Battery and hybrid train manufacturer, Vivarail, has announced it has filed a Notice of Intention to appoint administrators.
Adrian Shooter CBE founded Vivarail in 2013 and the last 9 years have been spent investigating, trialling and developing battery technology.
This research has also seen the development of the Fast Charge system, which is able to re-charge a battery-powered train in just ten minutes. This is set to come to fruition in 2023 when Vivarail’s Class 230 will enter service on the West Ealing to Greenford service with its Fast Charge equipment.
The company has had the financial support of a sole investment partner – however, Vivarail’s board of directors had agreed to operate without reliance on more funding in early 2022.
Since that decision, the Board of Directors have approved a sale process and have worked to attract new investors.
Although Vivarail has had a ‘positive level’ of interest. the Board has had to file a Notice of Intention to appoint Administrators with the courts, which took place on the 23rd November.
Steve McBride, Managing Director of Vivarail, explained: “The Board and I have worked incredibly hard to secure new investment in recent months, and although we have been encouraged by the level of interest, time is now against us to allow potential investors to step in. Combined with slow market conditions and delays in reaching certain key commercial arrangements we have had no choice but to file a Notice of Intention to appoint Administrators with the Courts.
The next few weeks undoubtedly represents a degree of uncertainty for everyone connected to Vivarail, including our 70 employees who have shown incredible commitment and dedication to decarbonising our railway. During this time Management, the Board or Directors and our advisors will leave no stone unturned in finding a solution.
We will now be consulting with our customers and other stakeholders to try and drive the business forwards, but we must be realistic in that if we are unable to deliver a rescue package Administration will unfortunately be inevitable.”
Responses
This unfortunate situation has almost certainly been exasperated by the rail strike. For instance , their inventive units would have been in revenue earning service in North Wales and the Isle of Wight. Their introduction was, almost certainly, delayed by lack of opportunities to train drivers.
It is also another example of how trains should be contributing to climate change and again the strikers are messing such things up also.
What a load of old tripe!
The 230s in North Wales have yet to see service as they’ve been plagued with issues… Something ongoing since long before the strikes started.
The Island Line units were also delayed into service for similar reasons, it’s a bit of stretch to blame that on strikes given the Island Line staff have never voted for or participated in industrial action
Nobody wants to buy ex-LT stock with expensive batteries?
Quelle surprise?!
What about the Island Line on the Isle of Wight?
It’s a shame the government isn’t doing more to support these industries. So much for building back green! First arrival now vivarail as well as other green start ups.
If VivaRail do go into administration what will this mean for backup and support for the trains that they have supplied to IslandLine on the Isle of Wight? I can more problems ahead for this already troubled railway.
It’s a shame, these trains could have helped decarbonise the branch lines of Devon and Cornwall. Hopefully a resolution can be found to continue the progress made.
DECARBONISE ?
Emissions are not carbon ( the black stuff ) – they care carbon dioxide which is a colourless, inert gas utterly vital to life on this planet as it is plant food.
CO2 + methane are less than one half of one tenth of 1 % of our atmosphere. CO2 is only 0.0415% of the atmosphere and methane is only 0.00017%. By way of contrast, nitrogen is 78% and oxygen is 21%.
All the talk of ” CO2 killing the planet ” is simply politically-motivated lies spouted by marxist eco-loonies.
They’ve done some good but on the whole it was a stupid idea, the D train have never been tested in a Collison scenario with a 100mph train, they are probably more dangerous than pacer.
Inevitable.
Not only are these trains an evolutionary dead end & non standard, they suffered with endless problems. Passengers would far rather travel in a brand new state of the art train from any of the mainstream manufacturers.
Ok for the IOW but hopeless anywhere else
This is sad, especially as at this time no British capital seems willing to invest in the project. Doubtless a Chinese government-backed company will come along with its billions, invest in (take over) Vivarail and utilise the British technology and intellectual property for its own ends, then shed jobs in the UK.
Vivarail doesn’t deserve to go into administration. I hope they still continue with the work they have already done since they re-built and converted the former LU D78 stocks to Class 230 and the Island Line Class 484 that replaced the 80 year old Class 483 (Ex 1938 LU stock). Very sad to hear about them.
That’s a real shame let’s hope for some positive news going forward.goid luck to you all