An ambitious plan has been proposed to re-power a Class 60 locomotive using steam.
The joint venture between Innovate UK, Eversholt Leasing, Steamology, Arup and Freightliner would entail a redundant ex-BR Type 5 rebuilt with steam generators burning hydrogen, to create a zero-emission heavy freight locomotive.
Salisbury-based Steamology’s ‘New Dawn’ proposal is to remove the Mirrlees 3,300hp MB275T engine and fit 20 modular high-pressure steam generators burning hydrogen in oxygen. These will feed four steam turbines to give a power output of 2MW (2,680hp). The locomotive will have 140kg of gas storage. It is proposed to use green hydrogen produced by electrolysis using renewable energy.
The Class 60s were built by Brush in 1989-92 for BR’s Trainload Freight business, before all being sold to English, Welsh & Scottish Railway (now DB Cargo) in 1996. In recent years, DB has withdrawn the entire fleet, although many have been sold. They are still used by DC Rail and GB Railfreight.
The Class 60 is being sourced by Eversholt, which is understood to have bid on some of the 47 locomotives that DB Cargo currently has for sale.
An Eversholt spokesman told RAIL: “We are in discussions with various parties that own Class 60s, but nothing has been finalised yet. We are planning to convert a Class 60 because it is technically similar to a Class 66 - some are withdrawn from service and are available.” GBRf and DCR also both have some redundant Class 60s, and it is plausible that one of these could be used for the project if necessary.
Steamology has previously supplied a 100kW ‘range extender’ demonstrator for a Vivarail Class 230 multiple unit. Arup will provide engineering services, and Freightliner is alo offering its expertise. Funding is coming from the government via its Innovate UK operation.
The locomotive is being devised as an alternative to electrification, for short-haul workings on branch lines or freight lines which are not cost-effective to upgrade with permanent electrification infrastructure.
The design work is already under way, and it is hoped that the physical conversion work could start next year, with trains thought to be at least 18-24 months away.
Initially, the locomotive is not expected to be main line-compliant, indicating that testing would have to be done at a private or heritage railway, although the project drivers have not ruled out making the locomotive main-line-compliant if it is cost-effective to do so.
Assuming the trials are a success, Steamology hopes that the technology could be retrofitted to locomotives or fitted to new-build designs.
As to where the conversion will take place, Eversholt added: “We are in discussions with a few potential suppliers to undertake the integration work, but no decisions have yet been made.
“Arup is supporting us with design of the integration work, and Steamology will be providing the new traction equipment. We are replacing the diesel engine but will retain the alternator, traction electronics and traction motors.”
It has also not been decided which company will actually carry out the physical reconstruction work.
The locomotive will not be main line-registered, Eversholt said: “This will be a demonstrator vehicle to allow us to test the technology and evaluate it for future use, and to do this we only need to test the locomotive on a private railway.
“We are going to test and evaluate on a private railway, but there is nothing in the design that would preclude it from operating on the main line railway in the future.
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