivery service using converted Class 319 EMUS, capable of operating at speeds of up to 100mph. As four-car units, they are capable of operating up to three coupled units, providing four, eight, or 12-coach trains, if necessary. The fleet will comprise of a combination of EMUS and bi-mode conversions. The Class 319 units remaining as EMUS only with Orion are to be reclassified Class 326. Those converted to bi-mode vehicles will be classified Class 768, as they are a different weight to the similarly converted bi-mode passenger Class 769 units now in service with Northern and GWR.
The company will also be using the new tri-mode Class 93 locomotives currently being built by Stadler when they are delivered to the UK from 2023.
The former passenger trains have been completely stripped out and rebuilt internally to accommodate roll cages, pallets or other suitable carriers, which can be moved from key locations around the country, giving the trains a new life as freight vehicles which are ideally suited to the transit of parcel and logistics traffic.
Orion chief executive Karl Watts explained: “The shift from road to rail transportation delivers economic, environmental and social benefits. Each eight-car train removes 24 diesel powered vans from our roads, thereby reducing congestion, lowering carbon emissions and improving inner city air quality.”
Network Rail customer relationship executive Daniel Fredriksson said: “We’re excited to show what future uses rail has for distribution, using Euston as a test site, given its important history as a mail rail hub. While parcel trains are by no means a novel concept, more of us buying things online and efforts to get polluting vehicles off roads is revitalising rail as a cost-effective and fast way to get goods to consumers and businesses quickly and efficiently.”
One of the main benefits of the service is the ability of the trains to serve city centre station hubs, which means parcel traffic can be collected from city centre locations and then distributed by van or bicycle couriers to the end customer.
Initial services for Orion will begin operating between the Midlands and Scotland later this year, with more routes planned for 2022. Further train conversions are also expected.