Great Western Railway (GWR) has published a landmark white paper, revealing the successful outcomes of its year-long fast-charge battery trial and outlining its potential to transform the UK’s railway network.
The extensive trial explored the viability of battery trains as a realistic and cost-effective alternative to diesel trains, a crucial consideration as GWR prepares plans to renew its regional fleet, much of which is expected to reach the end of its serviceable life within the next 7-10 years.
View a copy of the white paper here
Test results conducted on the Greenford branch line have demonstrated how discontinuous fast-charging technology could significantly reduce reliance on more costly Overhead Line Equipment (OLE).
Mark Hopwood, GWR Managing Director, expressed the company’s pride in the findings: “We’re proud to share the findings of this trial through our white paper, which aims to build understanding and support across government, industry and regional stakeholders. At the heart of this is the need to renew our regional diesel fleets, many of which are approaching 40 years’ service and expected to need increasingly costly maintenance to keep them on the tracks in the coming years. One of the key motivations was to explore how discontinuous fast-charging can be used to support battery-electric trains calling at interim station stops. And we’ve been able to prove that the technology works.”
Marcus Jones, Network Rail’s Western route director, congratulated GWR on the trial’s success: “We’d like to congratulate GWR on the success of this trial, which marks an important milestone in sustainable travel in the UK and highlights the opportunities that innovative technology can bring to our railway. Rail is already the greenest form of public transport and battery-powered trains have the potential to play an important role in our commitment to a low-emission railway, with a goal of reaching net-zero by 2050.”
GWR’s Innovation team used a converted London Underground train on the 2½-mile line between West Ealing and Greenford to assess the performance of its fast-charge technology and develop planning tools for optimal charging point placement. This has instilled confidence that fast-charge battery trains could effectively operate services across branch lines in the Thames Valley, and in Devon and Cornwall. Crucially, the positive results could also be applied to similar routes throughout Britain.
The trial also yielded favourable environmental outcomes, with the battery train demonstrating an 80% reduction in carbon emissions compared to its diesel equivalent. These findings suggest a significant step forward in the decarbonisation of the UK’s rail network.
