Britain delivers hydrogen by rail for the first time

The UK has achieved a notable engineering and logistics milestone with the first-ever delivery of hydrogen by rail. The demonstration, carried out at Network Rail’s Test Tracks facility in Tuxford, involved transporting hydrogen containers from Doncaster to High Marnham using a Freightliner-operated service. The operation formed part of a broader rail and energy innovation event, where industry partners showcased emerging hydrogen technologies, including a re-engineered hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive and hydrogen-fuelled generators. The initiative reflects the increasing alignment between transport decarbonisation goals and national energy transition plans.

The Tuxford test facility sits adjacent to HyMarnham Power, the UK's largest green hydrogen production site and one of the world’s first hydrogen plants with direct rail access. This proximity allowed engineers to demonstrate how the rail network can function as a scalable hydrogen distribution corridor. Traditionally, hydrogen has been moved by road. Demonstrating rail capability provides a pathway to safer, higher-volume and lower-emission transport. The test also supports the ambition to develop Tuxford into the world’s first net-zero railway testing facility, strengthening the engineering value of the site.

The trial underscores the growing importance of integrating energy systems with existing transport infrastructure. Rail corridors may become distribution channels for clean fuels, supporting both on-network decarbonisation and industrial supply chains. Network Rail emphasised rail’s role as the greenest long-distance transport mode and highlighted the potential to extend hydrogen use into construction support, maintenance operations and off-grid power systems. As hydrogen technologies expand, engineering planning will increasingly incorporate storage, handling, and distribution requirements across operational rail environments.