Silent arrival: HybridFlex unit No 168329 at Aylesbury on 10 February 2022.
Chiltern Railways’ HybridFlex Class 168 entered service on 10 February, operating between London Marylebone and Aylesbury.
The retrofit of a self-charging hybrid system to No 168329 has been developed in partnership with Porterbrook and Rolls-Royce. Claimed benefits include a reduction of 25% in fuel usage as well as reduced emissions and air pollution and a significant reduction in noise. It is also hoped the battery will offer improved performance compared with a straight DMU. The unit is claimed to be the first 100mph battery-diesel hybrid train to operate on the UK rail network.
