The bodyshell for the first of the Class 93 tri-mode electric-diesel-battery locomotives ordered by Rail Operations (UK) has been completed at Stadler’s factory at Valencia in Spain.
‘This is a project of firsts’, said Iñigo Parra, CEO of Stadler Valencia, on July 21. ‘The Class 93 is not only the first tri-mode locomotive to run in the UK, but it’s Stadler’s first tri-mode locomotive, illustrating our commitment to green technology and genuine desire to help governments and businesses around the world de-carbonise.’
The first Class 93 is scheduled to arrive in the UK in March 2023, for testing ahead of entry into service a few months later.
Design
The mixed-traffic Bo-Bo design is based on the Class 68 UKLight diesel and Class 88 UKDual electro-diesel locos supplied to Direct Rail Services, but will have a higher maximum speed of 175 km/h rather than 160 km/h.
The Class 93 will have a rating of 4·6 MW using 25 kV 50 Hz electrification, with a 900 kW Caterpillar C32 diesel engine meeting EU 97/68 Stage V emission regulations for use on non-electrified lines. Two lithium titanate oxide battery packs will provide an extra 400 kW which can be used to supplement the diesel engine or for zero-emission shunting.