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Alstom and Eversholt Rail unveil a new hydrogen train design for the UK
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7 January 2019 – Alstom and Eversholt Rail have unveiled the design of a new hydrogen train for the UK market. The train, codenamed ‘Breeze’, will be a conversion of existing Class 321 trains, reengineering some of the UK’s most reliable rolling stock, to create a clean train for the modern age. These trains could run across the UK as early as 2022, emitting only water and no harmful emissions at all. 

The rolling stock conversion will be carried out by Alstom, 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 are working closely with industry stakeholders to develop the business cases and evaluate detailed introduction plans for fleets of these innovative trains and the associated fuelling infrastructure. Alstom and Eversholt Rail also confirmed that their initial, comprehensive engineering study is now complete, and the train design concept finalised. The innovative 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 Alstom facility in Widnes will manage the conversion of the Breeze trains, creating high quality engineering jobs in this new, emerging sector. 

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.

“Hydrogen train technology is an exciting innovation which has the potential to transform our railway, making journeys cleaner and greener by cutting CO2 emissions even further. We are working with industry to establish how hydrogen trains can play an important part in the future, delivering better services on rural and inter-urban routes,” said Andrew Jones MP, UK Rail Minister.

“Transport in the UK has evolved over centuries from the world’s first steam train to the tens of thousands of electric vehicles on our roads today thanks to our nation of innovators. This new hydrogen powered train, which will only emit water, is further proof of the UK’s continued creativity to transform the way we travel as we continue to move to a greener, cleaner economy. The UK is on track when it comes to growing a world-leading hydrogen economy, and through our modern Industrial Strategy we are providing £23 million to power our ambition to be the ‘go-to’ place for first-class hydrogen transport,” said Claire Perry MP, UK Minister for Energy and Clean Growth.

 “The Breeze will be a clean new train for the UK with a stylish, modern look. The railways need to decarbonise and the Government has rightly set out a goal to eliminate diesel rolling stock by 2040. Hydrogen trains offer an ideal solution for routes which are unlikely to benefit from electrification, and our innovative engineering solution means they can now fit within the UK loading gauge and can quickly be ready to roll on Britain’s railways. In Germany, Alstom’s hydrogen trains are already transporting passengers in the comfort and quiet that is characteristic of these trains. The Breeze offers British rail users the opportunity to share in the pleasure that is a journey on a hydrogen train,” added Nick Crossfield, Alstom UK & Ireland Managing Director.

“Eversholt Rail has an enviable record of innovation across its rolling stock portfolio.  Combining the experience gained from the successful Coradia iLint and Class 321 Renatus programmes will deliver a hydrogen-powered multiple unit product that will meet sponsors’ and train operators’ aspirations for the earliest possible fleet introduction,” added Eversholt Rail Client Relations Director Stephen Timothy.

So it's fuel cells rather than hydrogen as a diesel replacement, so to speak?

The problem is (as the article says) "On the German train the hydrogen is stored on the roof but tanks will be shifted in the British model because of the greater physical constraints of the Victorian-built rail network in Britain."

The tanks can't be put underneath the trains as they'll never get safety approval for locating them in such a vulnerable location when the risk of the gas venting up through the passenger area can't be managed safely. The advantage in mainland Europe is that putting them on the roof means any leaks vent away from the train. The decision to put the tanks inside the train is the only way they'll get safety approval in the UK. I am surprised at the option to go down to three cars however - and I'll ask questions. I presume it's the only way they reckon they can get the range up to something useful? I did wonder whether there could be room for some additional storage if the roof was lowered internally - then using the space to fit additional tanks - clearly this isn't an option.

New hydrogen ‘Breeze’ trains unveiled by Alstom and Eversholt
Hydrogen trains will be introduced in as little as two years after a deal has been struck to convert more than 100 trains into the first fleet powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology.

The new trains, to be called “Breeze” trains, are due to be employed on commuter and suburban lines by early 2021 in the project being led by French company Alstom.

The DfT is supporting the plan as it allows train operators to scrap diesel trains without the need to install extremely expensive overhead power lines which are needed to operate electric carriages.

The hydrogen trains have zero emissions and are nearly silent operating at speeds up to 90mph, with released steam the only by-product.

Less than half of the British rail network is currently electrified and around 2,500 commuter trains run on diesel, but the government has set a target of eradicating diesel altogether by 2040.

