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Long-distance trains will run on battery power in a UK first, manufacturer Hitachi Rail has announced.
The firm has launched a plan for Great Western Railway (GWR) services between London Paddington and Penzance, Cornwall, to operate by a combination of electricity, diesel and batteries.
The line is only partially electrified, with the majority of the 300-mile route requiring diesel power.
Thirty-six Intercity Express Trains currently used for the journeys are bi-modes, which switch between electric and diesel power.
Developing tri-mode trains will take place in partnership with train owner Eversholt Rail and involve replacing diesel engines with batteries.
Testing is expected to begin in 2022.
Long-distance trains will run on battery power in a UK first, manufacturer Hitachi Rail has announced.
The firm has launched a plan for Great Western Railway (GWR) services between London Paddington and Penzance, Cornwall, to operate by a combination of electricity, diesel and batteries.
The line is only partially electrified, with the majority of the 300-mile route requiring diesel power.
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Thirty-six Intercity Express Trains currently used for the journeys are bi-modes, which switch between electric and diesel power.
Developing tri-mode trains will take place in partnership with train owner Eversholt Rail and involve replacing diesel engines with batteries. Testing is expected to begin in 2022.