Self-charging trains have received government funding as part of the First of a Kind competition.

Top innovators and inventers have won prize money to bring their innovations to life, as part of the First of a Kind 2022 competition. This year’s competition, in partnership with Innovate UK, focused on new concepts that will transform rail travel for passengers and decarbonising the network.

FOAK 2022 saw 24 innovators receive a share of more than £5 million with grants of up to £400,000 each. From technology making railways greener than ever before by removing harmful emissions from train exhausts to research into powering our railways with renewable energy, this year’s successful bidders will revolutionise the future of train travel for generations to come.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper said:

“The UK has a long history of leading the way in railway innovation and the First of a Kind competition is getting the great brains of today to create the trains of tomorrow.

“Through millions of pounds worth of government funding, we are breathing life into ideas that will revolutionise our railways and make them greener than ever before.

“This is just the beginning and, as Transport Secretary, I am determined to support British innovation and create a cutting edge, green rail industry that delivers even more benefits for passengers and freight.

This year’s winners include:

Varamis who, working closely with DHL and Fedex, have repurposed former passenger carriages to create high-speed, non-letter delivery services.

Echion Technologies is developing batteries that will charge from overhead wires and use that charge to ‘leapfrog’ across unelectrified section of track and, effectively, create self-charging trains.

Thales Ground Transportation Systems have developed new sensors which will detect people approaching tracks, pin down their location, and give an early warning to staff.

Other winning projects include:

• automatic systems that detect and stop track flooding
• cutting edge electric drivetrains that replace polluting diesel engines
• new tech to instantly relay track information to improve and modernise rail safety