Barhale and Flannery have partnered with JCB to conduct the first in-field trial of the equipment manufacturer's groundbreaking hydrogen-powered backhoe loader.

The trial, which took place at Lower Penn, a Severn Trent Water project on the outskirts of Wolverhampton, saw the innovative 3CX loader put to work on a project involving the construction of a storage tank and a two-kilometre pipeline to prevent water spillages into the local watercourse.

The backhoe loader, which sports a new green and white livery to signify its hydrogen-powered capabilities (replacing JCB’s iconic yellow), delivered an outstanding performance during the test. Experienced operator Lee Wilkinson from Flannery noted that the hydrogen-powered machine operated so seamlessly that he couldn’t tell the difference from a traditional diesel-powered loader.

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According to Barhale Site Manager Harley Taylor, the new machine performed well in every task. "The backhoe has been loading muck-away wagons, cleaning up the compound area and moving materials from the storage area over to the work area. It's been giving exactly the same outputs as we would have been expecting from a diesel machine."

The trial demonstrated hydrogen’' potential as a viable fuel alternative. The 3CX delivered the same performance, power, and productivity as traditional diesel models, even on a remote site with limited power supply.