Revolution Very Light Rail unit undergoes 60mph tests

Two weeks of ‘real railway’ testing has taken place at the Great Central Railway for the prototype Revolution Very Light Rail (RVLR) demonstrator.

The diesel-powered single railcar, ultimately planned to be battery-only, has been used in trials on the Leicestershire line at up to 60mph. The RVLR maximum design speed is 62mph, and the 18.5-metre vehicle seats 56 plus 26 standing.

The testing follows previous low-speed demonstration runs and early proving trials on a short piece of former freight line at Ironbridge (Shropshire).

The vehicle was delivered by road to Quorn & Woodhouse station on June 7 and spent two weeks on test. Once testing at the GCR has been completed, the RVLR will return to Ironbridge.

Details of the trials at the GCR have not been revealed. But Transport Design International (TDI), which is behind the project, told RAIL that it is “part of the vehicle’s development work for the Revolution Pre-Series programme and testing will continue at Ironbridge as the build programme moves forward”.

No future timescales have been released.

The RVLR is an innovative, lightweight, cost-effective rail vehicle that provides an alternative to traditional heavy rail vehicles on branch lines. Its low mass reduces operating costs and can improve the business cases for line reopenings and extensions.

Created by a partnership of Eversholt Rail and TDI to bring the RVLR to market, work started in 2018 and is now focused on developing a commercial version.

In a £400,000 project at Ironbridge, a platform, maintenance/storage shed and visitor centre were built in 2021. Later in the year, the demonstrator was shown to 450 stakeholders at Ironbridge, and in 2022 it carried more than 200 passengers during the Rail Live event.

Ultimately, the plan is to build three pre-series battery-electric RVLR vehicles and associated lineside charging systems later this year. They will be used for “operator-led trials in various locations across the UK”.