New lightweight rail cars powered by biomethane could soon be introduced in the UK.

UK-based Ultra Light Rail Partners has received €66,700 in grant funding to develop a feasibility study and design for a 120-passenger biomethane-powered lightweight rail car.

The ‘BioUltra’ rail car is powered using 100% biomethane, which can be derived from organic wastes such as food waste, animal manure, crop residues and sewage sludge.

A prototype 10m-long biomethane-powered rail car was launched at Motorail’s Long Marston test facility in July 2020 in Warwickshire.

Air pollution

The rail car is designed to carry 120 people and would be used on existing rail lines with a top speed of 50mph.

Ultra Light Rail Partners is aiming to commercially develop BioUltra rail cars for larger towns and smaller cities around the UK, allowing them to take polluting vehicles out of the urban areas, dramatically reducing air pollution.

Biomethane tractors are also available on the market.

Other companies involved in the Project BioUltra collaborative feasibility study include Biomethane, Organic Power, Trampower, Sustraco and Premetro Operations.

“Biomethane can be proved, without doubt, to be the most environmentally friendly fuel and I am delighted that, following on from producing the world’s first tram-train to be powered by biomethane, this locally-produced and sustainable fuel will continue to be used for this new rail car,” said technical director of Ultra Light Rail Partners and chair of Organic Power Christopher Maltin.