A Class 08 shunter converted to hydrogen power has been unveiled at the Severn Valley Railway.
A Class 08 shunter converted to hydrogen power has been unveiled at the Severn Valley Railway.
SVR and Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions (VSTS) launched the Harrier HydroShunter Project at Kidderminster station on January 31.
The locomotive has been converted by a group of young volunteers at Kidderminster TMD, alongside engineers from Vanguard - a spin out company from the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research and Education.
The locomotive, D3802/08635 (now carrying the number H3802), was built in Derby in 1959 and arrived at the SVR in 2007 with a seized engine, intended as a source of spares.
The project started in 2021 but was delayed by COVID. The locomotive has had its engine and generator removed to be replaced with an 80kW hydrogen fuel cell, a 230kWh lead acid battery pack, and a 3.5-tonne baseplate for the equipment packs, replacing some of the engine and generator weight.
With a 60kg hydrogen capacity, the running time is intended to be between 20 and 27 hours, depending upon load. The locomotive can also be charged from shore power, making it essentially a bi-mode shunter.
The fuel cell system is Vanguard’s bespoke NEO1 powertrain, which interfaces seamlessly with the original traction system and is a modular, scalable hydrogen/ battery hybrid drivetrain designed for retrofitting in existing diesel locomotives.
Some minor modifications have been carried out for new cab instrumentation, and an overhaul of existing components, including wiring and brake gear, has been undertaken.
“We believe HydroShunter is a trailblazer - not just for Vanguard STS, but for the entire rail industry,” said Vanguard STS CEO Ron Gibson.
“As the first hydrogen-powered freight locomotive in the UK, it sets a new standard for what’s possible in decarbonising heavy transportation.”
SVR Managing Director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster added: “While we area heritage organisation, it’s important that we look to the future as well as the past.”
The locomotive will undertake its final commissioning in the coming months, before starting a period of testing and evaluation as a working shunter on the SVR.
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