Across the UK, the rail and energy sectors are facing the same crisis from opposite ends. Rail isn’t decarbonising fast enough and the energy sector cannot move clean power to where it’s needed.
Energy for Rail has been created and developed by Vanguard and Enspired. This collaboration sets out how a cross-sector strategy can unlock cleaner traction, smarter infrastructure and a more resilient national system that delivers far more together than either sector can achieve alone.
Yet despite this shared challenge, these two major industries operate in silos. Each stuck with constraints the other could help solve.
Energy For Rail exists to change that.
Our new white paper sets outs why the UK must finally treat rail and energy as one connected ecosystem and how doing so can unlock national decarbonisation, regional growth and new commercial opportunities for businesses across both sectors.
This isn’t a theory. It’s an urgent, evidence-based call to action.
The UK has taken a major step forward on its journey to a cleaner, more resilient transport and energy system. On 3 December, at Network Rail’s Test Track site in Tuxford, hydrogen was transported by rail for the first time, demonstrating in a single powerful moment what happens when the rail and energy sectors work together with purpose.
Two excellent articles from Network Rail and Freightliner capture the day in detail, but for Vanguard (and for the Energy for Rail collaboration with Enspired Consulting) this milestone carries particular significance. It represents the first tangible output of the Energy for Rail programme: an idea conceived within a partnership with Enspired and shaped strategically, then brought to life with the support of Network Rail, who hosted and delivered the event.
This was the vision of Energy for Rail made real. And the railway proved it is ready.
The idea behind the event was straightforward but powerful — to demonstrate practically that the UK railway is already capable of transporting green hydrogen at scale, from producer to user, safely and efficiently. The partnership proposed that hydrogen should be moved by rail, not road, and the concept was taken forward collaboratively, with Network Rail providing the venue, operational controls and national platform needed to show this at industry level.
Freightliner hauled hydrogen containers from Doncaster to High Marnham. GeoPura supplied green hydrogen produced at HyMarnham Power. And Vanguard showcased our HydroShunter, which is the UK’s first re-engineered hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive and part of the Energy for Rail ecosystem.
Energy for Rail helped connect the pieces through aligning strategic partners, shaping the narrative and ensuring the event demonstrated not just what hydrogen is, but what hydrogen enables when energy and rail act together.
Why This Moment Matters for the UK.
As Network Rail and Freightliner rightly highlighted in their articles, the implications go far beyond a single shipment. Hydrogen transported by rail unlocks three major opportunities:
1. Decarbonising non-electrified rail operations
Hydrogen (alongside battery technologies) can replace diesel where electrification is not viable in the short or medium term — from shunting and engineering trains to maintenance fleets and off-grid rail sites.
2. Creating a national clean-fuel distribution network
The UK rail network connects every major industrial region. Leveraging that existing infrastructure accelerates hydrogen adoption without requiring expensive new road-based logistics.
3. Strengthening the UK’s wider energy resilience
A rail-enabled hydrogen network eases pressure on the electricity grid, supports local energy production, and enables power to reach sites where grid capacity is limited or unavailable.
These opportunities sit at the heart of why Energy for Rail exists: to align the rail and energy sectors toward shared decarbonisation goals and unlock the value that only true collaboration can deliver.
Working with Vanguard, Enspired supported the delivery and coordination of the Energy for Rail presence at the event, ensuring that the wider strategic context was clear: hydrogen in rail is not just a technology story; it’s an energy-system story.
This milestone proves that the UK already has the ingredients to accelerate low-carbon transport and decentralised clean-power distribution:
• Proven hydrogen production • Real infrastructure connections • Operational industry partnerships • A national rail network capable of widespread distribution
The next step is to scale up and move from successful demonstrations to sustained, replicable operations that serve industry, freight and communities across the country. That is the vision of Energy for Rail. And this event at Tuxford is a significant step towards that future. We encourage you to read the two featured articles that captured the day:
We’re proud to announce that Vanguard will be exhibiting at the Greatest Gathering, an event celebrating 200 years of railway innovation, bringing together the most iconic locomotives of forward-thinking pioneers that shaped the last 200 years. It’s an honour to stand alongside those who built the legacy of British rail. And it’s a privilege to represent the spirit of what comes next.
