UK: Leasing company Eversholt Rail has awarded Transport Design International contracts to build three pre-series battery-powered Revolution Very Light Rail railcars for trial passenger operation.
This follows successful tests with a diesel-battery hybrid RVLR demonstrator vehicle at Ironbridge over the past two years.
RVLR is being developed with support from Innovate UK as a lightweight vehicle which would enable the low-cost implementation and operation of passenger services on routes where more traditional operations are not financially viable.
TDI is to invest in a new manufacturing facility in the Midlands where it will assemble the railcars from 2024, and it is developing in-service charging technology to enable battery-only operation.
The three RVLR cars are expected to be ready for passenger operation in 2026.
Eversholt and TDI said some major rail operators are already showing interest, and work is underway to agree routes for trials. These would then produce real-world passenger demand data to support business cases for long-term deployment and provide feedback on the RVLR design and capabilities.
‘This substantial further investment by Eversholt Rail demonstrates our commitment to delivering innovative, sustainable and attractive new rail products for the UK market’, said Eversholt CEO Mary Kenny when the order was announced on December 7.
TDI Chairman Sam Wauchope said RVLR is a ‘groundbreaking product that will modernise lower-density parts of the UK rail network with an environmentally sustainable and economic solution’.
