Hydrogen fuelled rollingstock takes to UK track
HydroFLEX is the first hydrogen-powered train to operate on the UK's network.
The project was initiated by rolling stock owner Porterbrook and the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education in response to the UK government’s challenge to remove diesel-only trains from the national network by 2040.
Using a Class 319 electric multiple unit, the HydroFLEX demonstrator unit was fitted with hydrogen fuel tanks, a fuel cell and battery pack to provide a source of traction power capable of operating with zero carbon emissions to decarbonise passenger rail transport.
In September 2020 the first HydroFLEX unit successfully started the first phase of mainline testing.