Hydrogen Motive Power

From
https://www.facebook.com/groups/895472313877202/
The diesel engine has now been removed from the shunter at the Severn Valley railway so batteries and the fuel cell can be installed.

Also a group from the Caledonian railway has brought an ex Dartmoor Thumper DEMU ,with electric motors, with a view to also retro fit batteries and a fuel cell.

 

Ex Class 314 update at:
https://realrail.smugmug.com/Trains/Boness-Hydrogen-Skunk-Works/

DAH

 

So at least 3 groups trying to convert old EMUs to hydrogen for the forthcoming environment conferences. But no firm orders from the UK operating companies.
As well as SVR converting a shunter.

Looks like the Eversholt/Alstom group now have a deal with a green supplier.
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/0...lly-friendly-future-for-british-railways.html

 

Good news, though the deal is to "find the best way to produce [...] a low-cost and reliable source of green hydrogen", and so some way off having carbon neutral production and distribution.

Note that using green energy that would otherwise go into the grid, causing fossil fuel to be used instead in electricity supply, would only be displacement of carbon emissions.

Patrick

 

There's a bit of a 'chicken and egg' thing going on here, in that, ahead of confidence in the basic tech (which is being addressed with trials), the question of supporting infrastructure is, obviously, a serious hurdle. We've seen nothing vaguely analogous to this in the past 60 years. I keep thinking back to Richard Beeching's view of the issues surrounding trying to juggle fundamentally different traction modes.

As much as I've tried to keep up with progress, I'm painfully aware it's well nigh impossible to keep abreast of the whole shooting match (that's just within the rail sector!), as this is a seriously wide ranging topic.

Here's the url of one of my "1st point of contact" websites, where reports crop up with alarming frequency. In all honesty, most of the output from familiar UK 'fleet street names' tends to be so hopelessly outdated as to be useless. On the 'plus side', though, industry specific outlets now seem to be coming up the curve at a rate of knots. Of the 'mainstream' news outlets, CNBC still seems to be the most on the ball:

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Hot+Topics/Hydrogen+Trains

 

The Hydroflex train will be at COP Glasgow,
https://www.thenationalnews.com/wor...volution-just-the-ticket-to-a-greener-future/
"UITP — a non-profit advocacy organisation for public transport authorities and operators, representing an international network of 1,800 member companies in more than 100 countries - will jointly host a high-level event with the International Union of Railways on board the HydroFLEX train"

The Scottish Enterprise and Eversholt/Alstom Hydrogen trains might also be there?

 

https://www.scotsman.com/news/trans...ed-train-and-bin-lorry-to-be-unveiled-3442605
A further report from Glasgow and Bo'ness. With a Children's book launch on the Hydrogen train.
Plus the battery ex LU Vivarail train was also in Glasgow.
At the end of the BBC1
One Show last night thought I heard Gethin Jones say he will be on a Hydrogen train on tonight's show, on BBC1 Morning Live this morning on TV he was on a Hydrogen bus.

 

https://www.scotsman.com/news/trans...-chiefs-will-be-powered-byelectricity-3445811
Not good publicity that the Hydroflex train trips were by electric power rather than hydrogen!

 

https://eversholtrail.co.uk/news/al...ks-first-ever-brand-new-hydrogen-train-fleet/
Rather than more old class 321/600 conversions, or using the Coradia iLint train which is too high for UK use, Eversholt and Alston will make 10 new 3 coach hydrogen powered trains in UK based on the Aventura (formally Bombardier) platform.
Presumably with fuel cells and tanks, maybe batteries?, under the train (unlike in the iLint which is above the coach).
No news on which lines they have in mind?.
They said the 321/600 conversion train would enter service in 2024, no date for the new Aventuras.

 

The tanks won't be under the train, far too dangerous in case of derailment. If they're anything like the 319s that have been converted, there will only actually be two coaches for passengers, with the third full of tanks and equipment.