UK: GB Railfreight is undertaking a three-month trial with a Clayton Equipment Class 18 Hybrid+ CBD90 diesel-battery shunting locomotive owned by Beacon.
On February 1 the locomotive was delivered to Whitemoor yard in Cambridgeshire, where it will undergo a series of test to understand its capabilities and performance.
It is the first of a lease fleet of 15 Hybrid+ CBD90 locos ordered by Beacon in May 2020.
Aimed primarily at industrial shunting applications and as a replacement for the venerable Class 08, the 90 tonne Bo-Bo design has a JCB Power Systems Ecomax 55 kW diesel engine from Power Torque Engineering complying with EU Stage V emissions regulations. The battery is charged by the engine, from regenerative braking or using an external three-phase supply for emission-free operation.
‘The Class 18 Hybrid+ shunting locomotive has the power to play a key role in the decarbonisation of our future fleet’, said the operator’s Asset Director, David Golding. ‘Going forward, it will offer a wide range of sustainable benefits capable of significantly reducing the environmental impact of our operations.’
