A new world record for the furthest distance travelled by a battery electric train has been set by Great Western Railway.

The battery electric train travelled 200 miles in a single charge, making a return journey from Reading Train Care Depot, stopping at London Paddington twice and reaching Oxford.

The 200 miles is a further celebration of Railway 200 and managed to smash the previous record of 139 miles previously set by Stadler Deutschland in 2021.

The new record demonstrates the progress that battery electric trains have made and highlights how soon Great Western Railway could entirely replace its ageing fleet of diesel locomotives.

Officials from the Rail Performance Society were on board to officially record the record and witness the next step in the performance of railways.

The Class 230, No. 230001, set off from Reading shortly after midnight, celebrating 100 miles at Oxford and on the home stretch at 163 miles at London Paddington.

“We’re delighted to set a new world record – and to reach 200 miles in such a landmark year for the rail industry is the icing on the cake. It’s a real tribute to colleagues at GWR and Network Rail who have worked so hard on developing fast-charge technology.

“Today’s record attempt has been a bit of fun, but it also underlines a serious point: investment in battery technology is essential as we look to replace our ageing diesel fleet.

“Overhead lines will remain the first choice to power electric trains, but where that isn’t possible or desirable, battery technology like this offers a reliable and efficient alternative to bridge the gap.

“As part of our future rolling stock plans we’ll need battery trains to routinely cover over 60 miles between charges – and today’s achievement provides clear evidence that this is a viable and exciting solution for the future of our railway.”

GWR Engineering Director, Dr Simon Green