It may have returned to Brighton way back on 14th February but after a period of testing found a number of adjustments were required Volk’s Electric Railway car 6 finally returned to service on Thursday 4th October, bolstering the operating fleet at the end of the 2018 season.
6 had been seen testing back in June and it had been anticipated that it would be back in use soon after in time for the main summer season but during these tests a few issues were found which needed slight adjustments before it could enter service. This included work on the brake linkage and electronics which took place in-house at the VER’s own workshops.
6 has joined 9 in service – a car which itself spent a period out of service but it proved not to be a major problem keeping it sidelined for long – with 4 (which returned to service at the start of the year having been the first of Alan Keef Ltd three to return from Ross on Wye) now being used as a spare car. This will allow for some work to take place on the car with some concerns expressed it isn’t running as fast as the other cars.
There will be another evening running session on Sunday 21st October – led by volunteers from the Volk’s Electric Railway Association – and it is hoped that it may be possible to have a three car service in operation.
* All the latest updates from the Volk’s Electric Railway are available on VERA’s Facebook page.