A New Hydrogen Train Design For UK

On 7 January 2019 Alstom and Eversholt Rail have unveiled the design of new hydrogen train for the UK market. The train, codenamed „Breeze“, will be a conversion of existing Class 321 EMU, reengineering some of the UK’s most reliable rolling stock. These trains could run across the UK as early as 2022. The conversion will be carried out by Alstom in its Widnes facility, working in partnership with Eversholt Rail and building upon an established business relationship spanning over 15 years and across multiple rolling stock fleets. This proven and reliable Class 321 is an excellent fit in terms of characteristics, fleet size and availability for conversion to a Hydrogen Multiple Unit (HMU).

Alstom and Eversholt Rail also confirmed that their initial, comprehensive engineering study is now complete, and the train design concept finalised. The technical solution defined is the first to allow a hydrogen train to fit within the standard UK loading gauge, and it will also create more space for passengers than the trains they are intended to replace. The news follows the introduction in September of Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen trains in Germany, where they now operate in regular passenger service on a daily basis. There is growing interest in Alstom’s hydrogen technology worldwide, including in France where the President of the Occitanie region, Carole Delga, recently announced a proposal to introduce the technology on trains there.