Colas Rail UK rolls out hydrogen engine

Taking these efficiencies a step further, Colas is also the first company to take advantage of the new Engine Carbon Clean (ECC) subscription solution, whereby they have their own ECC generators and can perform the cleans themselves - anywhere in the country and on demand – as part of their maintenance and servicing schedules.

The two trial tampers were cleaned four times for three hours each visit and the Colas engineering department was able to reduce RPMs in each mode - as removal of the carbon build up inside the engines allows them to breathe again and achieve better combustion. In working max mode, this was 1995 RPM reduced to 1520 RPM to perform the same tasks.

This means across the 31 tamper assets, over 550 t of CO₂e have been forecasted to be saved per year once the annual engine carbon cleans are performed.

Daniel Ditri, Head of Energy & Carbon at Colas Rail UK, explained: “Decarbonisation is a business priority and driving this is a clear, data-led strategy. We are committed to the globally recognised Science Based Targets initiative, aligning with Network Rail’s ambitions – in this instance our target is a 46.5% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 - and working with SME innovator Engine Carbon Clean delivers tangible CO₂e and cost savings to that end. Replacing assets too early is not sustainable, so we are focused on maximising the performance of what we already have.”

Paul Conway, Head of Engineering & Compliance for Colas Rail Services, said: “Over 13% CO₂e and fuel savings represents a strong and attractive business case. This easily scalable and non-intrusive solution has now been embedded into our tamper maintenance strategy, with potential to quickly expand across our wider fleet and supply chain - helping us drive a cleaner, more efficient future for rail.”

Daniel Sturgeon, Head of Data and Business Development at Engine Carbon Clean, added: “It’s gratifying working with an ESG-savvy company like the team at Colas Rail because their adherence to circular economy protocols and positive position on reducing emissions and fuel consumption matches our own. Our simple and practical innovation is a quick win, delivering measurable reductions today – especially for operators navigating the challenging gap between ambitious climate targets and operational reality.”

This collaboration began in 2025 when the French innovation team chose Engine Carbon Clean to win an ESG-related grant as part of their internal Innoboost competition, which was sponsored by the CEO of Colas Rail Ltd, Jean-Pierre Bertrand.

Subsequently, the Colas Freight division has also engaged with Engine Carbon Clean to speed up the timeline of trials on the locomotive fleet, starting with two Class 37 locos, as based on the savings level of results from the tampers, projected reductions of over 2800 tpy of CO2 could be secured.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/21092026/colas-rail-uk-rolls-out-hydrogen-engine/