Vivarail's 'D Train' - 'D' stock reborn

I'm not sure what is meant by "pure" but Bombardier definitely converted a CL379 train to battery power back in 2015, I assume it's still running on Stansted Express.

uk.bombardier.com/en/media/newsList/details.bombardier-transportation20150210bombardiercelebratesinnovativeb0.bombardiercom.html

They seem to be jumping on every bandwagon possible.

Nor was that ever really the point. It's market was always going to be as several small fleets for different niche uses where a whole fleet upgrade was either not practical or could not be justified.

I agree though it is a very good example of where private enterprise should fit into the railway market - small scale organisations that are able to innovate to the benefit of themselves and the whole industry when it goes well but which can fail without leaving obligations the public sector has no choice but to pick up at the taxpayer's expense.

Again: as it's not your money, I wouldn't worry too much. VivaRail have experienced railway people at the top. If they think they can expand their modular design, good luck to them. There will be different people working on 'research and development' for things like battery or hydrogen trains to those who are doing the build on the production diesel units.



It's already been established—and ruled out—that the trains will enter any sort of 'squadron' service. Whilst the idea was floated when the concept was first revealed, it's been very quickly ruled out, and I doubt would ever have found ground anyway. What the D-Train is perfectly suited to is operation on small, oddball branch lines which require very particular rolling stock or capacity increases, but won't ever justify a large fleet. Indeed, lines like the Marston Vale route (Bedford–Bletchley) or the Conwy Valley and Wrexham–Bidston lines - exactly where they are being deployed.

They're certainly not cheap, either: whilst originally it was suggested that they could be 'cut-price', again, this hasn't happened: procurement costs are not that much different to brand new trains, and the vast majority of the onboard components are now new or nearly-new: the oldest parts are the bodyshells (widely regarded as having plenty of life left in them) and then the bogies, which of course were replaced in the early 2000s. The interiors are less than fifteen years old, and all of the traction equipment is now to be replaced.

None of that is cheap, and none of that is next-gen Pacer.

Precisely what bothers me.

Indeed. But I suggest looking at Roger Ford’s tweet in response to this announcement. That someone with such experience and standing in the industry is making comments like that begs real questions about VivaRail’s credibility. And at the moment, all I see is jam tomorrow, being offered in ever nicer varieties.

You seem to get rather worked up about any criticism of Vivarail.
Surely if our negative opinions don't matter, then there's no need to get so emotional about it?

All they need to do is deliver something working (and working reasonably well, obviously).

Looking at the history of their sole product, all I can see is delays and postponements. Since they haven't done anything else yet, it is easy to imagine the worst.

How is that any different to any other new fleet introduction in the last decade?

Spoiler: it isn't. How late were the 09 and S stock, and how long did it take to get them up to scratch?

People seem to have very selective memories. If you don't like the project just come out and say it, rather than hiding behind rhetoric. Or, even better... just ignore it?

Treat every organisation equally. That is not something that is happening with VivaRail.

Not so irritating if you have travelled on their innovative products.

They are trying to respond to customer requirements.

There has been a problem with the trains for Marston Vale but it seems they will soon enter service.

Hybrids will follow.

Their workforce is impressive and will sort things out.

It's difficult to start up an all-new British industry.
We've largely forgotten how to do that!

Exactly, it's a modular design.

Correct although 23003 is due to go back at Long Marston shortly to have the remaining modifications needed to match those already on 23004 - which should hopefully now secure sign-off for use by Network Rail, ORR and the unions.

Externally the two units out under test look very similar although it is possible to readily identify 23004 which has a neat Routemaster style painted red stripe which continues most of the way across the front above the cab windows unlike 23003 where the painted line running down the side of the carriage simply finishes at the corner of the roof. This change has resulted in a minor repositioning of the overhead electric warning symbols but I assume that is more a style thing rather than a material safety upgrade.

In what increasingly appears to be a race to get units into regular passenger service, it seems that class 230s are firm favourites to be operational well before any 710s carry passengers on Goblin, let alone class 345s carry passengers into Heathrow.