Eversholt Rail has signed a contract with Steamology which will see a Class 60 locomotive converted into being powered by steam.
Steamology has developed a new technology that generates high pressure steam by burning hydrogen in oxygen inside small modular steam generators.
With the contract signed between Steamology, Arup (who are providing consultancy and design services) and Eversholt Rail, A New Dawn has begun.
Working with Freightliner, who are providing operational input, a Class 60 locomotive will be converted for a full powered prototype.
20 steam generators, four steam turbines and 140kg of gas storage will replace the diesel engine in the prototype.
“We are keen to support UK innovation and our customers in delivering their carbon reduction targets. Eversholt Rail has invested in many rail vehicle innovations and technology upgrades over the last 30 years. We are delighted to bring this experience and our funding to this project, and we are excited to see where this technology goes.”
Paul Sutherland, Client Services Director at Eversholt Rail
Steamology zero emission steam, heat and power solutions are operational at full size and full scale and Project New Dawn will demonstrate the viability of repowering diesel engine heavy duty transport assets. Delivering full asset life while meeting net zero and ESG targets”
Matt Candy CEO Steamology
Responses
I think I saw this loco today being dragged through Stevenage by Class 66 ‘James Nightall G.C.’.
What happened to battery operated o8 shunte rconversion still got con rods shunter original 1960s
as long as mankind here fossil fuel derv here a bit longer derv is the human race no derv never have populated world so much
What does the steam turbine actually drive the main generator or separate generators?
I’m a retired railway locomotive supervisor, I now give tutorials on Railway Technology for the U3A in Australia.
Most commenter seem to have missed the point: it WILL NOT be carrying water, need a tender, or water troughs.
It will carry HYDROGEN, and burn this hydrogen in atmospheric oxygen to generate the steam.
HYDROGEN is the LIGHTEST element.
The main issue with using atmospheric oxygen is that it will still emit NOx emissions, since air made of mostly nitrogen.
Time to re-instate water troughs then. Will this steam class 60 have a tender?
Steam turbines recycle, after turbine the steam is condensed to water and reheated by hydrogen to turn into steam.
Steam power stations are the same though with fire boilers at the moment.
Interesting topic but Yamaha and Toyota have made a hydrogen combustion engine and Wrightbus makes a hydrogen powered buses so why hasn’t these companies been consulted for this project? Surely that would make more sense than this?
And JCB have a hydrogen powered engine.
Really completely stupid. The amount of CO2 that the UK produces is in the margin of error of measurement of how much China produces from coal Net zero is a political plot. And CO2 is not anywhere near as efficient a greenhouse gas as H2O.
Yep, you are dead right there!
For God sake, that’s all we can hear is global warming/co2 emissions/etc. We closed all coal fired power stations/we are trying to do away with diesel/etc yet there are billions of traffic on the roads spewing fumes into the air not to mention airlines flying all over the world?
Next they’ll pull a 87 hulk out of a scrapyard and rig it up with solar panels, battery packs and Tesla car motors to provide the drive. The green movement will be cock a hoop……
This project just seems comical. Why change one of the currently most fuel efficient locos going? When there are hundreds of 66’s guzzling down fuel around the country day in and day out.
Can’t see how Freightliner can give any input, they’ve never owned or used any Class 60’s.
This is not about emissions and net zero, this is more the fact Freightliner (as well as GBRf & DBC) do not want to pay for the upkeep of the Mirrlees engine
Green washing publicity stunt at its worst. “Make the stupid people happy and thet will never realise our evil plan ha ha ha”
Looking at Steamology’s website. It’s clearly a thing.
But surely burning Hydrogen in a ICE is a better way forward? This way you have the inefficiency of turning it into steam and having to cart around water which is really heavy and not very dense.
Agreed 👍
The whole point you DON’T NEED water you’re making steam directly by burning hydrogen.
How can anything be “really heavy” but “not very dense”? Surely that is a contradiction in terms?
Insanity
An updated version of Stanier’s Turbomotive? Seems like it to me.
A steamtug madness that
I await eagerly to hear the results of this experiment but I think it will be a thermodynamic mess with an overall efficiency lower than the diesel engine and lower than a hydrogen fuel cell, And where is all the green hydrogen going to come from. An idea that parallels the idea of running container ships on methanol totally daft.
If there going to be many more trials using hydrogen as an energy source, I hope someone soon cracks the green production problem: no-one else in the world has suceeded!
Diesel will be with us a little long than we think.Hope it works with the 60.
So, you could have a big tank of water – call it a tender if you will – and pull that along after you – and electrolyse on the go using electricity collected from overhead – or 3rd rail – and then burn that to turn an engine to make electricity…
Oh, wait…
I had to check the date on this to see if it was an April 1st joke. It does sound overly complicated, it would be far easier for inject the hydrogen directly into the engine and use a spark plug to burn the fuel, which is very similar to a normal combustion engine.
The only problem is that to make hydrogen you can only really produce it in the volumes required by cracking ammonia, .
Well that sounds like what they are doing – but they’re not using the same type of combustion Chambers that you’d find in a diesel engine, so that’s their modification. it does sound improbable though!
I guess I he issue, which this steam turbine resolves, is that a direct drive engine cannot make the start torque for a heavy freight. Making steam pressure gives the same advantage as the trad. recip cylinder steam locos, viz that the first stroke Can start the train from standing zero.
Would that be a steam of diesel gala visitor
I doubt it will visit anywhere under its own – er – steam.
Sceptical to say the least.
Heard it all now so is Iver the engine comeing back . Sounds to dangerous to me . Blow up . Keep to electric trains . Give Derby. Crewe . Doncaster. Take over the build of new trains class 93s 99s transfer to England.
Oliver Bullied would be delighted. Perhaps it should be called Leader Mk 2. What might come next ? Peat-fired locos?
Thermodynamically & mechanically, Leader worked. An oil fired version would have solved/mitigated the firemen’s valid objections.
Already been tried Oliver Bullied again.
Good news indeed. Let’s hope that the technology works and can be developed.
There must be a Typo, class 60’s hold thousands of litres of diesel. Even with the energy per mass of hydrogen being as much higher as it is than diesel, you’d still need to carry at least 1400kg of gas to get equivalent range.
That said, there maybe some efficiency gains from hydrogen fuelled steam turbines rubbing hotter
Great news if this innovative idea can become a reality.
Let’s not forget that much of our electricity is generated via steam turbines, whether fuelled by gas, coal, biomass or nuclear.
(Not coal significantly; It was 1% in 2023, to be phased out completely in 2025)
Brilliant! I see the latest electric technology is doing well as well! Why don’t branch line operators get the Derby train builders who have lots of experience in building tube trains order more of these electric battery operated trsins
And the circle is now complete
Perfectly said 😀
Water cranes to return?
I did see a EE type 4 being filled at water crane at Bridgnorth earlier this year
…..water for the 40’s steam boiler?