Energy-efficient railcars for West Midlands branch line
 

FROM THE RAILNEWS PAGES.

Energy-efficient railcars for West Midlands branch line
Go-ahead for clean, green People Movers
Posted 25 January 2008 12:00 | From Railnews print edition, Jan 2008

A £700,000 deal for two environmentally-friendly railcars to operate on the Stourbridge Town branch has been agreed by new West Midlands franchise operator London Midland, vehicle supplier Parry People Movers Ltd and train leasing company Porterbrook.

The clean, green and quiet PPM 60 vehicles will start operation in December this year.

They feature lightweight construction and a hybrid system using flywheel energy storage, which dramatically reduces energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions compared to that of conventional trains. The light axle loads of the railcars also cause less wear and tear to the track.

At just three-quarters of a mile long, the branch line (which connects the town centre station with the Kidderminster to Birmingham line at Stourbridge Junction) is the shortest on the national rail network. Once the new railcars are in service, London Midland will re-deploy the present single-coach train to improve capacity elsewhere.

A prototype railcar was successfully operated on the branch in 2006 and in its franchise bid, Govia, which owns London Midland, proposed using similar vehicles.

Parry People Movers was founded in 1991 to develop rail transport based on a new innovation. Called the flywheel energy store, it allows rail vehicles to run extremely efficiently and to recapture their braking energy for re-use when accelerating.

The technology is licensed by JPM Parry & Associates Ltd, a West Midlands engineering firm specialising in overseas development and innovative transport, as well as energy and environmental issues.

Caspar Lucas, projects manager for Parry People Movers, said: “The new railcars are the right solution for the Stourbridge branch line – efficient, clean and quiet.

“Our technology is perfect for these short branch lines and offers a new way forward, particularly for the re-opening of closed railways as well as on routes like this one.”


PROTOTYPE RAILCAR

That's great news.
I'm certainly not complaining but does anyone know why the Stourbridge Town branch has survived when so many similar ones closed years ago.

If anyone would like the Parry People Mover Prototype it is sitting in the yard at Wirksworth getting in the way!

"Dont tell Northern they will whant one so they can save more money and squash as many people on as possible".

Northern are hoping to use dual-powered German style tram-trains on certain routes around Manchester, Leeds and York but the DfT has to approve them for use in the UK first. I don't know which routes they are planning to use them on around Leeds and York but the first route in the Manchester area would likely be Marple to Manchester with Northwich to Manchester via Sale being suggested as well. Manchester to Macclesfield has also been suggested but that suggestion has seemed unpopular.

Thats interesting as i had wondered if they are maniley using my beloved 142's on the Manchester to Marple route as i rember them using 101's for a long time b ut havent really been on that route since they came off.

Yes 142s are mainly used on the Manchester to Marple route, although some 150s are used on that service as well. In general most diesel Northern Rail services out of Manchester Piccadilly are 142s. However, if you're going to Blackpool, Buxton, Liverpool (via Earlestown) or Southport from Piccadilly you can be pretty sure you won't have to travel on a 142.