Alstom Aventra Hydrogen

[TRAX]

Alstom and Eversholt have signed an agreement aimed at delivering the first brand-new hydrogen multiple units (HMU) in the UK.
Based on the Aventra platform, the initial contract covers the manufacture and delivery of 10 3-car units.



A quote from the press release linked above:

Alstom, Britain’s leading train manufacturer and maintenance provider, and Eversholt Rail, leading British train owner and financier, have today announced a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at delivering the UK’s first ever brand-new hydrogen train fleet.

The two companies have agreed to work together, sharing technical and commercial information necessary for Alstom to design, build, commission and support a fleet of ten three-car hydrogen multiple units (HMUs). These will be built by Alstom in Britain. The new HMU fleet will be based on the latest evolution of the Alstom Aventraplatform and the intention is that final contracts for the fleet will be signed in early 2022.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Any idea where they will be used?

The cab looks the same as those on Class 701s. Hopefully the issues with those will be sorted out by the time these HMUs are ready.

 

[Simon11]

The article hints at Scotland, so any suggestions of smaller routes that could have these trains?

 

[DanNCL]

10 units sounds about right for the previously proposed Hydrogen trials on the Tees Valley and Esk Valley lines.

 

[JonathanH]

Where does the hydrogen tank go? It looks like the passenger compartment shown goes right up to the cab yet other Hydrogen units have lost a lot of passenger accommodation.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

It looks as if there are fuel cells in cutouts on the roof.

 

[QSK19]

I seem to remember hearing that, as part of Abellio winning the East Midlands franchise, hydrogen trains were going to be trialled along the MML; although everything seems to have gone quiet on that front. Guessing that idea has been shelved?

 

[RichJF]

Wonder if Southern/GTR is watching this for mid-term future replacement of Turbostars?

Just my thoughts. Nothing official.

 

[birchesgreen]

It looks as if there are fuel cells in cutouts on the roof.

Isn't that what the iLint has?

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

On the iLint the hydrogen tanks and fuel cells sit on top of a flat roof.

File:Coradia iLint Velim.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[hwl]

Wonder if Southern/GTR is watching this for mid-term future replacement of Turbostars?

Just my thoughts. Nothing official.

But why given battery is much more sensible and practical for Uckfield and Marshlink

 

[43096]

But why given battery is much more sensible and practical for Uckfield and Marshlink

Because hydrogen is this week's "bionic duckweed" of choice. Batteries are so last week...

 

[Mollman]

The article hints at Scotland, so any suggestions of smaller routes that could have these trains?

It is interesting as Scotland seem to be talking about bi-mode hydrogen units where as these appear to be straight hydrogen.

 

[fgwrich]

10 units sounds about right for the previously proposed Hydrogen trials on the Tees Valley and Esk Valley lines.

Wasn't that where the trial 321s were supposed to be operating though? Part of me wonder's why they've based it on the 701 though - could they have been expecting more 701s to be ordered than will be built, or could they be hinting at a potential cancellation of part of the SWR order. Or perhaps it's all just a co-incidence and that it is their "Aventra / Arterio" of choice. Though at least the cab doors shouldn't just pop open on these.

 

[birchesgreen]

On the iLint the hydrogen tanks and fuel cells sit on top of a flat roof.

File:Coradia iLint Velim.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

Presumably they have to use cut outs here because of the loading gauge?

 

[TRAX]

Wasn't that where the trial 321s were supposed to be operating though? Part of me wonder's why they've based it on the 701 though - could they have been expecting more 701s to be ordered than will be built, or could they be hinting at a potential cancellation of part of the SWR order. Or perhaps it's all just a co-incidence and that it is their "Aventra / Arterio" of choice. Though at least the cab doors shouldn't just pop open on these.

Do all different classes have to have their own headshape, now ?
Alstom could be wanting to standardise it to only one design.

These trains will be built brand-new and are a new order. The 701 order doesn’t have anything to do with the Aventra Hydrogen.
That they have the same headshape design (if the artist’s impression is to be trusted) doesn’t implicate any link between the two classes whatsoever.

