Updated On: 06 February, 2026 09:43 AM IST | London | Agencies
The UK’s first battery-only powered passenger train has entered service, with Great Western Railway deploying the Class 230 on the Greenford branch line in West London. The five-mile return route from West Ealing to Greenford replaces a diesel service after a 22-month trial of rapid charging technology

WR Class 230 battery train. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons
The UK’s Great Western Railway introduced the nation’s first-ever battery-only powered train for passenger service, operating on a five-mile return route in West London.
The GWR Class 230 battery train will carry passengers on the Greenford branch line, a five-mile return route from West Ealing to Greenford, replacing its diesel counterpart.