Hydrogen-Pioneer BR Class 08 D3802 at Alstom’s Greatest Gathering

Today marks the beginning of Alstom’s sold-out charity event, the Greatest Gathering, which takes place at its rolling stock factory on Litchurch Lane in Derby.

The event, which forms part of a year-long celebration of Railway 200, runs from 1–3 August, and will see the largest gathering of rolling stock from the past, future and present the world has ever seen.

Included on site this weekend is the BR Class 08 D3802, a former diesel electric shunting locomotive turned hydrogen pioneer provided courtesy of Vanguard.

A mainstay on British railways following its production at Derby Works in 1959; the BR Class 08 D3802 has now been retrofitted to become the UK’s very first hydrogen-powered locomotive.

The re-powering project, HydroSHUNTER, has seen the locomotive retrofitted with a replacement hydrogen-hybrid power pack, allowing the vehicle to continue life via the use of a large traction battery charged by a hydrogen fuel cell.

Retrofitting of the BR Class 08 D3802 was carried out in Kidderminster, with the locomotive now able to run as a bi-mode hydrogen-battery electric locomotive.

Other heritage trains on display at the Greatest Gathering include Locomotion No.1 and the GWR King Class No. 6023 King Edward II steam locomotive, among many more.