Snowdon Mountain Railway to invest £1.1 million in new hybrid locomotives

Heritage Great Britain, who operates the Snowdon Mountain Railway, has announced that they have invested £1.1 million in new Hybrid Diesel Locomotives.

The locomotives have been developed by Clayton Equipment Ltd and merge green technology with the historic railway, which was originally built between 1894-1896.

The new locomotives will come into service in May 2020 ready for the summer season.

No. 6 Padarn at Snowdon Summit on the Snowdon Mountain Railway — No. 6 Padarn at Snowdon Summit // Credit: RailAdvent

Don’t fear though! These new hybrid locomotives will run alongside steam and diesel locomotives which will continue to take passengers to the summit of Mount Snowdon.

With an investment of £1.1million and only nine months between the order being placed and them being in service, this marks a considerable commitment by Heritage Great Britain to reduce their carbon footprint.

On the steep climb to the summit, these new hybrid locomotives on the Snowdon Mountain Railway will be driven by electric motors which will be powered by a traction battery and a diesel generator.

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SMR No 3 'Enid' takes the 09.30 'Mountain Goat' Heritage Steam service up to the summit on a rare clear-as-a-bell day in North Wales. Saturday 14th May 2016 — Credit: Mike Spencer

However, on the way down the hill, the generator will be turned off while service braking recharges the battery, preparing the engine for its next train service.

The new diesel generator engines are Euro 5 standard and are more fuel-efficient than the existing diesel fleet.

Twelve million people have enjoyed the Snowdon Mountain Railway since being completed in 1896.

What did the officials say?

Commenting on the investment, Mike Robertshaw, Senior Engineering Manager at Snowdon Mountain Railway, said:

“We are extremely proud of the development of our new Hybrid Diesel Locomotives. This is a significant investment in new technology which will not only allow us to carry more passengers but also allow us to help the environment. This is just the beginning of further investment in Snowdon Mountain Railway as we make it sustainable for the years ahead. It’s an exciting time for us all.”

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