The partnership, which was initiated in February of this year, has recently celebrated a successful trial phase, culminating in the official integration of the electric rail route into Carousel Logistics' extensive pan-European delivery operations.
Varamis Rail has repurposed former passenger trains, transforming them into cargo carriers capable of achieving speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. These electric trains now facilitate the swift movement of goods between the Birmingham and Glasgow.
The game-changing train is powered by Network Rail’s overhead line infrastructure, with all electricity generated from environmentally friendly sources.
“The introduction of this zero-emission route out of Birmingham, our primary UK hub, is a real win-win for us” said Andrew Lowery, Managing Director UK, Carousel Logistics. “Not only does this high-speed electric train drive our journey toward carbon neutrality, it is also faster than the diesel-fuelled alternatives.
“We’re looking forward to expanding our partnership with Varamis Rail as they add more capacity to this route, and sustainably connect more British cities.”
Phil Read, Managing Director, Varamis Rai said: “Carousel Logistics has been instrumental in helping us design a route that meets the needs of time-critical delivery services – for this venture to be successful, it must serve the industry,”
“Like ourselves, they’re pioneers – their team is innovative and exploring new, green alternatives in a bid to make cargo transport more sustainable.”
Varamis Rail estimates that the electrified rail route will lead to an annual reduction of 1,350 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, considering the current schedule, which involves five return journeys between the two cities each week.
The service connects Birmingham and Glasgow in approximately four hours, providing a rapid and sustainable solution for transporting goods between these two economic hubs.
Carousel Logistics' involvement in the electric rail initiative follows its recent investment in Electron, a cutting-edge battery-run electric aircraft. This forward-looking investment positions the company to introduce zero-emission, point-to-point air freight deliveries across Europe in the near future.