Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions and Severn Valley Railway have marked a significant step forward in railway decarbonisation with the official market launch of the UK’s first hydrogen-powered railway shunting locomotive.

The HydroShunter was unveiled at Kidderminster Town station on Thursday, 26 February, showcasing a practical pathway to zero-emission shunting.

The locomotive has been rebuilt in the SVR’s workshops using the body of a redundant Class 08 diesel shunter.

Rather than requiring entirely new rolling stock, the HydroShunter demonstrates how existing vehicles can be retrofitted with clean propulsion technology.

Its hydrogen and battery powertrain was delivered through a collaboration between the heritage railway and Vanguard, a West Midlands-based company specialising in hydrogen traction systems and spun out from the University of Birmingham.

Guests, including representatives from mainline rail operators, attended the launch to learn more about the project’s ambition to decarbonise shunting operations nationwide. Attendees also took part in a demonstration run along the heritage line.

The project was recently shortlisted for Innovation of the Year at the Rail Business Awards 2026, underlining its importance to the wider industry.

“This is an exciting day for the Vanguard team. To launch the UK’s first commercial hydrogen/battery railway locomotive powertrain as a retrofit solution is a great achievement and I am hugely proud of the joint project team from Vanguard and our wonderful partners at the Severn Valley Railway.

“There is already a lot of real interest from potential customers who want to benefit from zero emissions, reduced noise, and improved operating costs in a retrofit solution. We have made this investment in innovation to drive transport decarbonisation and enable railway locomotives to move to zero emissions without the need for significant upfront capital investment.”

Dr Alexander Burrows, CEO of Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions.

“Working on this project places the Severn Valley Railway firmly at the forefront of innovation within the heritage sector. We are proud to have helped develop a shunting solution that is emissions-free at the point of use and we are looking forward to seeing it in regular use at the railway.

“I am immensely proud of our team of young volunteers who have worked tirelessly to bring this locomotive to the advanced stage we’re seeing today. Their skill, commitment and determination demonstrate the very best of the heritage railway movement. We may be a heritage organisation, but this project shows our vision is firmly fixed on the future.”

Gus Dunster, managing director of the Severn Valley Railway.