Future of Class 350/2

[Stephen Lee]

knowing that they will be displaced from the WMT fleet by the time the Aventras went into service so i wondered what TOC can adapt those trains.....
PS I have heard their owner—Porterbrook is planning to convert the units into Battery-MU.....

 

[swt_passenger]

Last covered in January:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/possible-use-for-class-350-2s.197642/
I don’t think anything will have changed...

 

[AlastairFraser]

Personally I’d put more in, but yes. A battery for 30 miles range for a typical 4 car EMU on a North Downs duty cycle would be roughly that which you will find in 5 x Kia EV9s.

So, without going too far into speculative territory, said batteries would fit in the undercroft of a 4 car 350/2?

 

[Bald Rick]

So, without going too far into speculative territory, said batteries would fit in the undercroft of a 4 car 350/2?

I‘m no expert on the underneath of trains, but I imagine there is space yes. Total volume req’d would be in the order of 3 cubic metres, weight 5 tonnes (for LiTO batteries with a much better cycle lifetime)

 

[anthony263]

So, without going too far into speculative territory, said batteries would fit in the undercroft of a 4 car 350/2?

Porterbrook proposed doing this already

 

[AlastairFraser]

I‘m no expert on the underneath of trains, but I imagine there is space yes. Total volume req’d would be in the order of 3 cubic metres, weight 5 tonnes (for LiTO batteries with a much better cycle lifetime)

Thank you.

Porterbrook proposed doing this already

Interesting. Any source?

 

[JonathanH]

Porterbrook proposed doing this already

Interesting. Any source?

Six years ago - no actual developments in the public domain since then though
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-350-batteryflex.171906/#post-3680359

 

[AlastairFraser]

Six years ago - no actual developments in the public domain since then though
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-350-batteryflex.171906/#post-3680359

Oh OK, only at the proposal stage then.