Class 08 hydrogen powered

[renegademaster]

It seems to have been successfully completed.

Severn Valley Railway launches hydrogen-powered locomotive

The locomotive's hydrogen fuel cell charges the battery and powers the existing electric motors.

www.bbc.co.uk

A heritage railway has converted an old diesel locomotive to run on hydrogen.
Severn Valley Railway (SVR) launched HydroShunter, a hydrogen-powered shunting engine, developed from the body of a disused Class 08.
Built in Derby in 1959 it was being used for spare parts and was eventually destined for the scrap-heap, but it has been given a new lease of life at the tourist attraction.
The conversion was done in conjunction with Midlands-based Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions, a company pioneering use of hydrogen in trains.
The work took place at the SVR's Kidderminster service depot by apprentices and engineers drawn from the railway and the firm.
The only difference in the driver's cab is a few extra lights and meters.


SVR driver Bob Dunn said: "[The] first thing you notice is, as you open the power handle, you just start moving and of course there's no increase in sound because you haven't got a diesel engine.
"But the feel of it from a power... position is exactly the same as a diesel-electric shunt engine."

Bob Dunn said it was just the same as driving a diesel locomotive, apart from a few extra meters and warning lights
The locomotive, which will be used for its original purpose, shunting, was unveiled at the railway's Kidderminster station.
The attraction operates over 16 miles between the Worcestershire town and Bridgnorth, in Shropshire.
Vanguard engineer Callum Nicolson explained the space where the diesel engine used to be had been replaced with a hydrogen system.
"That includes a large traction battery and a hydrogen fuel cell, which acts to charge the battery and power the existing electric motors," he said.

Vanguard engineer Callum Nicolson said the only emissions from the hydroelectric engine was water vapour
Gus Dunster, managing director of the heritage line, said it operated steam and diesel locomotives, "which by definition do use fossil fuels".
But he added the railway was "also the custodians of 16 miles of countryside, so there's a lot we can do to offset those carbon emissions".
"For example, we've got some very large buildings on the railway, which we're just embarking probably on a project to install solar panels on."

SVR managing director Gus Dunster said teams were looking forward to seeing HydroShunter in regular use at the railway
SVR said invited guests, including representatives from mainline railway companies, heard about an ambition to decarbonise railway locomotives and "potential to transform shunting operations nationwide".
CEO of Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions Dr Alexander Burrows said: "There is already a lot of real interest from potential customers who want to benefit from zero emissions, reduced noise, and improved operating costs in a retrofit solution."

 

[EyeKay]

It appeared at the Greatest Gathering last summer. Middle one in this picture.

 

[gallafent]

With regard to hydrogen, there are prototype buses running in Aberdeen which one presumes are successful as a further 10 have been ordered.

I accidentally happened on the first page of this thread, and, coindicentally ... the hydrogen buses in Aberdeen have, as it turns out, not succeeded! The technology didn't work (fuelling stations broken since 2024) and in terms of commercial viability, aside from the technical issues, they've been completely outflanked by battery electric buses, due mainly to physics, amongst many other more malleable factors all of which point in the same direction, and really always have. It was interesting to note that a key sponsor of the project was (drum roll) an oil and gas company. What a surprise!

Michael Liebriech has been banging the drum for a few years now, with his "hydrogen souffle" thread, which does indeed mention this recent update to the Aberdeen HyBus saga.

Michael Liebreich post on Aberdeen Hydrogen buses

I've largely stopped posting each #HydrogenSoufflé because frankly it's repetitive, and seems slightly distasteful to dance on the graves of so many dreams, however silly those dreams were.

But I'll make an exception for the odd iconic soufflé, and this is one. Aberdeen is flogging off its hydrogen bus fleet for scrap.

Now call me churlish - but if I were an Aberdeen taxpayer, a Scottish taxpayer, a UK taxpayer (as I am, big-time) or an EU taxpayer, I would like to know how much money was wasted on this 100% predicable outcome, and which muppet politicians and civil servants were responsible.

#HydtogenAccountability
#HydrogenTruthAndReconciliation

https://lnkd.in/ga6tNZAG

BBC also picked up on it recently: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?

The world's first hydrogen double-decker bus fleet has reached the end of the road.

The multi-million pound project in Aberdeen - involving 25 buses - was meant to be the future of clean public transportation, with the city billed as the global hub for hydrogen-powered buses.

But the zero emissions vehicles are now being ditched, along with the ambition that 700 jobs could be created.

The council announced on Thursday evening that it was to drop its hydrogen double-decker bus fleet in favour of electric vehicles following a meeting of its urgent business committee.

Aberdeen City Council and oil and gas giant BP became commercial partners in 2022 for Aberdeen's hydrogen ambitions.

 

[norbitonflyer]

BBC also picked up on it recently: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?

Note the "double-decker" qualification. Aberdeen's 25 hydrogen buses were introduced in 2022. Nearly 6,000 single deckers were in use by then, mostly in China. London has dabbled with them since 2004.

.

 

[renegademaster]

I accidentally happened on the first page of this thread, and, coindicentally ... the hydrogen buses in Aberdeen have, as it turns out, not succeeded! The technology didn't work (fuelling stations broken since 2024) and in terms of commercial viability, aside from the technical issues, they've been completely outflanked by battery electric buses, due mainly to physics, amongst many other more malleable factors all of which point in the same direction, and really always have. It was interesting to note that a key sponsor of the project was (drum roll) an oil and gas company. What a surprise!

