Look at Vivarail's project to convert old London tube trains to DMUs

[Rail Announcement]

http://railpicturelibrary.zenfolio.com/p535675085/h543a7003#h543a7003

http://railpicturelibrary.zenfolio.com/p535675085/h543bbf1f#h543bbf1f

http://railpicturelibrary.zenfolio.com/p535675085/h543b2822#h543b2822

http://railpicturelibrary.zenfolio.com/p535675085/h543a6b11#h543a6b11

[railsquid]

Technically not tube trains, but interesting this project has got this far.

[kvp]

I think they will be very fine thumpers, if this project ever gets off the ground in mass. Speed and suspension may be an issue, but otherwise demus are a very old and successful technology.

[wartsilaone]

I can't see many drivers wanting to operate these death traps...I wouldn't.   

[bikkuri bahn]

http://www.vivarail.co.uk/

[Welshbloke]

I think my main problem with these is how slow they'll be.

 

Yes, many branch lines have a top speed of 60mph anyway, but it'll nobble any chance of through trains as there's no way these will be allowed out on a 100mph main line. So you'll have to change at the junction station.

 

IMO having to change trains won't endear rail to the people they're trying to persuade out of their cars, much like the reason I don't like "park and ride" bus services or cities which try to bully drivers onto them (the upheaval of having to park, get onto a rough-riding bus, then find the right bus stop in the city to come back and all the rest of it including the inevitable heavy rain, vs just going somewhere I can park in the centre).

 

They have carried out crash testing, and I think they'll be safe enough. However, no TOC has shown any interest in the concept and indeed at least one operator has given a firm "no" to suggestions of their use.

[bikkuri bahn]

Perhaps on a somewhat related note, this months issue of Modern Railways reports a rumor that JR East-owned railcar builder J-Trec is seeking to enter the UK dmu market(pg.33)

[wartsilaone]

As far as I know...No more DMUs will be built in the UK. A great shame IMHO.

[kvp]

Hitachi is already in the UK and building high speed hybrid ovearhead/diesel multiple units.

Edited August 23, 2015 by kvp