Powered by progress
Vanguard are a sustainable transport technology company, developing and implementing full-system solutions to decarbonise the rail networks across the world, using advanced hydrogen and battery drivetrain solutions integrated into fully net-zero transport systems.
Our work helps organisations extend the life of their rolling stock, cut emissions and take real, achievable steps toward net-zero. Because innovation isn’t always about starting over, it can also be about seeing potential where others might see obsolescence. Adapting the old with the ingenuity of the new and then creating transport systems that are cleaner, smarter and built for the journey ahead.
Meet the HydroShunter
On display at the event is our HydroShunter, a hydrogen and battery powered conversion of a Class 08 shunting locomotive. This isn’t just an engineering achievement. It’s a symbol of what can be done when you combine legacy infrastructure with bold thinking.
Designed in collaboration with Vanguard’s specialist partners, the HydroShunter doesn’t rely on diesel, instead using batteries, or a hydrogen fuel cell and batteries in a hybrid configuration. It’s modular, future-flexible and built to meet today’s exacting safety and operational demands – while pointing firmly towards the direction of tomorrow’s railways.
From past to potential
The Greatest Gathering isn’t just about remembering the engineering that changed the world. It’s about recognising the people, the skills and the technologies that will shape the next era.
At Vanguard, we’re committed to leading that charge. With pioneering spirit and principled engineering, we’re helping to accelerate the next chapter of the rail story. A story where clean technology powers progress whilst the legacy of railways in Britain, and railways around the world, are honoured not just in museums but in motion too.
Come see us at the event. Let’s talk about the next 200 years.
Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions and Enspired Consulting have today announced a five-year collaboration agreement, uniting their expertise to accelerate decarbonisation and innovation in the rail sector.
This strategic partnership leverages the strengths of both organisations, combining Vanguard’s cutting-edge advancements in hydrogen and battery technology, simulation modelling and academic research with Enspired Consulting’s industry-leading expertise in the successful delivery of rail innovation projects and rigorous safety management.
The partnership builds on projects that both companies are jointly delivering in the UK and overseas. One such project includes Vanguard’s HydroShunter technology, which involves the conversion and recommissioning of a Class 08 locomotive to run on hydrogen power, reducing emissions and noise for operators, which was recently showcased at the Severn Valley Railway.
This collaboration agreement marks a major step forward in advancing clean rail technology and supporting the sector’s transition towards a net-zero future.
Vanguard is a technology and innovation company, which combines hydrogen fuel management services with real world projects across three service offerings:
Concept – modelling, simulation and feasibility studies to identify suitable net zero technologies for different applications.
Create – delivering first of a kind innovation projects and supporting productionisation of decarbonisation technologies in rail applications.
Operate – hydrogen refuelling and fuel management services for the rail sector.
Rob Gibson, CEO of Vanguard said “Decarbonisation deadlines are fast approaching and this collaboration enhances both companies’ capability to support rail businesses in their transition to net zero. The economics of hydrogen are changing with predictions from the energy and finance sectors showing cost parity will be achievable within the next 5-10 years and the potential to link a rail hydrogen strategy into the wider UK hydrogen economy and avoid renewable grid bottlenecks is significant. This collaboration builds on a strong partnership between both companies, supporting Vanguard’s growing forward orders with proven rail innovation delivery, and extending opportunities for developing engineering talent in both businesses.“
Enspired Consulting is a growing rail sector consultancy with highly experienced project directors who have proven capability in delivering complex rail innovation projects, specialist mechanical engineering technical capability, and developing project engineers. The company has specialist skills in business case decisions for future rolling stock strategies, project delivery, safety management, rail vehicle maintenance and technical investigations on mechanical systems and works with train operators, maintainers, asset owners and rail sector suppliers to deliver a range of services.
Helen Simpson, Director and Founder of Enspired Consulting said “We are delighted to formalise our strong partnership approach with Vanguard. Both businesses have common goals to help the rail sector decarbonise through implementation of hydrogen and battery technology, and to support the development of the next generation of engineers. We are looking forward to delivering some world class projects together and providing wider opportunities for future talent”
Both organisations are UK SMEs, based in the Midlands.