Alstom are leading the project alongside rolling stock company Eversholt Rail, with a fleet of Class 321 electric trains owned by Eversholt being identified for the project.

The trains are currently used on the Greater Anglia network, but will be phased out next year when the hydrogen conversion will start.

Alstom has released new images showing that the existing four-carriage 321s will be reduced to three as part of the process, with the front and rear third of the train used to house hydrogen gas storage tanks.

The Breeze trains will be converted at Alstom’s facility in Widnes.

UK rail minister Andrew Jones said: “Hydrogen train technology is an exciting innovation which has the potential to transform our railway, making journeys cleaner and greener by cutting CO2 emissions even further.

“We are working with industry to establish how hydrogen trains can play an important part in the future, delivering better services on rural and inter-urban routes.”

Nick Crossfield, Alstom’s UK managing director, commented: “There is great opportunity to get better value for taxpayers by converting an existing fleet.

“It will reach the same top speed as a diesel and in terms of acceleration a train like this will perform much more effectively. But the main benefit is to the environment in terms of emissions, noise and the passenger experience.”

Alstom confirms plans to bring hydrogen trains to the UK

Alstom today confirms plans to bring its world leading hydrogen technology to trains in the UK. This is the first substantive industry response to the Government's challenge to remove diesel rolling stock by 2040. The company is working with Eversholt Rail on plans to convert Class 321 electric trains to hydrogen operation, fitting hydrogen tanks and fuel cells to upcycle trains that are some of the best proven on the network into Britains most advanced rolling stock.

The potential for hydrogen trains is enormous. The Government has set a clear objective of removing diesel rolling stock by 2040 and this requires a bold and innovative response from the industry. I am very proud that, working with Eversholt Rail, we are able to take the lead in that respect.

Not only are hydrogen trains zero carbon, they are near-silent and emit no particulates, which means they offer substantial air quality and noise pollution benefits too. On cost, hydrogen trains can help to avoid the necessity for line electrification, which represents a significant investment for customers.

We think the potential long-term application of hydrogen in the UK is very significant. Less than fifty per cent of the UK network is electrified, and much that isnt electrified is unlikely ever to be so. Starting with this conversion, we think hydrogen could offer the right zero carbon solution for many parts of the network. Said Nick Crossfield, Managing Director, Alstom UK & Ireland.

Alstom is the first company to introduce a regional train based on hydrogen fuel cells and batteries. The Coradia iLint is the first Alstom hydrogen train, on test already in Germany. Nearly a third of all the UKs trains are diesel trains, which will need to be replaced or refurbished to hit the Governments target of no diesel rail vehicles by 2040.

Hydrogen can be produced using sustainable electricity and electrolysis or through industrial processes. The fuel cell on the train produces electricity through a combination of hydrogen and oxygen to create water. The electrical energy is intermediately stored in batteries and the train is powered by an electrical traction drive. The only exhaust is steam and condensed water.

Hydrogen technologies and solutions will play a key role in our global vision for the future.

The Times article I saw while waiting at the dentist had some extra details I can't see here or (yet) in the trade press. The proposed formation was what surprised me, with one carriage removed (the intermediate trailer, obviously) and fuel cells taking up half of both driving trailers. Obviously that only leaves two carriageworths of passenger space, making the comment (above) that "it will also create more space for passengers than the trains they are intended to replace" hard to explain. Of course that does depend on what it is meant to replace, which we haven't been told ... Pacers, do you think? 

Have I understood this correctly?

Because of the risk of lighter than air hydrogen leaking into the passenger cabin, tanks have to be in the roof or separate compartments.

So what happens (say) if one of these trains is running a sustainable turbo replacement service through the Severn Tunnel (safely) leaking some hydrogen into the tunnel roof, when in the other direction along comes a good old-fashioned IET sparking gently from its pantograph.......

These hydrogen trains could indeed perhaps herald a boom era on the railways? :o   

This book told me everything I could possibly want to know about wasps, except: Why?

Further to recent Tweets about Alston’s UK Hydrogen train, this slide has key points that need to be understood to assess potential of these trains. 2nd last bullet is particularly topical

Could the tanks explode in very hot weather?.

The problem with gas on trains in the past has been what happens in an accident if the tanks or connecting pipes are ruptured in an accident.  Was it Quintinshill where we learnt that lesson?  And are we now to forget it?

