‘FastCharge’ trial begins on London’s Greenford line

Testing on the two-mile route could pave the way for battery-powered trains on other GWR-operated branches in the Thames Valley.

GREAT Western Railway says it has already carried out work to explore how ‘FastCharge’ battery-powered trains, similar to the prototype being trialled on the Greenford route in West London, could be used on other branch lines.

Following static testing to confirm compatibility with the charging technology installed at West Ealing, the 12-month trial of Class 230 No. 230001 on the two-mile long Greenford line, was officially launched on March 18. The unit will not be in public use and will run in between scheduled passenger trains. It did, however, carry a party of invited guests along the branch for a media preview three days earlier.

Operation

Activated in the presence of the train, the patented ‘FastCharge’ system uses charging rails (within the ‘four foot’ between the running rails) to top-up the on board battery system. These can complete charging in 3.5 minutes and are themselves connected to battery banks trickle-charged from the national grid.

No. 230001 is based at GWR’s Reading depot, where it arrived under its own power in February from Long Marston following a fortnight of ‘shakedown’ workings. The unit was first unveiled to coincide with the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November 2021.

When plans for the Greenford trial, supported by Network Rail and the Department for Transport, were first announced in February of the following year, it was expected it would begin within months, but delays due to “unexpected challenges” were compounded by Class

230 developer and creator of the‘ Fast Charge’ system Viva rail collapsing into administration. Nine Vivarail staff transferred to GWR. It also bought the intellectual property relating to ‘FastCharge’, along with No. 230001 and other related rolling stock and equipment.

Future applications

As part of research into possibilities for wider use of ‘FastCharge’ trains, GWR has conducted simulations for Thames Valley branches. It claims their introduction could reduce carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 1700 tonnes a year.