Michael Liebriech has been banging the drum for a few years now, with his "hydrogen souffle" thread, which does indeed mention this recent update to the Aberdeen HyBus saga.

Michael Liebreich post on Aberdeen Hydrogen buses



BBC also picked up on it recently: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?

The Hydrogen deckers in Redhill work fine.


One of the single deck buses had a fire and now they all got recalled but it doesn't look directly related to the hydrogen and it's not like product recalls haven't happened with electric buses before either

 

[Woods]

It seems to have been successfully completed.

Severn Valley Railway launches hydrogen-powered locomotive

The locomotive's hydrogen fuel cell charges the battery and powers the existing electric motors.

www.bbc.co.uk

This project has been around for too many years and involves much the same people as were involved in the Porterbrook 'HydroFlex' - well-meaning but misguided Engineers who thought they were going to be at the centre of some kind of decarb revolution. I actually went to a presentation by Vanguard's Hydrogen-Evangelist Chief Engineer some years ago, and apart from being one of those irritating people who had a previous career in the Armed Forces and likes to let everyone know about it at every opportunity, as if the rest of the world cares, he also spoke some entertaining nonsense on electrification. And just like HydroFlex, I predict that HydroShunter is going to end up as a one-off because a), there isn't exactly a massive market for shunting locos in the first place, b) Positive Traction can sell you a much simpler and no doubt cheaper battery-only 08e conversion which does exactly the same job with far less complexity and will be much cheaper to run because, as a quick reminder of the physics, well-to-wheel efficiency of hydrogen traction = 22%, well-to-wheel efficiency of battery traction = 73%. Had the well-meaning Vanguard / HydroFlex Engineers done some very simple sums on the back of an envelope they would have realised this many years ago and therefore could have put their talents towards more useful projects. Sorry to sound harsh but in amongst all the Motherhood and Apple Pie, somebody has to speak the truth. I look forward to Ian Walmsley doing his customary drive-by on this in his next column for Modern Railways

 

[D1015]

It appeared at the Greatest Gathering last summer. Middle one in this picture.

Question - the SVR Hydro shunter is in the middle, sure but what is the odd looking loco on the left of the photo please?

 

[43096]

Question - the SVR Hydro shunter is in the middle, sure but what is the odd looking loco on the left of the photo please?

It’s the battery 08e. I’d bet the most reliable is the one on the right.

 

[EyeKay]

Question - the SVR Hydro shunter is in the middle, sure but what is the odd looking loco on the left of the photo please?

That will be the battery conversion, the 08e. If you Google ‘battery class 08’ you will find some pictures.

 

[D1015]

That will be the battery conversion, the 08e. If you Google ‘battery class 08’ you will find some pictures.

Brilliant, thank you for the lead.

What are they doing -does anyone know? - comparing the battery vs hydrogen shunters?

 

[david1212]

..... I predict that HydroShunter is going to end up as a one-off because a), there isn't exactly a massive market for shunting locos in the first place, b) Positive Traction can sell you a much simpler and no doubt cheaper battery-only 08e conversion which does exactly the same job with far less complexity and will be much cheaper to run because, as a quick reminder of the physics, well-to-wheel efficiency of hydrogen traction = 22%, well-to-wheel efficiency of battery traction = 73%. ....

I agree with this. The active hours for shunters are not high and mostly they are not located where an electricity supply for charging is not available. The capacity of the electricity supply against an industrial rather than domestic scale does not have to be high as the charging can be over several hours.

 

[EyeKay]

Brilliant, thank you for the lead.

What are they doing -does anyone know? - comparing the battery vs hydrogen shunters?

I think they are independent projects. I thought I saw a report a few days ago that a second 08e conversion had been ordered by a commercial customer so it looks like it works well.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Mar 2026 ==

Just found the report. It’s on Modern Railways. Heidelberg have ordered one for Whatley quarry.

 

[Defiance149]

Just found the report. It’s on Modern Railways. Heidelberg have ordered one for Whatley quarry.

It was delivered to Whatley just before Christmas.

 

[trainswitheddy]

Network Rail's Test Tracks takes centre stage as hydrogen is delivered by rail for the first time

Network Rail, working with rail and energy partners Freightliner and GeoPura, has transported hydrogen for the first time on Britain's rail network, marking a major step forward for both the rail and energy sectors.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Not much mention of this anywhere - the 08 was present I believe.

 

[Invincible]

Network Rail's Test Tracks takes centre stage as hydrogen is delivered by rail for the first time

Network Rail, working with rail and energy partners Freightliner and GeoPura, has transported hydrogen for the first time on Britain's rail network, marking a major step forward for both the rail and energy sectors.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Not much mention of this anywhere - the 08 was present I believe.

This included the first re-engineered hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive – seen as a step towards replacing diesel – another milestone towards the rail industry's goal of becoming net zero. The event also demonstrated HPU hydrogen-powered generators, lighting towers and support vehicles.

There is still interest in hydrogen technology, despite First's and BP's bus problems in Aberdeen and Alstrom train problems in Germany. Geopura is in partnership with Siemens UK and other companies, and is taking part in the Extreme H car race in Saudi to show hydrogen power is safe.
As well as the 08, Porterbrook and the Uni of Birmingham are still testing the Hydro flex train.
Presume there is a speculation thread on hydrogen?
But new train tenders in the UK now include battery options rather than hydrogen.