The problem with gas on trains in the past has been what happens in an accident if the tanks or connecting pipes are ruptured in an accident.  Was it Quintinshill where we learnt that lesson?  And are we now to forget it?

A tweet by the editor of Rail Engineer magazine says hydrogen trains require 3 times as much electricity as an electric train and 8 times the fuel storage volume of a diesel, for the same energy store.

So, in summary-

1 - You only get two coaches of accommodation in a three coach train
2 - They cannot routinely run through tunnels for safety reasons, so on GW could only run on the Thames Valley branches (not North Downs - tunnel south of Guildford) or east of Chippenham. Even in flat East Anglia, there's a tunnel just south of Ipswich!
3 - Vast amounts of electricity required to produce the hydrogen

I'm not sure "Breeze" is an appropriate name - perhaps "BRitish EXperimental Innovation Train", which shortens nicely to something else topical.....

Electrification now!

I'm not sure "Breeze" is an appropriate name

Going off on a tangent for a minute, this thread has prompted me to look up the relationship between bars and pascals, something I've never really known (or had much reason to know). The answer makes me wonder why?

For rainfall there is a similar cross-channel difference of usage...

Well you could just as well ask yourself 'why pascals', when Nm^-2 is exactly the same thing?

Just to add to the confusion, a bar (at 1x10⁶ Pa) is just a little bit less than a standard atmosphere (101325 Pa), which suggests it is neither fish, fowl nor good red squirrel herring. Even meteorologists, for whom you might have thought the unit was invented, prefer to use it in its reduced form as the millibar - which is the same as a centipascal...

Apparently, in the olden days they had units of measurement where things didn't all multiply by 10 - imagine how confusing that must have been!

Oh, and it's 10⁵, isn't it...

Yes it is. Well done stuving; I was just checking that you were listening at the back there!

And isn't a millibar the same as a hectopascal, not a centipascal?

Yes. I'm just off to the garden to see how my cabbages are doing...

A new report by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers suggest that the way forward in a rolling electrification programme. Hydrogen more suited to branch lines where electrification is a problem.
Hydrogen less efficient than electrification.

https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/traction-rolling-stock/single-view/view/imeche-recommends-electrification-instead-of-hydrogen-trains.html

IMechE recommends electrification instead of hydrogen trains

New report: Hydrogen trains needed to eliminate harmful emissions on non-electrified lines

Institution calls for urgent action to introduce hydrogen trains in areas outside the electrified rail network

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers recommends:

1. That the UK Government rethinks the cancellation of electrification programmes and moves forward with a more innovative, and long-term approach, electrification rolling programme, that can create skills and careers, develop supply chains, and work with existing rail networks to manage projects.

2. That the industry encourages the development and deployment of hydrogen trains and their fuelling and servicing facilities. Creating and supporting demonstration lines and trains will help to de-risk the technologies and servicing relating to hydrogen fuels and trains.

3. That hydrogen train technology is developed in industrial areas where hydrogen production already occurs, and can support the wider transport system. For example, as well as local trains, local hydrogen buses could be refuelled at an industrial site, and hydrogen could also be pumped into the gas grid to help decarbonise heat. Both the North West and the North East could support test beds. These test beds will support knowledge sharing across sectors, providing cost reductions in hydrogen fuel.

Nevertheless, there is a concern that hydrogen trains will be used by funders as a reason to avoid future electrification. This fear should be eliminated at source, by ensuring a universal understanding that fuel cell traction should be viewed as an option only where long-term technical, environmental and/or economic factors make electrification a poor option. These relate to frequency of use, remoteness from electrical supply and physical constraints (including those of freight yards). On this basis, most lines in the UK should be electrified. Even the frequency of use measure is a grey area, specifically with respect to infrequently served branches of electrified mainlines.

An academic view:
https://theconversation.com/hydrogen-trains-are-coming-can-they-get-rid-of-diesel-for-good-110450 (https://theconversation.com/hydrogen-trains-are-coming-can-they-get-rid-of-diesel-for-good-110450)

I would at this point refer you to an HSE summary report on this, covering also two other accidents (both fires) at BP Grangemouth in 1987. It was produced as a warning about complacency, as BP were thought (by themselves as well) to have a good safety culture. But HSE have removed it from their web site, and I can't find it anywhere else - PM me if you must have a copy (I know we have some accident report aficionados on the forum!).

