Innovative technology behind Siemens Mobility’s British battery trains has been rolled out in the East Brandenburg network in Germany.
More than 30 of the company’s Mireo Plus B trains are being phased in on the Berlin Brandenburg metropolitan region, and are said to be the latest proof of the technology that underpins the Desiro Verve project in Britain, which would be assembled at Siemens Mobility’s new Train Manufacturing Facility in Goole.
Sambit Banerjee, Joint CEO at Siemens Mobility UK & Ireland, said: “It’s fantastic to see the innovative technology that will underpin our British Desiro Verve trains already being put into action. The completion of these latest journeys demonstrates that the technology for our British battery trains is here, is working and is ready to transform rail travel.
“The Desiro Verve would be assembled at our state-of-the-art Goole Rail Village in Yorkshire and offers an integrated solution to replace Britain’s aging diesel trains without having to electrify hundreds of miles of track, saving the country £3.5 billion over 35 years and providing a practical path to decarbonising British railways.”
In June, Siemens Mobility identified how the Desiro Verve could save Britain’s railways £3.5 billion over 35 years compared with using diesel-battery-electric ‘tri-mode’ trains. This would support the Government’s aim of removing diesel-only trains from Britain’s railways by 2040.
The British trains would be powered by overhead wires on already electrified routes, then switch to battery power where there are no wires. That means only small sections of the routes and/or particular stations have to be electrified with overhead line equipment, making it much quicker and less disruptive to replace diesel trains compared to full electrification.
