HydroFlex Mainline Testing The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE, part of the University of Birmingham) and Porterbrook (train leasing company) formed a partnership in September 2018 to develop the UK's first operating hydrogen train ('HydroFlex'). In 9 months we will have progressed from an initial idea to operating the HydroFlex demonstrator during the Rail Live trade show in June 2019 at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre (QRTC). Following the demonstration of our technology prototype at the QRTC facility, our next phase of development is to undertake mainline testing of HydroFlex on Network Rail infrastructure. This project will plan and deliver HydroFlex mainline testing in late 2019 and early 2020 on Network Rail mainline infrastructure. From our base at QRTC, we will take HydroFlex out onto the mainline via the Long Marston branch line. Mainline routes under consideration for this testing include the North Cotswold line and the Alloa to Dunfermline line (in conjunction with ScotRail). All mainline testing will require full vehicle approval and we propose to adopt a Common Safety Method (CSM) approach to managing risk. The aim of this project is to undertake the first mainline operational testing of a train equiped with hydrogen fuel cell technology. Out testing programme will gather evidence and data to inform our on-going development of hydrogen fuel cell and battery technology deployed on a converted electric train. The testing will also generate significant political and media interest in the developing clean energy technologies that can imminently replace diesel in order to deliver the decarbonisation of the railway, without recourse to complete network electrification (which will not be delivered in the desired time frame). This project is submitted under the Infrastructure Resilience theme - optimised on-board & lineside energy storage technologies. It impacts upon 3 of the 4 Cs as it provides a cost effective network extension for electric trains without the significant infrastructure cost, it provides zero emmissions operation and therfore improves the customer experience with clean and quiet transport. BCRRE lead the project with additional work subcontracted to Porterbrook, Rail Operations Group, QRTC and Jeff Vehicles. We are also working with innovative hydrogen industry suppliers to transfer their solutions into the rail environment, such as Luxfer Gas Cylinders and Fuel Cell Systems. We will also be working very closely with ScotRail (train operator), Network Rail (infrastructure operator), an independent third party approvals body, the Office of Rail and Road (regulator) and the Rail Safety and Standards Board.