Varamis Rail and Eversholt Rail have reached an agreement which will see a Class 321 Swift Express Freight train go into service with the new freight operator in the UK.

Varamis will be running 5 nights a week from Birmingham to Scotland for a major parcel carrier.

Class 321 Swift Express Freight trains, which were previewed in Doncaster (you can read RailAdvent’s article by clicking here), are all-electric trains that are environmentally friendly when compared to HGVs.

The ex-passenger trains have been repurposed for freight use with a maximum speed of 100mph.

Eversholt Rail are expected to convert 4 Class 321 trains, with the work being carried out by Gemini in Wolverton and are due for completion by the end of 2022.

Negotiations are continuing with other operators regarding the trains, and leases are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Paul Sutherland, Client Services Director at Eversholt Rail said, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Varamis. We share a vision to decarbonise the transportation of goods, encouraging modal shift from road to rail whilst contributing towards the UK Government’s ambition to decarbonise the rail sector by 2050.”

Varamis Rail Managing Director, Phil Read said “The Team at Varamis are delighted to take delivery of the Class 321 Swift Express.  As a new TOC entrant I would like to thank Eversholt Rail in supporting Varamis become the UKs newest and greenest Train Operator”.