SWR Class 159 to be used for emissions-reducing trial
Emissions-reducing technology likely to be rolled out across the UK on diesel fleets is to be trialled on a Porterbrook-owned South Western Railway Class 159 diesel multiple unit.
The rolling stock leasing company (ROSCO) is working with exhaust manufacturer Eminox Limited to fit a catalyst that could reduce nitrous oxide emissions by more than 80% from current levels, and carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by more than 90%.
Government is supporting the trial, with the Department for Transport providing funding via InnovateUK’s first-of-a-kind funding.
Once a ‘159’ is selected and the trial completed, it is expected that the technology will be fitted to a number of existing fleets. Porterbrook owns Class 156s, ‘158s’ and ‘159s’ across the country, with none currently due to be replaced.
Telemetry will be fitted to the trial ‘159’, enabling real-time diagnostics and performance to be reviewed. The ROSCO wants to examine specific challenges such as high exhaust temperature duty cycles.
Porterbrook CEO Mary Grant said: “As a rolling stock asset management business, we take seriously our responsibility to develop innovative ways of reducing emissions. We are particularly pleased to be able to do this by drawing on proven technologies from other sectors.”
SWR Engineering Director Neil Drury said: “Environmental sustainability is a key element of our Sustainable Development Strategy, which is embedded across every part of the business.
“SWR has committed to a 56% reduction in traction carbon emissions by 2023-24, and it is hoped that this type of technology could help make a major contribution to achieving that target.”
Carlos Vicente, Retrofit Sales Director for Eminox, said: “We have taken our 20 years’ experience of on-road retrofit technology into the rail market, so operators can utilise the best available technology to mitigate for the growing number of Clean Air Zones across the UK.”