THREE MONTH TRIAL FOR HYBRID SHUNTER AT WHITEMOOR
Published at 10:38 on Monday 21st February 2022
Tags: Beacon Rail, Class 18, Hybrid, Whitemoor, GB Railfreight
The first of the new Class 18 hybrid shunters, built by Clayton Engineering for Beacon Rail has been delivered to Whitemoor Yard for evaluation by GB Railfreight. Beacon Rail
GB Railfreight (GBRf) has taken delivery of a Class 18 hybrid+ shunting locomotive as part of a three-month trial with Beacon Rail Leasing, marking the latest expansion of its growing fleet.
As GBRf looks towards the future of its assets, the shunting locomotive will enable low noise and zero emissions, demonstrating a clear contribution to the challenge of meeting the UK’s net zero carbon targets. The locomotive, classified as Class 18, was delivered to Whitemoor on 1st February, where it will undergo a series of testing to understand its capabilities and performance.
Manufactured by Clayton Equipment Ltd, the Class 18 is powered by an onboard battery that provides emissions-free operation where charging facilities are available, or through a regenerative braking system. When challenges with range or operation occur, an efficient onboard Stage V compliant engine can be utilised to increase the locomotives running time.
David Golding, Asset Director, GB Railfreight, said: “The Class 18 hybrid+ shunting locomotive has the power to play a key role in the decarbonisation of our future fleet. Going forward, it will offer a wide range of sustainable benefits capable of significantly reducing the environmental impact of our operations.”