There's academics, and then there's academics... this article was written by Brian Scott-Quinn, Emeritus Professor of, er, Finance at Reading. A quick Google does nothing to suggest that he has any particular understanding of engineering...

The trouble with synthesizing diesel would be that you're then burning diesel.

Ingenious! I can't understand why you don't work in marketing.  :D

Or you could turn over a huge part of the world's agricultural land to growing biofuels, or grow it in the rainforest (sustainably,  of course...). The prospectus would then have pictures of sunflowers and green leaves on it.

Using renewable electricity to produce hydrogen (at best 60% efficiency?)for any combustion process is appalling inefficient. Unfortunately lobbyists focus solely on the renewable origin of the energy for their individual scheme,  and ignore the overall energy efficiency. But this matters enormously as soon  as you think about scaling supply up production to make a significant contribution at a national level. Renewable electricity delivers far more heat to the home if provided as electricity,  especially if used in a heat pump, than if expensively converted to hydrogen and burned.

But the sun is always shining somewhere, even if it's in the opposite hemisphere on the other side of the globe. On the same basis, I expect the wind is always blowing somewhere. Perhaps we are thinking too regionally. (Perhaps this changes the question from "who's going to pay for the storage?" to "who's going to pay for the Australia to Siberia interconnector?")

The further question of "how much power would come out of the end?" is even more important.

Now reported by the BBC as a bio-methane powered bus. As far as I know, Bristol has no hydrogen powered buses.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-55860189 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-55860189)

My apologies.  Misread it as hydrogen fuelled vehicle. 
Hydrogen powered vehicles being introduced in Aberdeen.

However, how stable are vehicle tanks of bio-methane and also hydrogen?
Obviously not mixed together.........

The bus station can provide 100 per cent compressed bio-methane to fuel up to 100 gas buses. The bio-methane is taken direct from the mains, which is said to provide another green benefit as there will be no fuel delivery from road tankers.

The bus company signs an agreement to buy gas from a company that is already pumping the processed remnants of a thousand curries into the national gas grid. The bus company then fills its buses from the national gas grid, with molecules that once belonged to a dinosaur, and sticks a picture of some flowers on its website. It's an accounting trick. I think it is a very good thing that waste products are being made into usable gas rather than discharged into the atmosphere, although I am mindful of the recent tragedy at Avonmouth. I also think gas is a cleaner fuel than diesel, but I view attempts to hide the fact that the bus is still throwing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as bordering on dishonesty.

It is better by far that the bio-methane is used as a fuel as if it were to be released into the atmosphere its effect on global warming would be about 25 times worse than if it is burnt and the CO2 released.  Bio-methane is not so much produced as captured from natural processes that would otherwise have happened and released the gas into the atmosphere. To ensure it is captured, however, the process is often industrialised.

I do not see it as dishonest that it is delivered through the gas grid where it is mixed with fossil methane as the natural process that ended up making the bio-methane used up the same amount of CO2. 

It certainly makes sense for biomethane to be used as a source of energy. But that is achieved simply by adding it to the mains gas system,  where it displaces natural gas that would otherwise be burned by domestic and commercial users. However,  it doesn't necessarily follow that it makes sense to use it as a vehicle fuel instead of diesel.  The  CNG engines are spark ignition,  so a lot less energy efficient than diesel engines. Figures I've seen for buses suggest about 30% more energy is used, or more. This means that carbon savings are only achieved if biomethane is used- they can actually increase for CNG. So it might make more sense to use the biomethane to reduce CO2 from existing gas consumers,  and find something more energy efficient for buses.

Bio-methane is not so much produced as captured from natural processes that would otherwise have happened and released the gas into the atmosphere. To ensure it is captured, however, the process is often industrialised.

Is that actually the case? I understood most bio-methane is produced from crops grown specifically for the purpose. It's an additional demand which adds to rather than replaces the demand for food crops.

Is that actually the case? I understood most bio-methane is produced from crops grown specifically for the purpose. It's an additional demand which adds to rather than replaces the demand for food crops.

Bio-methane is produced by digestion of organic waste.  Bio-ethanol is produced from crops grown for the specific purpose and is then added to road fuels.

Another digester near my other Devon abode leaked into the River Mole, and killed thousands of fish, wiping out years of hard conservation work overnight.

You have me wondering - how much bio gas is produced in this country, and how much is sold to consumers as opposed to gas companies? I'll try to find out.