BRITISH operator Great Western Railway (GWR) brought its class 230 battery train into passenger service on January 31, operating on the 3.8km West Ealing - Greenford branch in west London where the train has undergone 22 months of testing.
The class 230 will operate initially on Saturdays as performance is assessed in revenue service. As well as meeting traction and control needs, the battery system can also accommodate auxiliary loads such as heating and lighting which typically account for 30% of energy demand, according to GWR.
The two-car train was originally built by Vivarail using former London Underground (LU) metro cars. GWR purchased the train, along with the fast-charging technology that has been installed at West Ealing, after Vivarail went into administration in December 2022.
On August 20 2025 the class 230 set a new world record for the longest distance covered by a battery-powered train, covering 320.8km on a single charge. GWR says that to replace its aging DMU fleet it will need trains able to run for over 96km between recharging, potentially using fast-charging installations at intermediate stations.
After the world record provided clear evidence that the technology is viable, GWR says it is currently working closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) and other passenger operators to build the best financial case for investment in battery-powered trains.
“Our fast-charge trial has successfully demonstrated that battery technology offers a reliable and efficient alternative to power electric trains, in cases where overhead lines aren’t possible or desirable,” says GWR engineering director, Dr Simon Green.
“Delivering the train into passenger service will enable us to gain further insight which can be fed into our own decarbonisation plans, as well as those of the wider rail industry.”
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