Vivarail heads for administration
SOUTHAM (Warwickshire)- based rolling stock manufacturer Vivarail announced its intention to appoint administrators on November 24. Established in 2013 by industry veteran Adrian Shooter CBE, Vivarail has re-engineered former London Underground Tube stock for service elsewhere (Classes 230, 484), and developed its patented Fast Charge system, which is claimed to recharge a battery-powered train in just 10 minutes. Since inception, the company has benefited from the financial support of a sole investment partner. However, having agreed to operate without reliance on further funding in early 2022, Vivarail’s board of directors approved a sale process and have been working hard to attract new investors. Vivarail’s managing director Steve McBride said: “Combined with slow market conditions and delays in reaching certain key commercial arrangements, we have had no choice but to file a Notice of Intention to appoint Administrators with the courts.” If a rescue package is unsuccessful, administration will be inevitable.
‘Crocodile’ recognition
RECOGNISING the importance of Switzerland’s ‘Crocodile’ electric locomotives in the history and evolution of mechanical science and technology, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has designated Ce6/8 II series ‘Crocodile’ No. 14253 as a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Delivered in 1920 by the Swiss engineering company Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon, No. 14253 is the oldest existing locomotive of its kind still operational today, being owned by SBB Historic, a foundation aimed at preserving documents and artefacts from the history of the Swiss rail industry. ASME President Karen Ohland presented a plaque commemorating the landmark designation at a ceremony on October 9, in Erstfeld, Switzerland.