Innovation Director Helen Simpson featured in NRM exhibition

Innovation and Projects Director Helen Simpson is featured in the new Decarbonisation season of the Innovation Platform exhibition at the National Railway Museum in York.

Helen has been working with railway rolling stock for over 30 years. Her experience of maintenance and fleet management, and her interest in ideas and innovation, helped her to lead the Porterbrook team to develop HydroFLEX - the UK’s first hydrogen-ready passenger train. The train has been built and extensively tested at our Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre.

A hydrogen fuel cell from the first HydroFLEX train is also on show as part of the exhibition, which showcases the technology that could make Britain’s railways greener and contribute to the rail industry becoming net zero ahead of the UK Government’s target of 2050.

In 2021, Helen had the opportunity to demonstrate the technology to Prince Charles onboard HydroFLEX at the UN climate conference COP26, along with a number of other VIP visitors.

You can learn more about the National Railway Musuem's Innovation Platform exhibition here.