Sign-off awaited for proposed Tees Valley hydrogen trains depot

Plans which could result in the

UK’s first fleet of hydrogenpowered trains being operated and maintained in the Tees Valley are awaiting Department for Transport approval, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has told RAIL.

Train operator Northern aims to introduce a fleet of ten hydrogen multiple units (HMUs) into operation on Teesside. The first is due to be ready for testing in June 2021, with the full fleet in service by the end of the following year.

Houchen said this would lead to the Tees Valley Line (Saltburn-Middlesbrough-Darlington-Bishop Auckland) becoming the first route in the country to be entirely operated by HMUs.

He added that the area is ideally placed to handle such a pioneering project: “The Tees Valley already produces more than 50% of all the hydrogen in the UK, which makes sense to bring it here because you already have a ready-made supply.

“Being able to move that kind of heavy industry energy-related low-carbon hydrogen technology into transport then becomes very different.”

Northern submitted planning applications earlier this year for potential HMU fuelling and maintenance facilities at Tees Yard (Thornaby) and on land formerly owned by steelmaker SSI at Lackenby (between Middlesbrough and Redcar).

The Mayor said the latter site, now in the hands of South Tees Development Corporation, has been chosen because it is already connected to an existing industrial supply network for hydrogen. It incorporates a former industrial railway maintenance building and sidings which will be modified, along with a connection to the Middlesbrough-Saltburn line.

It is unclear what impact the General Election will have on the timescale for DfT approval. Northern stated during the planning process that construction work would need to begin in January 2020 in order to meet its envisaged timescale for train testing.

A full feature on proposed rail developments in the North East will appear in RAIL 895.