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Issue No. 67 An Occasional Newsletter from Parry People Movers Ltd January 2014 (PPML) and Pre-Metro Operations (PMOL) [email protected]

PHILIPPINES VILLAGE CELEBRATES ‘MIRACLE’ All credit is due to a young American STORM aid worker, Elsa Thomasma, who had become convinced of the concept of SHELTER building a storm shelter on high columns so that water-driven debris On November 8th could pass below the living 2013 Typhoon accommodation. With amazing Haiyan made persuasion and foresight, Elsa raised landfall across the $40,000 in order to build the central areas of the Cangumbang Village storm shelter, Philippines which was completed in early 2013, 6 archipelago striking Ocean surge coupled with typhoon winds destroyed everything months before the storm. the east coast with except for the storm shelter wind speeds On Nov 8th, when news reached exceeding 200 mph. The typhoon caused system, that is now being used in three Cangumbang that outlying islands had a powerful ocean surge which swept flood prone areas of Africa. been experiencing wind of extraordinary away hundreds of thousands of flimsily ferocity and sea levels had begun rising, constructed dwellings and shops, and In November, viewers of ITV main the well-drilled community ran for the also more solidly built schools evening news saw terrible scenes of High and Dry style structure in order to constructed on the flat land just above destruction from the Philippines around take shelter from the storm. As was sea level. The death toll is currently the city of Tacloban where there had intended, the inundation carrying estimated at over 6,000 with unrecorded been a complete lack of preparedness for floating debris passed beneath the numbers of serious injuries probably in the storm. Families were torn apart by Refuge. Though on the roof, sheets, excess of 100,000. The devastation was the death and injuries to bread winners though properly nailed down, were in many ways similar to that inflicted on and carers. On November 19th, an ITV blown away but the essential frame and Northern Sumatra (Aceh) and a large journalist Angus Walker reported on a block walls stood up to the wind and area of coastal territory in five South and rare cause for celebration, a Parry everyone inside came out unscathed. South East Asian countries by the 2004 innovation had been put to the test and Tsunami and during the flooding of proved its worth. 300 villagers of Gaza Province of Mozambique 2 years Cangumbang, 11 miles South of the earlier, Parry Associates had announced City, were discovered tidying up the the possibility of altering the way that local roads and residential plots having buildings might be constructed and their come through the Typhoon without a proposal was taken up by the Wesleyan single injury or fatality. Methodist Church in Mozambique and a series of ’High School’ classrooms http://www.itv.com/news/2013-11-19/ philippines-village-celebrates-miracle- American volunteer, Elsa Thomasma, who on stilts were built, the first ‘Storm- showed that actions speak louder Shelters’. These created the basis for storm-shelter/ the Parry ‘High and Dry’ building GRANT TRANSFERRED TO PPM ENABLING WORK TO RESUME ON THE CLASS 139/2 RAILCAR PROJECT Also in this Issue... The Directors of Parry People Movers Ltd were delighted to learn on the last day of

December 2013 that the company had been able to meet the requirements of the

Astonishing Boom in Regional Rail earlier conditional offer letter and the Technology Strategy Board’s grant offer to the

Commuting, P4 company and other participants is now unconditional. The intention of this project is Don Valley Project Taking Shape, P5 to complete a test bed railcar work on which had already begun by JPM Parry & Business Model for Cradley Heath Associates Ltd prior to that company being put into receivership in July 2013.

Site, P6 Malaysian Interest Renewed, P5 The R&D project is seen as vital to the future of PPM as it makes it possible to offer Five Men in a Boat Reduce to Two, P7 the larger 100+ passenger railcar which will open many doors to the market.

Parry People Movers Ltd, Overend Road, Cradley Heath, West Midlands, B64 7DD, UK. 1 n e w s Tel: +44 (0)1384 569553 Fax: +44 (0)1384 637753 Email: [email protected]

