Vivarail gains new American train contract

ONE OF the Vivarail demonstrator trains which was originally converted by the company at Long Marston has been purchased by Railroad Development Corporation and exported to America, with another due to follow in the near future.

Two-car battery-powered 230002 has been purchased by RDC, which has seen a market opportunity in America for Pop-up Metro systems, where it will be able to quickly install a train and platform onto an existing freight line to determine ridership and take-up levels of a new rail service. This makes it easy for cities and authorities to decide whether to invest in such a service.

Initially, two trains supplied by Vivarail will be based in America; one in Rockhill and the other in Pittsburgh. The second train has yet to be exported but is expected to make the trip shortly, and the company hopes that the concept attracts further orders in the future.

Vivarail has now successfully converted several trains from redundant London Underground D Stock. In the UK, the company has supplied trains to West Midlands Railway, South Western Railway and Transport for Wales.

Class 91s are back in favour on the East Coast Main Line, with an increasing number back in service with LNER as the rail network gets busier following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions earlier in the summer. Intercity liveried 91119 Bounds Green Intercity Depot 1977-2017 awaits departure, ready to haul 1D21, the 16.03 London King’s Cross to Leeds service on September 16. Brad Joyce.