Carbon Neutral Steam Loco Manufacture

North Bay Railway at the forefront of Carbon Neutral Steam Loco Manufacture

Steam Locomotives have not had a very good Carbon footprint, but is about to change all that specifically, because of little known EU Legislation that comes into force in 2017.i

Directive 601-03/2016 comes into force on 1st April next year and states that all new locomotive manufacture must have a carbon neutral footprint. There is no issue with the manufacture of the new Hitachi Locomotives being manufactures about 60 miles from Scarborough in Newton Aycliffe , but until now, new build steam locomotives potentially were going to have a hard time.

With their new build Bagnall 'Georgina', things are going to change with nothing but water coming out of its chimney.

North Bay Railway Engineering Services Limited has been working with Avril Foo, a Japanese Automotive company and will be powering the locomotive on nothingu but water. Water in the boiler and water in the tender. Avril Foo are the world leader in Hydrogen Generator Technology and until now have worked with the great automobile companies such as Toyota, Nissan and BMW to manufacture their Hydrogen Generator for cars. The link up with the Scarborough Locomotive Builder will enable them to build a larger generator than normal and will enable them to test out the technology for the proposed manned space flight to Mars.

So how does it work. A Hydrogen generator uses water and electricity to manufacture Hydrogen, that is then burned as a fuel. The by product is water.

The generator will be built into the bottom of a new tender being built. It is within a sealed unit about 2 cubic metres and will use the water in the tender as fuel aswell as a supply for the locomotive. Within this sealed box are 288 Aluminium panels with either a positive, neutral or negative polarity. A bank of batteries are also carried between the tender frames that are recharged from three sources, a steam turbine generator, a geared Alternator with a geared drive off the rear tender axel and from a mains supply through a tradition 13 amp plug. A small transformer will be needed to reduce the various voltages and again, will be within the tender space.

The boiler has been redesigned with an Omega Cartier style firebox that recycles heat around 225% than the traditional style. Outside appearances have not been compromised and the rest of the locomotive is as designed.

David Humphreys, Managing Director of the Railway and the Engineering Company says "We are delighted to have been approached by Avril Foo and are flattered that they want to link up with Steam Engine Technology for the forthcoming Mars programme."

As to the running economies, it is estimated that to bring the locomotive to operational pressure will cost about £2 and running costs will be about 11p per mile to run the Hydrogen Generator. With coal at £200 a tonne and the locomotive using about 10 kg per mile, the maths explain why the Business is looking at this technology. Added to this a reduced boiler build cost and the free Hydrogen Generator, has reduced the build costs aswell as the running cost.

 

The wonders of modern technology. One could almost be forgiven for thinking that it is too good to be true...

 

Killjoy.

 

Given it's plentiful supply, especially on this forum, would it not be better to power this loco with bullsh1t?

 

Finally someone has discovered a use for steam railway!

 

Surely much better to use 3rd rail/overhead current collector to drive the hydrogen generator? Pick the right starting point, a little careful design and Bob's your uncle..

 

The WSRA thread would give almost perpetual motion....

 

Didn't West Coast experiment with a similar electrical pick up scheme on Tangmere, though optimised for the third rail rather than overhead?

Tom