Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
What news is that?
They have gone into administration.
What news is that?
They have entered administration.What news is that?
I asked the same question...I'm told TFW own them. So I guess they just need to persuade someone to take on the maintenance....Do we know what the ownership structure of the Welsh units is? That is, does Vivarail own them or TfW/a leaseco?
On Twitter yesterday they told me introduction wasn’t planned until early 2023Just speaking to a colleague and the pushback to late January for 230 operation is apparently true.
It will be interesting to see if Stadler will be in talks about this.I asked the same question...I'm told TFW own them. So I guess they just need to persuade someone to take on the maintenance....
It will be interesting to see if Stadler will be in talks about this.
Just looked at the "Vivarail News" part of their website. Nothing at all mentioned about the administration.
There are several updates on LinkedIn posted by the 'top brass'.Just looked at the "Vivarail News" part of their website. Nothing at all mentioned about the administration.
Yes referring to "mickey taking from industry player"There are several updates on LinkedIn posted by the 'top brass'.
As far as I know, Stadlers involvement comes from the fact they're responsible for Birkenhead North depot.I've seen comments about Stadler, but I can't think of anything in their business model that lends me to think they'd be at all interested in taking on some small, long term maintenance contract for a few odd bodge job units reassembled out of 40 years old trains, that they'd never have built themselves. That is unless it is was a short term arrangement before a standard Stadler product was introduced, in this case Merseyrail/777 BEMUs getting to Wrexham.
Being the first to introduce third rail fast charging and diesel-battery hybrids was always going to be a tough act, even more so for a start-up.Yes referring to "mickey taking from industry player"
As far as I know, Stadlers involvement comes from the fact they're responsible for Birkenhead North depot.
so it Looks more likely the 197s will be used on the Borderlines instead of the class 230 units. Not that likely will be 23rd January.
Well considering the 2 service diagrams are booked for them from December, I find that minorly concerning.My understanding is that the 197s will not be used on the Borderline at all due to gearing issues.
Well considering the 2 service diagrams are booked for them from December, I find that minorly concerning.
I've not heard anything about the 197s having a problem with it, although we'll just have to wait and see what happens!Likewise. There's apparently further issues with the 230s and timings, which could potentially kick them back beyond January, but I've heard the 197s are simply not capable of running such a stop-start route.
It seems they have struggled to keep time.I've not heard anything about the 197s having a problem with it, although we'll just have to wait and see what happens!
It seems they have struggled to keep time.
Oh dear that is not good news at all. I hope they can get these 230s in ASAP.Yes 197s are not to be used on Bidstons due to timing issues. 230s pushed back.
What is the exact position regarding the use of the 230s in this current Vivarail administration scenario?Oh dear that is not good news at all. I hope they can get these 230s in ASAP.
Even in ECO mode they outperform anything in the existing TfW fleet, so I too am struggling to understand how this is happening.That is bizarre. They have the same driveline as the 195s, and Northern now use these on east Manchester and CLC stopping services, because their performance and capacity is ideally suited to these services - they, like the 172s - are designed for this sort of thing. They also, when not broken, seem to handle the Conwy Valley with ease - almost boringly so, with no loud engine noise or squealing.
Are the staff handling them with kid gloves compared with Northern's drivers who seem to just whack them into performance mode and use the full capability of the power and braking they offer? (Braking in particular - they seem mostly to be driven almost European-style - I was quite surprised by the speed at which they seem to approach the buffers at Windermere).
Nothing announced yet.What is the exact position regarding the use of the 230s in this current Vivarail administration scenario?
What is the exact position regarding the use of the 230s in this current Vivarail administration scenario?
Extra rail services in north Wales on hold after firm goes bust
[...]
TfW, which is wholly owned by the Labour Welsh government, says it plans to bring the new Class 230 trains into service in 2023.
It added that it still has a "strong ambition" to deliver on its plans and will "work with all partners to expand the capacity of the line in the future".
It looks to introduce the twice-hourly service, it said, but testing and training is now "on hold" after the announcement from Vivarail.
"We'll be in a position to provide an updated statement in the coming days, but our focus remains to bring our Class 230 units into service on our network."
On behalf of administrators Grant Thornton, joint administrator, Jon Roden said while the company has been supporting Vivarail with sourcing investment opportunities, it has yet to find any solution in the limited time available.
"Whilst it has not been appropriate to continue to trade the Vivarail business in administration, we have presently retained a core team of around 30 employees and would urge any parties interested in the business and/or its assets to contact us urgently.
"Outside of these final discussions, our primary focus is to now work alongside Vivarail's customers and other key stakeholders with a view to enhancing the return to creditors under difficult circumstances."
Interesting that the rather dubious post many of us questioned has now been deleted without further comment....
As far as I know, Stadlers involvement comes from the fact they're responsible for Birkenhead North depot.
When I spoke to Vivarail staff at last year's Rail Live they said a simulated run was done with a stop at Hawarden Bridge and the location for Deeside Parkway and the 230s was 4 minutes quicker than a 150. All the observations and times myself and others have done suggest 230s are much quicker than 150s, even climbing away from Shotton towards Hawarden.Likewise. There's apparently further issues with the 230s and timings, which could potentially kick them back beyond January, but I've heard the 197s are simply not capable of running such a stop-start route.
Are the 150s not needed in S Wales from the timetable change? Might there now be a risk of temporary bustitution on the Borderlands, as has already happened on the Marston Vale?It seems they have struggled to keep time.
Rumour is crew training has been postponed, not sure in the truth in this though.
This is not going well.
Would it not make more sense to stretch out the use of 150's on the line, get it electrified or third rail and hand it over to Merseyrail?
They WILL get the 230s in ASAP.Oh dear that is not good news at all. I hope they can get these 230s in ASAP.
Risk? Yes.Are the 150s not needed in S Wales from the timetable change? Might there now be a risk of temporary bustitution on the Borderlands, as has already happened on the Marston Vale?