Battery-only train could shape Devon’s branch lines in the future

Great Western Railway (GWR) is introducing the UK’s first battery-only train into passenger service this Saturday (31 January), marking a milestone in low-emission rail travel and highlighting technology that could benefit Devon’s branch lines in the future.

The Class 230 train has spent 22 months undergoing trials on the Greenford branch line, testing fast-charge technology designed to allow trains to operate without diesel. 

From Saturday (January 31), it will replace its diesel counterpart on the 05:30 service from West Ealing to Greenford, giving passengers the first experience of the battery-only service.

Last year, the train set a world record for the furthest distance travelled by a battery-electric train on a single charge, covering 200.5 miles. 

This surpassed the previous record of 139 miles, set in 2021 by Stadler Deutschland, demonstrating the potential for battery-powered trains to operate longer regional routes without refuelling.

GWR told the Gazette that there are no specific plans for the train to operate in Devon at present; however, the Gazette understands they could be developed for use on UK branch lines, including in Devon. 

In fact, this is the only train of its kind currently in existence. 

It has been used solely for the trial over the past 22 months, and GWR said it felt right to put it into passenger service to demonstrate what the latest technology can achieve.

The company added that, while there are no immediate plans to bring this particular train to Devon, the fast-charge technology itself could be developed for use on branch lines in the county. .

GWR said this provides confidence that “fast-charge battery trains could help to deliver services across branch lines in Devon and Cornwall.”

As part of the trial, GWR’s Innovation team has developed planning tools to calculate where charging points would need to be located. 

According to GWR, these tools provide confidence that fast-charge battery trains could help deliver services on branch lines in Devon and Cornwall, as well as the Thames Valley. Crucially, GWR said the results could also be applied to similar regional routes across Britain.

“With our regional fleet getting rather old and in need of updating, we think battery trains, and fast-charge technology, could be part of the solution,” GWR told the Gazette.

The company added that it is working with the Department for Transport and Network Rail to develop a cross-industry vision in the interests of passengers and taxpayers. 

GWR said its preferred path is clear: new battery-electric trains offer the cleanest, lowest-risk, and most future-ready solution, while also opening the door to improved accessibility across the network.

While passengers in Devon will not see the train in service immediately, the trial offers a glimpse of what could be possible for local branch lines. 

Rural routes such as the Tarka Line, Riviera Line, and Exe Valley Line could eventually benefit from quieter, cleaner, and more environmentally friendly services if battery and fast-charge technology is deployed more widely.