Express, Freight News, Rail

Rail parcels start-up to ‘pause operations until September’

[ July 25, 2025   //   Chris Lewis ]

Start-up rail parcels company Varamis Rail is to cease all operations until mid-September, according to press reports. Staff are reported to have been put on unpaid furlough, although the firm denied reports that it had gone into administration.

It said that it hoped to resume services in September when the run-up to Christmas would start to boost parcels volumes.

Varamis operated trains between Birmingham International station – close to the Birmingham International Airport – and Mossend near Glasgow, using a fleet of former Class 321 passenger electric multiple unit trains with the seats removed and converted to carry parcels and other urgent freight. It has also acquired Class 325 trains originally purpose-built to carry Royal Mail traffic before the postal operator pulled out of rail last year.

Varamis has had to battle low margins in a cut-throat overnight transport industry as well as soaring electricity prices that have seen other rail freight companies switch from electric traction to diesel.

One customer of the service was Carousel Logistics which said that the 100mph trains could reduce the journey time from Birmingham to lowland Scotland by up to three hours compared with road transport.

Tags: Varamis