Presumably they have to use cut outs here because of the loading gauge?

Yes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Could the shorter cab be to reduce the vehicle length to 23 rather than 24m, if there's something on the trial routes that 24m would clout?

 

[ABB125]

Presumably these will have 24m vehicles like most of the other Aventras?

I wonder if 10 units are enough to operate all services to Fort William/Mallaig and Oban from Glasgow? Though if Scotrail have just finished their "new" class 153 luggage vans, I doubt they'd want to immediately replace them with brand new stock.

 

[Galvanize]

Fife Circle services out of Edinburgh?

 

[Domh245]

Presumably these will have 24m vehicles like most of the other Aventras?

Derby will build them to whatever is needed, as evidenced by the 24m 720s, the 20m 701s & 710s, and the 22m 345s - there's no such thing as a standard Aventra!

 

[Brissle Girl]

Fife Circle services out of Edinburgh?

I think the intent for those is battery emu's given the Levenmouth branch is being electrified from the outset. Scotrail has a fairly detailed plan for decarbonisation and it only envisages hydrogen units on the long distance low frequency branches.

 

[xcooler123]

Because hydrogen is this week's "bionic duckweed" of choice. Batteries are so last week...

Not necessarily. The gold plated answer to "how do we power trains" is electrification but even if we started tomorrow we are unlikely to get close to electrifying the whole of the UK within the next 40 years. By that time all the current new DMUs/bi-modes will be life expired and with some lines never making the case to be electrified we have to power trains some other way. Add in the Government's reluctance at buying anymore DMUs/DEMUs (unless there are guarantees for conversion later in life), solutions are required sooner rather than later. Battery definitely has its place (branch lines in Devon/Cornwall, Thames valley, etc) but for the longer medium speed lines they are not the answer. Hydrogen provides a clean alternative solution to power those trains on the longer medium-speed lines which are either towards the back of the queue for electrification or realistically where its never going to happen. It is by no means the perfect solution for this but its what we have with the current technology with plenty of room for improvement.

As for the specific case of Marshlink/Uckfield, they should be electrified no questions asked.

 

[Bertone]

Anyone know where Alstom will be building these units?
As an ex-Alstom employee ( but not involved in rolling stock), just for interest I would interested to know.
Thanks

 

[TRAX]

Anyone know where Alstom will be building these units?
As an ex-Alstom employee ( but not involved in rolling stock), just for interest I would interested to know.
Thanks

Derby. That’s the only Alstom factory in the UK and is where the Aventra production line is.

 

[DanNCL]

Wasn't that where the trial 321s were supposed to be operating though?

The Hydrogen 321s are related to these Aventras. Given the little evident progress on the Hydrogen 321s, one does have to wonder if that's either been quietly ditched or now planned only as a testbed (much like the converted 314).

 

[Bertone]

Thanks, Trax

 

[westcoaster]

Could East - West rail be a shout for potential use.

 

[Clansman]

Scotland wise the only thing that sticks out is the remaining 156 routes out of Central down through Killie and Carlisle, and perhaps rotationary through Anniesland.

But then again they definitely won't be used on the WHL given the specifications would result in fewer seats and a lack of flexibility compared to the current arrangements on that line.

So as long as the 158s on the WHL go ahead as planned when the 156s are planned to be binned (~2025), then south of Glasgow is the only viable route in Scotland where you'd put these without needing to rotate them round the network later as the 170s/158s get replaced - (which is what would happen if they ran through Fife, which, for a fleet of 10, is certainly not going to happen since you'd interupt the current 158/170 rotations up through Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh, and Glasgow).

Hard to see where else these would go in Scotland.

 

[ABB125]

Hard to see where else these would go in Scotland.

Far north lines?

 

[southern442]

Far north lines?

Would free up 158s for the WHL, although since it is a rural (and cold!) long distance route it might make more sense to keep 158s because of the end doors. It's not like there aren't going to be any other free 158s hanging around...