Welcome to our 2024 Vanguard Academy Interns
We love the summer! We get to welcome new interns to Vanguard for a summer of team building, hydrogen, batteries, safety, and trains! This year, we’re welcoming Finn and Ted to the team. Finn will be focusing on the drivetrain modelling and efficiency and Ted on an exciting new project in Europe.
Vanguard’s Chief Engineer, Charles Calvert says: “The Vanguard Academy has been an integral part of Vanguard from day 1. The only way that we will be able to deliver a hydrogen future is by developing the skills and passion today. This is the 3rd year that we’ve welcomed engineering students and graduates into the business for summer placements and we look forwards to seeing them learn and grow over the next few months.”
Electrical testing of our HydroSHUNTER project has begun!
Our engineering team are bracing themselves for a busy summer… We’ve set ourselves the target of having our HydroSHUNTER project moving under battery power in August and to support this, we’ve now commenced the critical stage of static systems testing.
This exciting milestone is at a critical stage of the development process, making sure all our systems are ready to accept the battery drivetrain in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on our website and LinkedIn for further updates.
Vanguard’s CEO, Rob Gibson, says: “After a challenging start, our HydroSHUNTER project is really gathering momentum. This project is incredibly important to Vanguard and is really showcasing the skills of our team and supply chain. Our project team, engineers and the volunteers and the Severn Valley Railway are working hard to have HydroSHUNTER moving at Kidderminster in the next months.”
If you’d like to learn more about this project, please contact comms@vanguardsts.com
We are pleased to announce the achievement of several key milestones in the development of the first hydrogen-powered locomotive for the UK railway.
The HydroSHUNTER project, using Vanguard’s NEO1™ drivetrain platform design, is currently in build at the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) in Kidderminster. A BR Class 08 shunting locomotive, owned by the SVR, is being retrofitted with this cutting edge drivetrain technology replacing the former diesel engine. The locomotive has been refurbished by SVR volunteers and the installation of the new hydrogen/battery electric drivetrain is due to start next month.
The mechanical and electrical engineering design works are now effectively complete. Procurement is under way for the radical new system which will enable this shunter locomotive to take on a new lease of life as a zero-carbon shunter locomotive for the UK’s largest heritage railway.
Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, Managing Director of the Severn Valley Railway said:
“The HydroSHUNTER project is important to us in so many ways. Not only are we leading the way by helping to create the first hydrogen-powered heritage rail vehicle, but we’re also working towards being more sustainable by having a shunter that’s emissions-free at the point of use. What’s more, this project is the perfect opportunity for our young team of volunteers to develop their skills and make an invaluable contribution.”
The HydroSHUNTER project is a partnership between Vanguard and the Severn Valley Railway, supported by the University of Birmingham, to retrofit a shunter locomotive with a state of the art, zero carbon hydrogen/battery electric traction system. Testing and demonstration of the new locomotive will begin in Spring 2024.
The Vanguard Academy has waved off our latest interns as they leave to continue their studies.
Martha joined us for a 9 week internship, focusing on alternative storage methods for hydrogen gas.
Callum has been with us since spring 2022 and has been instrumental in defining our technical and safety services and will continue to work with the Vanguard Academy before joining Vanguard as a Project Manager in 2024.
We wish Martha and Callum luck with their studies at Cambridge University and the University of Birmingham respectively.
If you’re interested in joining the Vanguard Academy for an internship, please contact comms@vanguardsts.com for more information.
The UK HFCA’s 2023 conference will bring together representatives from the entire hydrogen value chain to focus on the UK hydrogen journey to 2030 and the achievement of the UK’s target of 10GW low carbon hydrogen capacity by that date.
Vanguard is excited to be exhibiting at the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association’s 2023 Annual Conference at the prestigious QEII Centre in London, Westminster.
This event will bring together representatives from leading hydrogen businesses from across the entire hydrogen value chain as well as top Government representatives, the Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan and Minister for Exports & Investment Lord Dominic Johnson.
The conference will consider the UK hydrogen journey to 2030 and the achievement of the UK’s target of 10GW low carbon hydrogen capacity by that date.
Vanguard looks forward to networking, exchanging perspectives and building connections across the UK hydrogen value chain, so come and visit us at stand 25.
