LOGISTICS OPERATOR Varamis Rail hosted an event at Liverpool Street station in London to demonstrate the benefits of companies using its growing fleet of high-speed freight Class 321 electric multiple units for the bulk movement of parcels and logistics traffic, with the company aiming to expand its operations into central London in the near future.
Varamis Rail won a ‘First of a Kind’ grant from Innovate UK in September 2022 to support its activities in express rail freight. This funding from the Department for Transport enabled the company to continue developing its rail operations, including attracting new customers onto rail which previously had little or no knowledge of what the railway could offer.
Varamis Rail has ambitious plans for expansion of its operations to various destinations across the country eventually. It started its operations initially with a five-nights-a-week return working between Mossend and Birmingham International in January last year, using a converted Class 321 which had been stripped of its passenger seating and facilities, with the four-coach EMU now able to accommodate roll cages, pallets and even loose items.
Since its formation, the company has grown and its fleet of Class 321s now consists of 10 of the 100mph former passenger EMUs, bought by Varamis Rail from their previous owner, leasing company Eversholt. Five have been modified for their new role (321334, 321407/419/428/429), with the remaining five stored, and these will also be modified as and when the company has such demand that necessitates their conversion.
While the trains have internally been converted, externally they still carry the unbranded colour schemes applied by their last passenger operators. The two trains displayed at Liverpool Street – 321428/429 – still wear the National Express silver and white livery carried by them prior to their withdrawal by Greater Anglia.
The preview event held on March 13 saw Network Rail chairman Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill welcome interested parties, highlighting the potential benefits of the railway and companies such as Varamis Rail working together for the movement of bulk goods into the heart of city centres.
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