Very Light Rail: an update

Back in September 2012 (Issue 95), Rail Engineer carried a feature on cross-industry innovation which considered the potential for the rail industry to adopt technologies developed for the automotive industry, such as lightweighting. This was a recurring theme at various events such as the 2017 Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Stephenson conference.

Our report on this event in Issue 153 (July 2017) featured a paper ‘Automotive to rail: can technologies cross the gap?’ This was based on work done at WMG (formerly Warwick Manufacturing Group) and described how the automotive sector had developed lightweighting techniques and made dramatic improvements in engine and powertrain efficiencies, including hybrid drives.

A few years later two Very Light Rail (VLR) vehicles were built using these technologies. These were the Revolution VLR (RVLR) and the Coventry VLR which will operate on a novel track.

Revolution VLR

Malcolm Dobell described the Revolution VLR (RVLR) in Issue 193 (Nov-Dec 2021). Design of this demonstrator vehicle started in 2018, construction in 2019, and the vehicle was completed in 2021. It was then demonstrated on a redundant railway that served the Ironbridge power station which closed on 2015.

To create a demonstration site, the track required minor repairs and a workshop, visitor centre, and platform were all constructed. All this was done in six months at a cost of less than £400,000.

RVLR is intended to be a lightweight rail vehicle that offers a lower cost alternative to traditional heavy rail vehicles on branch lines to improve the business cases for line re-openings. Demonstrating the RVLR at Ironbridge showed how quickly a redundant railway could be brought back into use.

RVLR has been developed by a consortium led by Transport Design International Ltd (TDI) with Eversholt Rail, WMG at the University of Warwick, Cummins diesel engines, Transcal, RDM Group, and Prose (Switzerland), with support from Department for Transport (DfT) and RSSB. It aims to deliver a reliable, high quality passenger experience at the lowest possible cost using a lightweight vehicle to minimise track wear. It is a 56-seat, single 18.5-metre long railcar constructed on a steel underframe, with aluminium/Kevlar reinforced vehicle ends and roof with bodysides of double skin 18.5-metre-long elements.

Its bogies are based on a Wabtec LN25 low noise freight bogie modified to be a power bogie with rubber secondary and coil spring primary suspension. This bogie is proven for use on often indifferent quality rack which might be a feature of the target lines. RVLR’s design uses weight saving techniques, for example hollow axles. This gives it overall tare weight of 24.8 tonnes, which is 40% less that its conventional equivalent, a Class 153 unit. RVLR has permanent magnet three-phase motors powered by Lithium Titanate batteries with a total capacity of 62kWh. These are kept charged by twin Cummins 2.8l diesel engines. It is currently designed for a 65mph (104km/h) top speed.  

Although RVLR meets the requirements for collisions at level crossings, the risks of train-to-train collisions will have to be managed by separation, for example operation into bay platforms at interchange stations. In practice this is not a constraint as, with their low capacity and low speed, RVLR is not suitable for main line operation.

To date, RVLR has been demonstrated to 450 interested parties whose views have informed the next stage in its development. In December 2023, it was announced that Eversholt Rail has signed a contract with TDI for the production of three pre-series vehicles for passenger trials within the UK. Unlike the demonstrator, these new vehicles will be entirely powered by batteries that will be charged by a rapid recharging system. These new vehicles will start trials in 2026.

Eversholt Rail and TDI are working with key stakeholders across the UK rail industry to agree routes for these passenger trials. These are likely to be relatively short routes, typically a shuttle service between two points with frequent stops. These would demonstrate how RVLR can quickly enter service without the need for electrification or signalling systems as, at a maximum speed of 60mph on a segregated route, line of sight driving would be possible.

Although, for an appropriate route, RVLR could make a big difference to local communities, there is a limited market in the UK for vehicles that cannot operate on main lines. However, RVLR is considered to have significant export potential as it has attracted significant interest from countries ranging from Mongolia to Morocco. There has also been significant interest from the United States, where there are hopes for a renaissance in passenger train travel.

Coventry VLR

A quite different VLR application is the result of a decision in 2017 by Coventry City Council to develop its own Very Light Rail (VLR) network. Since then, the council, with the support of Transport for West Midlands and funding from the DfT, has been working with the University of Warwick’s WMG to develop a VLR system at a target cost of half the cost per kilometre of a traditional tram system.

To achieve this target cost, a lightweight shuttle-type vehicle has been developed by WMG, which requires no overhead catenary or extensive utility diversions. WMG partnered with TDI to design the prototype vehicle which was built by NP Aerospace in Coventry. This is powered from a 750V 54kWh battery giving it a range of 70km. The battery will be charged overnight from a 20kW supply and during the day can receive a 3.5-minute charge from a 200kW rapid charging station.

The Coventry VLR (CVLR) weighs 11 tonnes and can carry 50 passengers or 70 in crush conditions. It is made from steel, aluminium, and composites, with a carbon/polyethylene bumper and carbon/Kevlar cab ends. Polycarbonate windows meet the requirements of the post-Croydon accident recommendations. It has a maximum speed of 70kph, can tackle a 5% gradient, and has an innovative bogie which enables the network to have 15-metre radius curves.

The VLR system is made affordable by a new trackform that minimises the need for utility diversions, is not damaged by heavy road traffic, and can accommodate 15-metre radius curves. WMG partnered with the Paris-based engineering group INGEROP and its British consultancy, Rendel, to develop this track which is only 300mm thick and can be installed without clashing with utilities which are installed at a minimum depth of 450mm. The trackform can accommodate 600 x 600mm access chambers which allow utilities to be accessed in an emergency.

VLR innovation centre

However good the design of the CVLR vehicle and its new trackform, extensive testing of both – as a system – will be required before this system is installed on Coventry’s streets. In addition to design optimisation, the required approvals have to be obtained. This testing is to be done at the VLR National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) in Dudley. The £28 million cost of this facility was funded by Dudley Council, the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, Coventry Council, and the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The Centre opened in 2022 and is operated by BCIMO (formerly the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation) which supports local businesses to develop new products and services.

As well as testing the VLR system, VLRNIC’s original purpose was to create a whole new industry by promoting the new VLR technology and supporting Local Authorities to develop their VLR networks.

The centre can also be used for conventional rail research and development and BCIMO is currently engaging with various heavy rail companies with a view to the centre being used to assist its innovation projects. The facility has a 2.2km standard gauge single line test track with an 867-metre tunnel built to 100mph standards and a 15-metre radius turnaround loop adjacent to the main facility. It has an ORR licence exemption to operate rail vehicles on this track.

Its main building has an engineering hall which can accommodate 45-metre-long vehicles with 1200 m2 of floor space and a 10-tonne overhead crane. It has two roads, one of which extends outside to a concrete pad for the delivery and removal of rail vehicles. Both roads have 15-metre-long pits and share the use of four 16-tonne lifting jacks. It also has electronic and software laboratories, a control centre, and a driver simulation suite together with 150-seat auditorium and exhibition centre with a balcony overlooking the test track to showcase vehicles under test.

In addition, VLRNIC has a 36 x 10 metres workshop which can accommodate 33-metre-long vehicles. This has an 8-metre pit, a 1.4-tonne overhead crane, and four 16-tonne jacks. Outside this shed is a world first, a VLR ultra-rapid battery charging station installed by Furrer+Frey.

VLR conference

As reported in Issue 197 (Jul-Aug 2022), in 2022 BCIMO held a VLR conference in Dudley in the newly opened Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology which is adjacent to the then almost complete VLRNIC. The event described the latest VLR system developments including the RVLR, CVLR, and its novel trackform. At the time, the completed protype CVLR vehicle was just about to be handed over to Coventry City Council. A presentation at the conference explained how this had been built to meet the aspiration of a lightweight vehicle weighing a tonne per metre length. 

In a presentation from Coventry Council, Nicola Small advised that there was a “phenomenal interest” in the project from other local authorities, many of which were represented at the conference. These included West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, West of England Combined Authority, Oxfordshire, Derby, and Stoke, many of which were represented at the conference. She felt that it was exciting to work with other councils on a game changing way to encourage people to use public transport.

A particularly interesting presentation was that given by Robin Butler, managing director of developers Urban&Civic which buys large areas of land to establish high-quality settlements. He noted that the growth in house prices within 2km of railway stations is twice the average. As a result, there is less financial risk from rail-connected developments. Robin was convinced that house building would be massively accelerated if government accelerated rail delivery. As developers would gladly pay more for affordable rail provision, he considered that there is a strong financial case for VLR in new developments.

VLRNIC’s current role

To understand how the CVLR project is progressing, Rail Engineer was glad of an opportunity to visit VLRNIC arranged by BCIMO’s Olivia Brown. At this visit Olivia explained that it would be some time before VLRNIC could fulfil its original purpose of supporting Local Authorities to develop their CVLR networks. The agreed CVLR funding is limited to the development of the system, and it has become apparent that funding commercial CVLR routes is first dependent on a successful demonstration of CVLR technology in Coventry.

Hence whilst VLRNIC continues to support the development of CVLR, other uses have been found for its facilities. All its laboratories have now been let out. For example, TAE power solutions is using most of the laboratory space to develop its battery power management technology. Various events have used its 130-seat auditorium and flexible meeting spaces. These included a two-day ‘Electrifying Transport’ event to raise awareness of the benefits and challenges of electric vehicles and a ‘Made in Dudley, Sold to the World’ event for local businesses wishing to export.

The test track has been used for conventional rail research such as testing 5G communications in its curved tunnel. Senceive is also using VLRNIC to test and evaluate its wireless condition monitoring technologies. This test track is also being used for on-track safety training by National Infrastructure Solutions (NIS).

VLRNIC is also being used to support BMICO’s participation in the Clean Futures Accelerator which was launched in July 2023 and is led by the Connected Places Catapult. This is a programme of funding and support for regional SMEs with a clean technology innovation for transport that must already be at a minimum of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5. Over a two-year period, this aims to have 40 regional SMEs join a six-month programme to accelerate the development of their innovations. Those with rail innovations are supported by BMICO whilst automotive technologies are supported by Coventry University.

To support the testing of innovations developed by the Clean Futures Accelerator, BMICO has been given a redundant T-69 Class tram by UK Tram. This was introduced in 1999 and withdrawn in 2015. After corrosion treatment, wiring, and repairs at VLRNIC, it was given a vinyl wrap with BCIMO and Clean Futures branding.

The first cohorts of the accelerator programme held a demonstration day in May to showcase their innovations at the end of their six-month programme. These included concrete printing technology, fitment of a test locomotive with a hydrogen injection system and a carbon capture unit, and a fully electric express rail logistics business. Another innovation is a low-cost signalling system using RFID tags that is being developed by Universal Signalling.

The second cohort of 10 SMEs supported by BMICO started their programme in August.

CVLR’s future

In 2022, the West Midlands City Region was awarded a £1 billion West Midlands City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement which included £71.5 million to develop CVLR and provide a 2km demonstration route between Coventry’s rail and bus stations. This funding was also to support other VLR projects such as the VLR innovation centre.

However, as VLR is a research and development project, the DfT controls the funding of the £35.4 million awarded for the development of an outline business case which includes the demonstrator track construction. Funding for this is released in the four stages shown below once the DfT approves evidence that the previous stage has been completed.

• Technical product development and offline testing.
• City demonstration pre-construction work.
• City demonstration construction work.
• Business case development and lessons learnt for Line 1.

While at VLRNIC I had the opportunity to see the CVLR vehicle in the vehicle shed. It was raised on jacks whilst its bogies had been sent away for an engineering validation. Angus Brummitt-Brown, CVLR’s senior project manager advised that this was part of the vehicle’s development which was almost complete for this phase of the programme.

Although there were reports earlier this year that the DfT had delayed project funding, Angus explained that these reports were incorrect as the DfT decision was a reflection of the stage gate requirement to complete the first stage gate of vehicle and track research and development before funding the next stage.

As part of this development work, 60 metres of CVLR track was installed on VLRNIC’s 15-metre radius curve in August 2023, this included a humped section with a 250-metre radius vertical curve. To date the CVLR vehicle has completed around 400km of performance testing and has gone around the 15-metre radius loop 2,000 times.

However, the track has yet to be installed over live utilities. Angus explained that utilities companies have agreed in principle that the CVLR track can be laid over their utilities. Yet, of the nine-stage utility diversion process in the New Roads and Street Works Act, laying CVLR track over utilities is only at Stage 5.

As part of the track approval process, in April 2023, a 36-metre length of track was installed at the Council’s Whitley Depot facility to measure its performance under extreme conditions. Vibration sensors were fitted along this track as were weight-in-motion sensors to weigh vehicles. This data is being fed into a ‘digital twin’ computer model to evaluate the performance of the track over time. One million gross vehicle tonnes have now passed over this track which is performing beyond expectations. Angus advises that the data collected from this work shows that utilities under a VLR track slab experience around 25% of the force from an HGV compared with standard highway construction.

At a council meeting in September, it was anticipated that the 1.5km CVLR demonstrator track between the railway and bus stations would be completed by the end of 2025. However, this has now been reviewed and the plan is now to lay a 200-metre section of track to prove the concept ahead of the next stage. This will enable interested professionals and representatives from other cities interested in the CVLR system to be able to ride on the vehicle and experience it in the street scenario.

If it is possible to deliver the demonstration track at CLVR’s target cost of half that of a conventional tram system per kilometre, it may be possible to fund CVLR systems by private finance rather than relying on the public purse. If so, this would increase the number of towns and cities for which light rail systems are feasible. However, first there needs to be a successful demonstration of CVLR on Coventry’s streets to validate both its technology and business case.   

CVLR certainly has significant potential. If, in the long term, such systems become commonplace, Coventry deserves credit for pioneering the system. Indeed, if this happens, it will certainly get financial credit as the City Council owns 85% of the CVLR system’s intellectual property rights!

Image credit: Coventry City Council