Varamis Rail Class 321s & 325s”

[Jacob Porrett]

321334 currently working 3N21 Willesden PRDC (possibly came from Wembley InterCity Depot instead) to Northampton Up TC Sdgs, then on to Birmingham International before heading back to Wembley/Willesden.

334 still carrying Swift livery but it can barely be seen under all of the graffiti...

Saw it on Railcam not long ago. Does look sorry for itself.

 

[MylesHSG]

321334 currently working 3N21 Willesden PRDC (possibly came from Wembley InterCity Depot instead) to Northampton Up TC Sdgs, then on to Birmingham International before heading back to Wembley/Willesden.

334 still carrying Swift livery but it can barely be seen under all of the graffiti...

It came out of Wembley ICD and returned this afternoon as 3A21.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

For those unfamiliar with them, who are Hanson & Hall ?

 

[Wyrleybart]

For those unfamiliar with them, who are Hanson & Hall ?

For those unfamiliar with them, who are Hanson & Hall ?

Hanson & Hall Rail Solutions

www.hansonhallrail.co.uk

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Ah, thanks for the link

 

[billybox]

does anyone know if/when the next time a 321 will run?

 

[sad1e]

This is the currently list of rolling stock owned by Varamis Rail:

Type	Number	Livery	Location	Notes
321/3	321334​	Swift Rail Freight Livery	Willesden Railnet Reception
321/3	321339​	Greater Anglia (Grey Doors)	Willesden Railnet Reception
321/3	321341​	Greater Anglia (Grey Doors)	Willesden Railnet Reception
321/3	321342​	Greater Anglia (Grey Doors)	Newport (Simms)	Mostly scrapped
321/4	321407​	First Capital Connect Purple (Pink Doors)	Willesden Railnet Reception
321/4	321419​	First Capital Connect Purple (Pink Doors)	Willesden Railnet Reception
321/4	321428​	National Express East Anglia Unbranded	Carlisle Sidings
321/4	321429​	National Express East Anglia Unbranded	Carlisle Sidings
321/4	321440​	Greater Anglia (Red Doors)	Willesden Railnet Reception	No Pantograph
325/0	325001​	Grey Unbranded	Willesden PRDC
325/0	325002​	Grey Unbranded	Willesden PRDC
325/0	325005​	Grey Unbranded	Willesden PRDC
325/0	325011​	Grey Unbranded	Willesden PRDC
325/0	325014​	Grey Unbranded	Willesden PRDC
325/0	325015​	Grey Unbranded	Willesden PRDC

Any ideas which of these 321s are mail converted and which are still in unconverted as withdrawn condition.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Any ideas which of these 321s are mail converted and which are still in unconverted as withdrawn condition.

The following appears to be true;

321334 converted.
321339 unconverted as of May 15, 2025.
321341 unconverted as of January 28, 2024.
321342 unconverted as of January 7, 2025.
321407 converted.
321419 converted.
321428 converted.
321429 converted.
321440 unconverted as of May 15, 2025.

The rule appears to be; if it has branding - its been converted.

 

[sad1e]

Varamis planning comeback as driver training and proving runs begin

High-speed freight operator last ran a scheduled service between Birmingham International and Mossend in June 2025.

www.railmagazine.com

According to Rail magazine ,

"We've been doing proving runs in order to get the right safety certificates with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the units and drivers," Gisby said.

And

"It's also planned to bring two more units (321428/9) from Carlisle to Willesden for recertification and to re-train more drivers over the coming weeks."

And very sadly

"It is likely that other Class 321s and former Royal Mail '325s' now owned by Varamis will be scrapped"

So definitely some hope for Varamis but it definitely seems like not all their units will be put back into service.

 

[BuhSnarf]

They'll be scrapping all of the 325s? It would seem they are better set up for package work than the 321s?

 

[Class15]

Why keep 321s and scrap 325s?

 

[XCTurbostar]

It is likely

..is doing some heavy lifting here

 

[sad1e]

..is doing some heavy lifting here

Yes , the article seems quite speculative when it comes to varamis's rolling stock.

I would be quite surprised if the 325s were scrapped, especially since they were mid repaint when varamis entered financial difficulties.

 

[Class15]

Yes , the article seems quite speculative when it comes to varamis's rolling stock.

I would be quite surprised if the 325s were scrapped, especially since they were mid repaint when varamis entered financial difficulties.

And haven’t the repaints continued since?

 

[sad1e]

And haven’t the repaints continued since?

Not that I know of unless @Skimpot flyer knows of any recent progress on the repaints.

 

[Class15]

Not that I know of unless @Skimpot flyer knows of any recent progress on the repaints.

Not recent, but I thought there had been progress after June 2025?

 

[sad1e]

I would be quite surprised if the 325s were scrapped, especially since they were mid repaint when varamis entered financial difficulties.

Especially since they'll definitely need more than 3 operational units after the December timetable change since they've gained the Mossend - Warrington and Mossend - Daventry paths.

 

[Southern Dvr]

If the 325s are surplus to requirements at Varamis I do hope at least one vehicle can be preserved.

 

[Gordonman]

If the 325s are surplus to requirements at Varamis I do hope at least one vehicle can be preserved.

Why?

No preserved lines are electrified.
They do not have seats or windows if you wanted to drag them around.

 

[adc82140]

One carriage stuffed and mounted possibly? They are a unique part of railway history.

 

[sad1e]

If the 325s are surplus to requirements at Varamis I do hope at least one vehicle can be preserved.

Would be some good publicity for them if they did , but i think its quite likely they'll keep them.

 

[zwk500]

One carriage stuffed and mounted possibly? They are a unique part of railway history.

Isnt a cab already preserved?

 

[CR165022]

Isnt a cab already preserved?

There's a complete mockup cab that was built but I'm not sure where that resides now.

 

[ExRes]

There's a complete mockup cab that was built but I'm not sure where that resides now.

According to 'The Cab Yard' website it's at the Nene Valley Railway

And of course as @CR165022 says it's a mock up never a working cab

 

[Geeves]

Phil Read himself is/was a driver.

Phil was also Varamis control as well as everything else. Fair play to him I think the issue came up when there was an problem and Network Rail had the same person in the cab answer as control, I like imagine he maybe used a different voice?

Lets hope hopping on the back of Hansen and Hall is a success.

 

[Southern Dvr]

Why?

No preserved lines are electrified.
They do not have seats or windows if you wanted to drag them around.

That’s why I said at least one vehicle. Not talking about running it, I’m talking about the fact that these were the last incarnation of the TPO and it would be good to have one of the carriages in a museum or preserved somewhere.

 

[172007]

That’s why I said at least one vehicle. Not talking about running it, I’m talking about the fact that these were the last incarnation of the TPO and it would be good to have one of the carriages in a museum or preserved somewhere.

But 325's were not the last incarnation of the TPO. The travelling post office had staff who sorted post enroute the same as in a post office hence the name. The 325's just replaced van carriages and had no staff let aline sorting. 325's were/are no different to the Scania Semi truck going up the M6 to the borders overnight

 

[Brush 4]

So, it would depend on which lasted longest. The 355's in service or the TPO? Or, did the both end on the same date?

 

[Aaron_TTL]

The York museum already has a mail sorting train which is a fair bit more interesting than just an empty shell of a train, I can't see anyone saving any.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

325s were still running a couple years ago. TPO was dead since the early 2000s