Vivarail D-Train

Vivarail D-Train
Class 230 prototype
ManufacturerMetro-Cammell (original construction)
Vivarail (conversion)
Built atQuinton Rail Technology Centre (conversion)
ReplacedClass 150
Class 153
Class 165
Class 483
Constructed2015 - 2022
Operators
Depots
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Car lengthDriving Motor: 18.37 m (60 ft 3 in)
Other: 18.12 m (59 ft 5 in)
Width2.85 m (9 ft 4 in)
Prime mover(s)Ford Duratorq
Electric system(s)Hoppecke Li-ion batteries
750 V DC third rail
Current collector(s)Contact shoe
Safety system(s)AWS, TPWS
Coupling systemWedglock
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Vivarail D-Train is a family of multiple units remanufactured by Vivarail for the British rail network. They are converted from London Underground D78 Stock, originally manufactured between 1978 and 1981 by Metro-Cammell. Two versions have been produced: the Class 230 diesel electric multiple unit and the Class 484 electric multiple unit.

History

In 2015, Vivarail purchased 226 London Underground D78 Stock carriages with the aim of converting them to multiple units.[2] It was estimated that they would cost one-third of that of a new build train.[3]

Prototypes

The first prototype unit operating during the 2017 Rail Live event

A prototype was produced for testing and accreditation in August 2015.[4][5] The initial prototype D-Train was built as a three-car diesel-electric unit, which was completed in the summer of 2016, following which it underwent a programme of main-line testing, with the intention that it be used on a year-long trial service on the Coventry to Nuneaton line by London Midland.[6] This was cancelled after the unit caught fire.[7] This unit was first used in passenger service at the 2017 Rail Live exhibition, running a service from Honeybourne to the event location at Quinton.[8]

The second prototype was built as a two-car battery-electric unit; although self-powered like the original, instead of a diesel engine to power the traction motors, this unit uses batteries that can be recharged from a charging point at each end of its journey. This unit was complete by the summer of 2018, and was put on a testing programme. In October 2018, it was taken to the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway carrying its first passengers.[9] This culminated in the battery powered unit running a distance of 40 miles using battery power alone, a first for a train in the UK, in January 2020.[10]

A feature that has been reintroduced in these units include the passenger door open buttons. When first introduced in 1980 in unpainted livery the units consisted of door buttons on the exterior and interior pressed by passengers to open the doors. Upon refurbishment, the interior door buttons were removed and the exterior ones were panelled over. After conversion this feature was provided again similar to London Underground pre-refurbishment.

Orders

West Midlands Trains

The first full D-Train order came from West Midlands Trains, which procured three 2-car Class 230 DEMUs for use on the Marston Vale line.[11] These were operated under the London Northwestern Railway brand, with the first entering service on 23 April 2019,[12] but were since withdrawn and replaced with 150s.

Transport for Wales

A second order for Class 230s came from KeolisAmey Wales, with five 3-car sets ordered. Although these are also Class 230s, rather than straight DEMUs they will be built as diesel/battery hybrid units, to be used on the Borderlands line, Conwy Valley line and Chester to Crewe line.[13]

Island Line

In 2019, South Western Railway announced an order for five 2-car D-Train sets for use by its Island Line operation on the Isle of Wight. These were ordered as third rail EMUs, becoming Class 484.[14]

Pop-up Metro

The Railroad Development Corporation has ordered at least one 2-car Class 230-variant to operate on the Iowa Interstate Railroad in 2021 as a "pop-up" metro service.[15]

Great Western Railway

In February 2022, Great Western Railway announced it had signed a deal with Vivarail to trial a fast-charging battery variant of the Class 230 for use on the West Ealing to Greenford branch line off the GWML. Trials were expected to launch in late 2022 to early 2023. [16]

D-Train variants

Class Operator Introduced Number Power Carriages Carriage Length (m) Door configuration Image Notes
230 Vivarail (prototype) 2015 1 Diesel-electric 3 18.37 m (60 ft 3 in) (DM)
18.12 m (59 ft 5 in) (T) 		Sliding pocket
Railroad Development Corporation 2018 1 Battery-electric 2 Unveiled in 2018.
Stored 2019 3 Diesel-electric 2
Transport for Wales 2023 5 Diesel-battery 3
484 Island Line 2021 5 DC electric 2

References

  1. ^ "Vivarail dream over as the liquidation process begins". Rail Magazine. No. 977. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. 22 February 2023. pp. 16–17.
  2. ^ Viva Vivarail's D-train transformation Rail issue 771 1 April 2015 page 60
  3. ^ The D-Train Revealed Today's Railways UK issue 166 October 2015 pages 48-51
  4. ^ "D78 Stock Conversion is Go." Archived 16 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine Modern Railways, December 2014. pp. 37-38.
  5. ^ Vivarail begins testing on first converted D-Stock Rail issue 782 2 September 2015 page 6
  6. ^ Vivarail wins backing to operate Class 230 DMU on Nuneaton to Coventry services The Railway Magazine issue 1385 August 2016 page 7
  7. ^ "Vivarail test train catches fire over festive period as NUCKLE trial postponed". Rail Technology Magazine. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  8. ^ Foster, Stefanie (13 April 2017). "D-Train to carry passengers to Rail Live". Rail (824). Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Battery-powered Class 230 unveiled". Railways Illustrated. No. 190. Stamford: Key Publishing. December 2018. p. 14.
  10. ^ "40 miles on battery power – a UK first for Vivarail". vivarail.co.uk. Vivarail. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  11. ^ Gibbs, Nigel (November 2017). "Vivarail 230s for new West Mids franchise as 170s to go". Today's Railways UK (191): 8.
  12. ^ Class 230s make Marston Vale debut Modern Railways issue 849 June 2019 pages 86/87
  13. ^ "Vivarail D-Trains for Wales & Borders". Railway Gazette International. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  14. ^ "UK Isle of Wight line's future secured with £26m investment". Railway Gazette International. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  15. ^ "POP-UP METRO". Vivarail. 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.[dead link‍]
  16. ^ "GWR fast-charging trial brings regular battery-only rail services a step closer". GWR News. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.