SHORT TERMISTS VERSUS LONG TERMISTS The battle lines are drawn. the village of Cangumbang in the act. There are parallels with a Philippines saved hundreds of people shipwreck when a vessel crossing the from death or injury. And now it high seas sinks, causing loss of life looks like many more ‘High and and property (see page 7). When Dry’ shelters of this kind will be such an event happens, the feeding built. Success at last! frenzy of professionals offering to save the day or produce a good What would a Short Term Thinker’s outcome is quite an experience. opinion be about this story and other Liquidation appears to be a process parallel activities in the ‘Parry’ which seems to be inimical to the record. Consider the 20 year long term interests of a company development of the cost saving which, in the short term, is in dire In 2004 the East Asian Tsunami people mover railcars and the current straits. Because current practice devastated a whole region but in that new form of ultra-lightweight seems to require that short term gains seismic-activity-prone part of the concrete – discovered in 2009 but have to be made by as quick as planet where cyclones and typhoons only becoming ready for the market possible disposal of readily available also occur quite frequently the aid 5 years later?‘Not for us!’ (they assets, including cash and IP, future agencies barely noticed the quiet might say). ‘We want a return on recovery and hence the satisfaction achievement two years earlier of the our money this year – not several of creditors, is jeopardised. This Mozambique ‘High Schools’, (large years down the road!’ obsession with acquiring instant cash classrooms elevated on stilts) giving is as short-sighted as holders of communities in Gaza Province Clearly innovation plays a vital part investment capital that avoid R & D somewhere to take refuge whenever in the generation of wealth and every like the plague but instead go in the Limpopo river bursts its banks. element of modern life; food, search of 'cash cows' that can deliver clothing, shelter, transport, medicine immediate rewards. There needs to Parry Associates (as was) put its has taken the form that it is in today be a reversal of this attitude. If resources into devising affordable as a result of countless thousands of someone took the time to search out ‘High and Dry’ (two or more storey innovations and discoveries. But the among the ‘business failures’ construction) for poorer regulation and policing of business examples of where the proprietors communities, but the take up by the demands that everything shall be were far sighted and long term in aid agencies of the innovative measured, and counted on a one year their planning, but brought to their technology, up until 2013 that is, has basis and the inventions and knees by short term cash grabbers it been barely a trickle. The disaster- discoveries that come to maturity in could turn out to be more like a response part of the aid industry with 5, 10 or 20 years, instead of being crime wave rather than responsible its plane loads of tents, blankets and expected to have become handling of assets. bottled water is focussed on the progressively more valuable, are drama of pulling disaster victims out ‘depreciated’ made to be worth less Sensible nations have found ways of of the rubble, erecting ‘cities’ of by the hidebound accountancy protecting and nurturing innovation tents, then moving on Short term conventions. It was the same but we, the British, continue a action—problem sorted? No! Part of miscalculation of value that brought process of self destruction while the millions of pounds made the forces of destruction down on short termist professionals in charge available by public goodwill should one of Britain’s more innovative of the process behave as predators. go into helping vulnerable small companies, (Parry Associates). This foolishness has to stop. communities build in such a way as In an unguarded moment, the to be more resilient. The assumption Official Receivers’ man in the is that the Western public like a good Midlands described JPA as ‘a good disaster, so averting disaster does not little company’ whose only fault was If having looked at the contents of pull in cheques. And the cheques are to have been ‘too innovative’. Short this newsletter, you feel minded to what matters, to the relief agencies. termists sell all the corn and don’t join me in the fight back against the keep seed to plant next years crop. short termists, please send me an A Prime Time TV News story email or a note on paper. John Parry broadcast on November 19th 2013 When a company is wound up the MBE. described how an Aid volunteer’s lawyers arrive to join the bankers and initiative building a storm shelter in accountants, to get in on Comment by John Parry 2 n e w s THREE-ASPECT DISASTER-RESISTANT BUILDING SYSTEM PROPOSED AS LEAD PROJECT FOR THE NEW IT INNOVATIONS COMPANY Potential backers of Intermediate reducing the weight of a reinforced Evaporation Reduction to Conserve Technology Innovation (ITI), a new concrete frame building to less than half Scarce Fresh Water company formed to take forward R&D conventional practice, it is possible to work temporarily stalled, have been also greatly increase resilience to Especially in hot dry climates, a reservoir asked to decide which of the many earthquakes. full of fresh water harvested during the themes to prioritise. The spectacular life- rains is subjected to rapid evaporation. A preserving achievement of hectare of water surface

