Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions and the Severn Valley Railway today (Thursday 26 February) marked a major milestone in railway decarbonisation with the official launch to market of the UK’s first hydrogen-powered railway shunting locomotive, unveiled at the heritage railway’s Kidderminster Town station.
Developed in the SVR’s workshops from the body of a disused Class 08 diesel shunting locomotive, the HydroShunter represents a pioneering retrofit solution, designed to help decarbonise rail operations without the need for significant upfront capital investment in entirely new rolling stock.
The innovative hydrogen/battery powertrain has been delivered through a groundbreaking collaboration between the heritage railway and West Midlands-based SME Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions, a global leader in hydrogen traction technology spun out from the University of Birmingham six years ago.
Invited guests, including representatives from main line railway companies across the UK, heard more about the project’s ambition to decarbonise railway locomotives and its potential to transform shunting operations nationwide. Attendees also experienced a UK first, taking a ride in the SVR’s vintage observation saloon hauled by the HydroShunter along the heritage line.
Dr Alexander Burrows, CEO of Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions, said:
“This is an exciting day for the Vanguard team. To launch the UK’s first commercial hydrogen/battery railway locomotive powertrain as a retrofit solution is a great achievement and I am hugely proud of the joint project team from Vanguard and our wonderful partners at the Severn Valley Railway.
“There is already a lot of real interest from potential customers who want to benefit from zero emissions, reduced noise, and improved operating costs in a retrofit solution. We have made this investment in innovation to drive transport decarbonisation and enable railway locomotives to move to zero emissions without the need for significant upfront capital investment.”
Gus Dunster, managing director of the Severn Valley Railway, said:
“Working on this project places the Severn Valley Railway firmly at the forefront of innovation within the heritage sector. We are proud to have helped develop a shunting solution that is emissions-free at the point of use and we are looking forward to seeing it in regular use at the railway.
“I am immensely proud of our team of young volunteers who have worked tirelessly to bring this locomotive to the advanced stage we’re seeing today. Their skill, commitment and determination demonstrate the very best of the heritage railway movement. We may be a heritage organisation, but this project shows our vision is firmly fixed on the future.”
Earlier this month, the joint Vanguard and SVR team were finalists in the ‘Innovation of the Year’ category at the Rail Business Awards 2026, recognising the project’s significance to the wider rail industry.
Vanguard is now actively marking the HydroShunter to operators seeking a practical, cost-effective pathway to zero-emission shunting, combining proven rolling stock with cutting-edge clean propulsion technology, demonstrating how heritage expertise can help shape the future of Britain’s railways.