Carousel Logistics, the night delivery specialist, has linked up with Varamis Rail to boost its pan-European operation.
The news follows a successful trial period.
The freight operation runs out of Birmingham on Varamis Rail‘s midnight service five nights a week in both directions from a depot just two miles away from the airport. It is scheduled to arrive at Mossend rail hub terminal in Scotland at 04.00.
Varamis Rail is the first electric-only express rail freight operator and uses former passenger trains which have been covered to carry cargo at a top speed of 100mph. The company’s trains are powered by the overhead line infrastructure owned by Network Rail, with all electricity generated from environment-friendly sources. Varamis estimate that 1,350 tonnes of carbon dioxide will be saved each year.
Carousel Logistics’ introduction of the electric train follows its recent investment in Electron, a battery-run electric aircraft. This will allow the company to start zero-emission, point-to-point air freight deliveries across Europe.
Andrew Lowery, Managing Director UK for Carousel Logistics, said: “The introduction of this zero-emission route out of Birmingham, our primary UK hub, is a real win-win for us” said Andrew Lowery, Managing Director UK, Carousel Logistics. “Not only does this high-speed electric train drive our journey toward carbon neutrality, it is also faster than the diesel-fuelled alternatives.
“We’re looking forward to expanding our partnership with Varamis Rail as they add more capacity to this route, and sustainably connect more British cities.”
Phil Read, Managing Director, Varamis Rail, added: “Carousel Logistics has been instrumental in helping us design a route that meets the needs of time-critical delivery services – for this venture to be successful, it must serve the industry. Like ourselves, they’re pioneers – their team is innovative and exploring new, green alternatives in a bid to make cargo transport more sustainable.
“From the onset, we knew that our electric route had to be faster, more cost-effective, and greener to be viable – and Carousel Logistics is helping us prove to the freight industry that we are all of the above.
Responses
I think it’s nice to see Ex-Greater Anglia Class 321 “321334” being used as a logistics delivery train and to go greener and more convenient. And some of the redundant Class 321 could of been used for Hydrogen powered trains as it was known as Class 600 “Breeze”. Which sadly got scrapped and most of the Class 321 are being sent for scrap and some being kept for storage.