A five-year-old boy from Perivale was among the first passengers on the UK’s first battery-only powered train when it entered passenger service on the Greenford branch line on Saturday (31 January 2026).
Sanchéz King Chiwandire boarded the inaugural 5.30 am service from West Ealing operated by Great Western Railway (GWR). The Class 230 battery-electric train replaced its diesel predecessor on the route, with the Saturday-only timetable introduced after a 22-month fast-charge technology trial.
A keen rail enthusiast, Sanchéz was one of Transport for London’s 25 Superfans in May 2025. He said: “The best train ever!” and praised the vehicle’s smooth, quiet ride and design. His family said he dreams of becoming a train driver and is already hoping to ride the service every Saturday.
GWR’s engineering director, Dr Simon Green, said: “Delivering the train into passenger service will enable us to gain further insight which can be fed into our own decarbonisation plans, as well as those of the wider rail industry.”
The train previously set a world record for the longest distance travelled by a battery-electric train on a single charge during tests on the line.
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