Class 507 now battery powered

Video of first moves under battery power are on Youtube:


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Brilliant.

Where are the batteries and what technology are they? I'd sooner see one of these than another Pacer...

 

https://www.class507.org.uk/2026/09/batteries-included-507001-overpowers-its-third-rail-limitation/
This article gives more details. Basically a proof of concept test with a some batteries in each cab. Ultimate aim for underfloor battery pods under the floor of each vehicle.

Sawdust.

 

Excellent news!

As well as making it suitable for operation, does that mean it can be stored with the power still on, and avoid the problems a lot of MUs get when sat unpowered?

If you take it to the Spa Valley, could you plug it into their carriage shed solar panels and become a zero-carbon operation?

 

I guess this means it's no longer going to Tanat Valley?

 

You have batteries underneath and tow a 750v generator to keep it topped up so you have spare power on tap for rapid acceleration and increased passenger loading.

 

There are precedents for something like that. Some examples in this paper:

https://applrguk.co.uk/media/files/lruk lrapplrgelectrictractionbeyondthewiressm-jh v.11 08 11.pdf

In particular, in 1930s Argentina, some suburban passenger services began to be operated by EMUs that obtained their electric power from an attached "mobile power station" vehicle. Imagine a Hastings DEMU where the diesel engine and electric generator are housed in a separate vehicle instead of within a passenger carriage.

 

This is encouraging. I think the preservation movement will regret the loss of historic electric stock we've seen in the last decade or two.

 

Probably, but in the absence of any national preservation strategy, limited resources and nowhere to run them, it's hard to see how it could have gone otherwise. It's rubbish but short of a millionaire benefactor* or well-funded national initiative, there's not much more that could have been done.


*and to be fair to Jeremy Hosking, he is doing an alright job of saving some electrics.

 

But isn't that what the FLIRT units are? I certainly remember the Greek metre-gauge units on the Pelopennese line through Athens in the early 2000s being very similar - there was a small power unit smack in the middle of the train.

 

Didn't the Trolley Bus museum at Sandtoft do something similar back in the 70's with a generator trailer towed by a Trolley bus?

 

I remember seeing a youtube clip of a few towing a generator during Bournemouth open day event shortly after the closure of the trolleybus service, in colour too I would have to search for it again.

It is absolutely possible to drive a trolleybus with a generator, Sandtoft will have done it in the early days before they put up the wires.
Found this link with pictures of Trolleybuses towing generators.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JVwfnKzkm/

The only issue is the trailers will need to increase amperes when more passengers board the trolleybus and loading put more demands on generators, overhead wires is usually preferable as you can draw what you need from it without impacting on performance, generators produces power on requirements and must match the load.

Which is why I said fit large batteries to act as a pool of power while the generators tops it up.

 

Another interesting link of a tram being powered by a generator.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/14qFrKQZKfw/