The second and third of the three Volk’s Electric Railway cars which were overhauled by Alan Keef Ltd in Ross on Wye are currently being prepared for a return to service with both hoped to be back in use in time for the peak summer season. Nos. 6 and 10 are now both back in Brighton where work is underway to fully commission them for service.
6 was delivered back to the railway on 14th February 2018 with 10 following on 30th April 2018. The former has undergone brief test runs on the line but requires some further mechanical work before it is considered for a full return to service. Meanwhile 10 is also in the workshops where it is having new relays installed in the control boxes.
When both cars are completed and commissioned for service they are expected to run as a pair – as they did for many years before they had to be withdrawn because of concerns over the condition of the bodywork. The current operational fleet consists of 4 – the first of the cars to be fully overhauled offsite – 7, 8 (which are usually to be seen operating as a pair) and 9 (which has seen work in the VER workshops) and once 6 and 10 return this will bring the fleet up to six cars.