Andrew Wade

New hydrogen train design could hit UK tracks by 2022

News

A hydrogen train design based on converted Class 321 stock could be in service in the UK as early as 2022, according to its developers.

Currently known as ‘Breeze’, the project is being led by Alstom in partnership with Eversholt Rail. Alstom’s Widnes facility will manage the conversion of the Breeze trains, transforming the electric Class 321s to Hydrogen Multiple Unit (HMU) powered vehicles. According to Alstom, the finalised design is the first to allow a hydrogen train to fit within the standard UK loading gauge.

“The railways need to decarbonise and the government has rightly set out a goal to eliminate diesel rolling stock by 2040,” said Nick Crossfield, Alstom UK & Ireland managing director. “Hydrogen trains offer an ideal solution for routes which are unlikely to benefit from electrification, and our innovative engineering solution means they can now fit within the UK loading gauge and can quickly be ready to roll on Britain’s railways.”

Last September saw Alstom introduce its Coradia iLint hydrogen trains in Germany, where they are operating regular daily passenger services. The company also claims that the president of France’s Occitanie region has expressed interest in adopting its hydrogen train technology.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address