The press I've read all refer to services starting/finishing in/around the M25....so inner suburban.

Class 230 in the metal
Informed Sources Fourth Law commands ^When in doubt build a demonstrator^. While it is easy to rubbish a concept, something in the metal demands objective criticism.

During August Mr Walmsley and I were among the 195 guests who visited the Quinton Rail Technology Centre to examine Vivarail^s first conversion of a D78 Tube Stock vehicle into a Class 230 Diesel Electric Multiple Unit and have a ride on the test track. In ^Pan Up^ Ian has covered ambience and the market while I provide the technical description.

Introducing the Vivarail project in the December 2014 column, I admitted to being in a quandary. On the one hand a rival D78 stock conversion seemed a complete non-starter. On the other hand, at Vivarail Adrian Shooter had assembled a team of engineers for whom I have the highest regard.

So I wrote a technical description of Vivarail^s proposal, expressed some reservations over the practicality of the underfloor Ford automotive engines and reserved further comment until I could see the D-Train in the metal. Some readers were less charitable and asked why I hadn^t said what I really thought of the concept.

For our test run we bimbled around the Quinton track reaching a maximum speed of 30-35 mile/h. The five cylinder engines purring away under the floor were less noticeable than, say, a Cummins in a Meridian. When we started power pick-up was smooth and vibration free and the ride was agreed by my fellow travellers to be better than a Pacer (not difficult). You can find the sound level measurements in Mr Walmsley^s column.

Engineering
However, my main interest was in the workshop where conversion of the other two vehicles for the demonstration unit was advanced. With the second powered vehicle up on stands it was possible examine the underfloor equipment layout and the column has an illustrated guide to what goes where and how.

There was one disappointment. It was not possible to look inside one of the engine modules produced by Revolve Technologies. However, Vivarail subsequently provided a photograph, which gives an indication of the packaging.

Early criticism of the Vivarail project focused on the lack of crashworthiness of the cab ends. But from inside the cab the safety cage is massive and has been beefed up following the crash test. Mr Walmsley reckons protection is superior to a Pacer and could even be better than the Class 150 front end.

Spend.
So far Vivarail has spent around ^4million on the project and it shows in the quality of the engineering. Based on the capital rental figures provided by Vivarail I estimate the cost of a converted Class 230 vehicle at around ^800,000, roughly half the price of a putative new DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit).

Certification of the demonstrator three car Class 230 is scheduled by the end of this year. Testing in passenger service will follow ^in the new year^, initially on the Plymouth-Gunnislake branch fulfilling a requirement in the First Great Western Direct Award franchise agreement.

This has exposed some interesting internal DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) politics. Rail Minister Claire Perry, who is clearly not a Vivarail fan, claimed in a recent written answer that the obligation in the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise agreement covers only an initial feasibility study. According to Claire, the franchise agreement makes clear that any proposals for a trial that might derive from that report would be subject to a separate decision by the Secretary of State and would be subject to initial examination confirming likely viability.

Well, FGW inspected the first vehicle back in July and has begun planning for the trial. So it looks as though ^likely viability^ has been confirmed and someone in New Minster House has given the go ahead. As ever, is it Claire or the civil servant who drafted the reply the one out of the loop?

Not sure if the source is accurate, but I've read in the past that there is one loco which can run tender-first at 60mph (see here).

I'd also suggest that a run around facility near Tweedbank should be high on the list of future enhancements, to avoid the need for two locos and enable steam haulage both ways, which would reduce costs and increase the attractiveness of the steam proposition. 

My concern is that with so few full length trains and with most being half length, that a great many services will be operated by half length units.

If they are going to run as 10-car all the time, that would largely settle the capacity concerns on that route (south Wales and the Cotswolds still looking in trouble) but then you'd be paying for 10-car when you only need 9-car to provide the same number of seats if you had fixed formation 9-car units instead.

On a serious note, though, these would be ideally suited to routes such as Waterloo to Exeter if they could take power from any or all of third rail, overhead and battery (although not at the same time of course).

I am rather worried that as far as i can see non of the propsals show the link from Acton to Acton Wells. This is the major link off the FGWL mainline for both North South and east London and beyond It carries heavy freight traffic, containers to and from  East Coast ports and stone traffic for various outer London terminals. Plus passenger trains to Euston when WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) is  blocked and interegional excursions/specials. And when electrified it would enable Gatwick Heathrows!

Also the OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) to Greenford line is not shown.  I consider that it should be electrified at least to Greenford plus the  Loop should be used to enable some Crossrail trains currently planned to terminate at Eastbourne Terrace to terminate at West Ealing with an interchange station at North Acton.

I just checked and the Class 700 EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit)'s coming (eventually) to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) as an add-on to the FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) order are 100 mph for FCC, but maybe they can be upped to 110 mph for the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) like the Class 350/1's on the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) have been "to make better use of train paths" (according to Wikipedia).

110mph would help but we are back to the same differences we currently have with the turbos and 125's if the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) class 800 is increased to 140mph although this is only possible with a completely new signaling system and this would also help with the pathing.