UK electric shunter completes field trials

Developers Positive Traction have successfully completed trials with their prototype electric shunter, rebuilt from a successful diesel design dating back to the 1930s. Their first-of-a-kind Class 08e fully battery-powered locomotive has been on field trials with Mendip Rail at Heidelberg Materials’ Whatley Quarry in Somerset, in the West of England.

Prototype 08e locomotive 08308, built by Positive Traction, has completed two weeks of trials with Mendip Rail at Heidelberg Materials’ Whatley Quarry in Somerset, one of the most brutal and punishing locations in the UK for internal rail movements.

Propel a thousand-tonne train

Derbyshire based Positive Traction introduced its battery-powered Class 08e last year, at its Barrow Hill depot. Since then, the prototype has been through a series of tests and minor modifications. Shunter number 08308 has now completed heavy testing in the field with Heidelberg Materials and Mendip Rail. This enabled the gathering of useful data regarding battery life, revised uprated tractive effort, hill start capability and fast charging through regenerative braking – all of which Positive Traction say were found to be more than satisfactory.

The trial began with locomotive familiarisation training for drivers and shunters across all shifts, followed by precise calibration of the PT Powertrain™ traction equipment to meet the demanding depot and yard requirements. Once completed the locomotive carried out several trials, both propelling and pulling trains over 1000 tonnes from the bottom of the yard up through the reverse curves, crossovers, harsh gradients and quarry sidings up to the stone loading area.

A testament to the engineering team

“The ability to put the locomotive through its paces in one of the harshest aggregate sites has confirmed our expectations,” said Alistair Gregory, Director of Positive Traction. “The fact that it outperforms a standard 08 shunter whilst having the added benefits of all-round visibility, modern heating and air conditioning, negation of working at height, modern quiet compressors, air drying equipment and improved lighting really shows that this design is well placed to support any industrial setting. These great results are a testament to Engineering Director Paul Riley and his team for their efforts from drawing board to real life application.”

Mendip Rail is an independent freight operator, owned by several mining interests, and specialising in aggregates traffic from South West England quarries to markets in London and the South East. “It’s been good to watch the teamwork through and overcome any challenges and watching it propel a thousand tonne train up into the quarry was great to see”, said Andrew Coomber, Rail Operations Manager for Mendip Rail said “We are committed to exploring all options when it comes to making our equipment safer, more reliable and more sustainable for the future.”

Further trials down the line

The industries at the core of these operations have a heavy environmental overhead, and are keen to address that. “As the pioneers of Net-Zero Concrete, Heidelberg Materials are paving the way to decarbonise our industry,” said Vincent Pitt, Operations Manager for Whatley Quarry. “When we invited the Positive Traction team to bring their locomotive for testing, we were curious and naturally apprehensive. However, we are satisfied with the results of the trials and happy to have played our part in helping the team really see what their locomotive can achieve with loaded trains and with steep hills on our doorstep.”

The experimental locomotive 08308 has now returned to base in Derbyshire. It is now in preparation for a schedule of testing with further train operating companies. “Positive Traction would like to extend their thanks to Heidelberg Materials Rail Logistics Manager Daniel Welch and his team at Whatley, as well as staff from Mendip Rail and Freightliner for their support during the trials,” said a statement from the Barrow Hill company.