Alstom Breeze

The first Alstom Breeze Class 600 hydrogen multiple unit (HMU) will be converted from 321437.

As part of the work, the Motor Standard (MS) vehicle from the four-car set (63131) has been scrapped, as the Alstom HMUs will be three-car formations rather than the four-car ‘321’ donor sets.

It was moved by road to Alstom’s Edge Hill depot (Liverpool) in late October - following 321448, which made the same move earlier that month (the MS from this set, 63104, has also been scrapped).

While 321437 is destined for the company’s Widnes facility, 321448 has moved by road to Lackenby for further testing.

Greater Anglia withdrew 321437 from traffic in the past few weeks, while 321448 was removed from traffic in November 2018.

Alstom has recently spent £1 million in preparing for the start of the Breeze project, which was unveiled in January 2019, with the aim of the first train being available in 2022.

So far, no operator has committed to HMU operations, but there is interest in using trains such as this and the Class 799 HydroFLEX as part of the decarbonisation agenda.

Siemens has also confirmed it will make an announcement regarding an HMU in the near future ( RAIL 916).

Widnes will be the site for the conversion of the trains, should the first ‘600’ prove successful.

Eversholt owns 104 Class 321s and three Class 322s in use with GA that could all become Breeze donor vehicles. These are due to be replaced by heavily-delayed Bombardier Class 720s.