Philippines storm shelter A flat roof is used instead of conventional sheets stilts, flood water Raisedon through passes can evaporate away delivered the answer ‘on a plate’. or tiles with a thin shell of concrete making 20,000 tonnes of water up a central ‘dome’ feature in a year. It is for the Thanks to the perception of an first time a practical ITV reporter in November, many proposition to create more AID officials are now substantial areas of aware that something can be done cover at a very low cost which is reasonably simple and so that evaporation does affordable to avoid widespread not take place in the injury and loss of life in disaster area thus covered. The prone areas of the developing cover can be supported world. This is as a result of the by slim posts at 1 metre well publicised success of the spacing, or by using an 'miracle' storm shelter of especially lightweight Cangumbang village. But the form of concrete, concept has to be evolved to making panels which avoid the elements of the shelter float on the surface of itself which incurred damage, the water. particularly the roof. The rate and ease of construction also has Renewable Energy to be improved by introducing a Transportation form of 'system building' bringing into the design a large A narrow gauge railway proportion of pre-cast (separately comprising the early produced) elements. This can be The ‘WFQR’ (wind, flood, quake, resilient) Dwelling version of the People fully localised so that the component Mover concept based on low voltage manufacturing is under the control of the The material science aspects of the work, electric traction was originated by Parry small local contractors that erect the including on concrete formulations, are Associates in the early 1990s. This has shelters. ITI has the means to deliver this being undertaken by the Civil become highly relevant to the transport concept, adapting from earlier work Engineering Faculty of Wolverhampton aspirations for poorer regions of the carried out in by JPM Parry & Associates University, under the Directors of Prof world where refined petroleum having in Mozambique, Benin, Tanzania and at Jamal Khatib. had to be transported huge distances, is the local UK base in Cradley Heath. so expensive as to be unaffordable for The plan form for greatest storm most people. The falling prices of The already established High and Dry resilience would ideally be round. photovoltaic-generated electricity is construction system addresses the However instead of having separate, making this the preferred means for climate change issues of rising sea levels special-purpose buildings, it makes sense providing domestic light and power. A and changing patterns of precipitation for a new form of dwelling house to rail-based transport system is the logical exacerbating flood risk. It provides a evolve which incorporates disaster- step to providing a non-petroleum based cheap and simple means of raising living resilient features. To accommodate means of moving goods and people. accommodation above ground surface furniture, sinks and other domestic level. A new system of roof construction artefacts, walls are better flat rather than In all three cases, the technical is needed to cope with very high winds. curved - so the selected compromise development is quite well advanced and, A new concept, 'WFQR' (Wind, Flood, shape is hexagonal. via conventional marketing or modern Quake Resilience) is made possible as a media methods, it should be possible to result of a success in applying a Several dozen design and development identify contracting firms who would be discovery of means of aerating concrete themes for the Intermediate Technology willing to buy licences to apply these by incorporating particles of expanded R&D facility are appropriate to present technologies in countries where they are polystyrene. A low cost roof building AID policies. After WFQR there are two applicable. Business Model, P6. system using lightweight reinforced further priority projects, one in the water concrete is being developed which will sector, the other in transport:- withstand typhoon-strength winds. By

3 n e w s A BOOM IN PASSENGER NUMBERS COMMUTING BY RAIL INTO REGIONAL CENTRES OF GREAT BRITAIN INDICATES THAT THE CASE EXISTS FOR HAVING A FAR GREATER NUMBER OF BRANCH LINES CARRYING PASSENGERS Calls for reinstatement of services on railway branch lines began almost immediately following the post World War 2 programme of closures. Although the motivation was frequently nostalgic (people wanting to still have a station and rail services without actually needing to make use of these), other factors, initially of minor consideration, have been building up to a ‘crescendo’ of demands. This is because in more recent years passengers have been returning to local railways.

Railway use has been transformed from having been associated with a bygone age to being integral with modern lifestyles. Being close to a boarding point of a line with frequent services connecting into the general network brings with it:-

1. An increase in the market value of houses 2. Greater prospect of available land being used for development 3. Reduced levels of local road traffic 4. Retail opportunities within or adjacent to the station 5. Civic enhancement as a result of being ‘on the rail map’ Delivering value to the locality For users of the railway, especially when commuting, there are additional collateral benefits to using this mode instead of the alternative of driving to work.

 The journey is generally quicker than by road - frequently half the time  By not having to drive, other activities such as reading or using modern communication devices are possible  On arrival there is no need to find somewhere to park  By not having a car mainly used for the journey to work, it is often possible to possess one less car

To the continued exasperation of the roads lobby and some parts of government, the simple solution of people not travelling to work by car but using buses instead has not found favour with commuters. The exception to this is Greater London in districts not served by the Underground. Light rail or suburban rail. So severe are the costs imposed on entering and parking within the Congestion Charge Zones commuters have greatly increased the use of bus services. Elsewhere, bus passenger numbers have ‘flat lined’ or reduced, unless supported by special measures such as the building of ‘bus railways’.

The statistics relating to a big sample of the regional commuter growth in rail patronage in West Midlands and since a base year of 2004 have been considerably greater than what has happened on most long distance services.

*Information based on passenger use at the following local commuter stations, as compiled by the DfT:- Area: Worksop, Shireoaks, Kiveton Park, Kiveton Bridge, Woodhouse, Darnall, Hope, Bramford, Hathersage, Grindleford, Dore & Totley, , Silkstone Common, Dodworth, Barnsley, Wombwell, Elsecar, Chapeltown Nottingham Area: Radcliff, Bingham, Aslockton, Elton & Orston, Carlton, Burton Joyce, Lowdham, Thurgarton, Bleasby, Fiskeston, Rolleston West Midlands Area: Tysley, Acocks Green, Olton, Solihull, