Free rides on new battery train at Bo'ness

Free rides are being offered from ths week on Vivarail's new Class 230 battery train at the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway.

The train will run on the line on October 10, 11 and 12, and you can be amongst one of the first to experience a ride for free in these modern trains which have Transport Scotland backing for being environmentally friendly.

Free public passenger rides will available at 4pm on October 11, and 11am October 12. There is no need to book, just turn up.

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The Class 230 battery train will be tested on the line, which includes a steep hill and, with luck, a bit of leaf-fall to test the advanced WSP system.

At night the train will be connected to its mobile charging unit ready to set off again the next day.

Adrian Shooter, CEO of Vivarail, said “I am delighted to bring this train to Scotland,

“I have long admired the stance and political will of the Scottish Government to reduce emissions in towns and cities. “I am also very proud that Vivarail, the UK’s smallest and newest train manufacturer, is the first to bring an operational battery train into passenger service.

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“It shows our level of commitment to delivering exactly what our customers want. Of course whilst we are carrying the public in Bo’ness for these services we are also busy back at our base building new trains for the West Midlands and Wales, as well as starting work on our next proof of concept train – a battery/hydrogen hybrid.”

Bill Reeve, Director of Rail, Transport Scotland, said “The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2017-18 included a commitment to trial hybrid self-powered trains and Transport Scotland has been monitoring technological developments in this field, liaising with Abellio ScotRail, rail vehicle owners and manufacturers.

“The rail industry in several areas are working on various approaches to low carbon rail transport and Vivarail now have a demonstrator battery powered train available and the opportunity has arisen to have the train carry out demonstrator runs in Scotland during October.

“Transport Scotland welcomes this opportunity to support Vivarail in demonstrating this particular use of zero emission technology on heavy rail.”