Useful Meeting

This morning I had a very useful meeting (well, Zoom call) with Alice Gillman from Vivarail – the company that is converting former London Underground trains to a variety of different traction modes such as overhead electric, battery power or diesel, or hybrid combinations. I have been aware of Vivarail for a long time, and indeed Chief Executive Adrian Shooter’s excellent work at Chiltern Railway before that, and I believe their trains have a viable offer to make particular for journeys where part of the route is electrified but small sections are not. It really doesn’t make any sense to be running diesel trains “under the wire” any more as happens with local services in Northumberland.