A trial by Great Western Railway (GWR) for rapid-charging battery trains is underway, as part of plans to phase out diesel engines.

The initiative was launched in February 2022, with the trials officially commencing in March this year after GWR engineers successfully tested the compatibility of fast-charge technology with Class 230 battery trains on the Greenford branch line in west London.

Trials are going ahead before they are due to be introduced in the Thames Valley, with those in west London expected to ride the new trains in the spring.

GWR told The Independent that its trial has now been running for nearly eight months, and the work has “successfully raised the profile of fast-charge technology as part of the potential solution to decarbonisation of lines that are difficult or expensive to reach through traditional electrification”.

“More than 430 return trips have been completed between West Ealing and Greenford, testing the technology’s capability in all weather conditions and temperatures.”

The trains have been converted from old Underground models and have been fitted with FastCharge technology to power them up in a matter of minutes before setting out on their journeys.

Trial manager Julian Fletcher explained to the BBC : "The train comes to a halt, and then the rails become powered, and then they charge up the train, and that all happens within the minutes it takes the driver to get out of one end and in the other."

He said a lot of tests were carried out successfully before the installation of the charging equipment, including some that "covered ice, snow, and all sorts of contamination".

During trials in February 2024, the fast-charge battery train set a new distance record in the UK by travelling 86 miles (138km) on battery power alone and without recharging.

The train was operating in a real-world environment, at speeds of up to 60mph, stopping and starting on a hill route with elevation changes of up to 200m.

GWR hopes that by implementing fast-charge technology it will be able to deliver more reliable trains capable of fulfilling timetable services.

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It also hopes the technology will contribute to eliminating the use of diesel traction on the network, helping meet the Government’s and rail industry’s target to reach net-zero cargo emissions by 2050.

Using batteries could reduce GWR emissions alone by over 1,700 tons of CO2e per year, the operator said.

GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood, said: “We want GWR to be at the forefront of the railway’s commitment to phase out diesel-only traction by 2040 and this demonstrates that we put our customers at the heart of everything we do.

“This is why we took on the challenge and are taking an industry-leading approach in not only battery train operation, but the development of the fast-charge system.

“It’s important to remember this work has never been done before. It’s designed to test the capability and viability of the fast-charge technology – and demonstrates Great Western Railway taking a bold and broad approach towards replacing diesel-only trains with greener units.”

The use of batteries has in the past been constrained by their range and power life.

The use of batteries could also negate the need for overhead electric lines that are expensive, time-consuming to install, and look unattractive.

GWR hopes that the fast charge technology could one day see battery-powered trains in operation across the UK’s approximately 2,000 miles of 80-plus branch lines.

GWR is using technology from hybrid train manufacturer Vivarail. After Vivarial entered administration in December 2022, GWR agreed on contracts to buy the intellectual property, rolling stock and FastCharge technology.

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