Hundreds of jobs are to be created for the North West after a further £1m investment was announced by Alstom and Eversholt Rail into creating British hydrogen trains.
The two firms said the "major investment" means the new 'Breeze' trains will be ready for early deployment in the UK to meet the Government's need to decarbonise the rail industry.
The trains will be built at Alstom's Widnes Transport Technology Centre in Halton, and become the first ever '600 series'.
When the project is in series production, it will mean 200 high-quality engineering jobs for the North West.
According to Alstom, when powered by green hydrogen, these trains offer "true zero-emission mobility - not just zero emission at point of use". The only emission from a hydrogen train is water as it produces no harmful particulate or gaseous emissions.
The UK is looking to become one of the next countries to start using the technology.
Nick Crossfield, managing director, said: “It’s time to jump-start the UK hydrogen revolution. With the Government looking to invest in green technologies, Alstom and Eversholt Rail have deepened our already extensive commitment to this job-creating technology with a further million-pound investment.
"This bold move to back the Government’s ambitions on hydrogen means we are the only game in town if you want a shovel ready British hydrogen train.
"The Breeze is good to go, wherever the Government commits to upgrading Britain’s railway with hydrogen trains,”
Mary Kenny, CEO of Eversholt Rail, said "Eversholt Rail has a proud record of innovation in key rolling stock technologies and this further investment in the Breeze programme demonstrates our commitment to providing timely, cost-effective solutions to the identified need for hydrogen trains to support the decarbonisation of the UK railway."
Alstom said that hydrogen trains are suited to regional rail services on routes that are not currently electrified.
It already operates "cost-effective and environmentally friendly" hydrogen trains in Germany.
This new investment will ensure that Breeze trains are ready for swift deployment in the UK, wherever electrification with overhead wires might be impractical or visually intrusive.
