Porterbrook leases high-speed train to University of Birmingham to power zero-emission research

By using the HST as a research platform, the University of Birmingham can continue research into alternative power sources suited for trains with more demanding duty cycles, such as long-distance passenger or freight operations.

Stephen McGurk (pictured left), chief commercial officer at Porterbrook, an AF50-listed company, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support the University of Birmingham by making available one of our HSTs that has been recently retired from frontline passenger service.

“We are very excited by some of the ideas that the university is exploring that will reduce emissions and decarbonise the railway. We look forward to some of these coming to market in the very near future.”

The official handover took place at Long Marston at the Porterbrook-sponsored Destination Decarbonisation event, focused on reducing the carbon footprint of the UK railway.

Alex Burrows (pictured right), director of the university’s Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE), said: “This HST will be invaluable in allowing us to test and develop our technologies on an operating train and in an open environment.

“It is by having facilities like these that we can really deliver world-leading research and innovation that will transform the railway for operators and customers. We are hugely grateful to Porterbrook for their commitment to our research and innovation work at BCRRE.”

The lease agreement follows the success of a previous partnership, under which Porterbrook helped to finance the UK’s first hydrogen-powered train, which is to be tested on the mainline railway following a successful proof of concept.

Porterbrook partnered with the BCRRE to develop the HydroFLEX fuel cell train, which will play a critical role in helping to create a zero-emission railway in the future.

The HydroFLEX pilot involves the fitting of a hydrogen powerpack to an existing Class 319 electric train so it can run independently on routes that haven’t been electrified.

As the system can be fitted to current rolling stock, existing trains can be repurposed to extend their working life.

The University of Birmingham and Porterbrook jointly provided £1 million finance to support the HydroFLEX demonstrator, while the university also secured grant funding from Innovate UK, through its First Of A Kind competition.

Porterbrook was listed in 11th place in this year’s Asset Finance 50, the listing of the country’s biggest asset finance companies. It moved up from 13th place in the 2018 report, with a 23% increase in its net investment in business equipment leasing, based on its annual published accounts.