According to the latest government data, about 29 percent of the UK train fleet still runs on diesel and freight trains run almost entirely on it.
The government claims it is on track “to meet the ambition of removing all diesel-only trains from the network by 2040”.
Electric trains emit 60 percent less carbon than their diesel counterparts, but only 42 percent of the UK rail network is currently electrified, according to official data. This leaves the UK far behind European neighbours, such as the Netherlands, where 76 percent of the network is electrified. Lumo’s new fully electric London-Edinburgh service launched in November.
Some train operators are transitioning via hybrid models. Porterbrook, in collaboration with Rolls-Royce recently announced a hybrid battery-diesel train for services in the Midlands run by Chiltern Railways.
Plans are also underway to produce trains that run on hydrogen. French train manufacturer Alstom is developing the UK’s first-ever fleet of new hydrogen trains, as opposed to rolling stock that has been remodelled.
A hydrogen-powered train was showcased at COP26 recently. Rail is already the lowest emission transport mode, but train operators are confident that hydrogen trains can improve on this.
Sadly, the recent surge in electricity prices has forced some electric-run trains to revert to diesel locomotives. Trade body Rail Freight Group (RFG) insists that this a temporary set-back and looks forward to more investment in electric locomotives.
The head of Britain’s Rail Industry Decarbonisation Task Force and railway safety authority RSSB has said “Britain is leading the world on setting clear targets to reduce carbon, and so it’s critical that all industries play their part”. “Rail is ahead of the curve on the decarbonisation agenda, and our report shows that we can align with the government’s policy for the UK economy to be net carbon zero by 2050. We will need to fully exploit electrification, hydrogen and battery power to make this happen, but we also need all transport sectors to fully comprehend the challenge of decarbonisation.”
There is no doubt the rail industry is working hard to achieve the target of being diesel-free by 2040, and at the moment the future is looking good.
Whatever the trains are running on, White Knight will still be making their reliable range of Lanterns and Signal Lamps for the Rail Industry.
