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GWR Fast Charge Battery Train Trial
15/05/2024 @ 12:45 - 14:00
David Horton, Chief Mechanical Engineer, Great Western Railway
West of England Section hybrid meeting
**PLEASE NOTE THE NEW VENUE** Kevin Morris, Amey Consulting, Floor 1, Station Square, Gloucester Street, Swindon, SN1 1GW
Synopsis: The GWR Fast Charge Battery Train Trial is a project to test an automated ground-based charging system for battery trains. The system was originally invented by Vivarail Ltd, who sadly went into administration at the end of 2022, but with DfT and GWR support the project was revived.
The Fast Charging system is located at bay platform 5 at West Ealing station, where the branch line to Greenford terminates. The train takes charge every time it visits West Ealing station, to replenish the energy used in the previous round trip. The charging time at West Ealing is approximately 4 minutes, no more than the normal turnaround time within the existing timetable. Other than a requirement to stop the train in the right place, the charging system requires no involvement from the driver.
The purpose of the trial is to verify the behaviour of the Fast Charging system through all seasons, to accumulate valuable data and experience about battery life in particular, and to validate range and performance simulations of the train with ‘real world’ data.
The battery train itself is a 3-car variant of the Class 230; also designed and built originally by Vivarail, converted from former London Underground D78 stock. It was approved for limited demonstration passenger carrying use during the 2-week COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow in November 2021. Implementation of the Fast Charge modifications started shortly afterwards, and now it is owned and maintained by GWR.
Meeting in person from 12:30 with light refreshments courtesy of the PWI for a prompt 12:45 start for all.
You can also join the meeting virtually through Microsoft Teams.
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Meeting ID: 356 058 988 460
Passcode: mWSYnB
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+44 20 3321 5213,,887412185# United Kingdom, London
Phone Conference ID: 887 412 185#
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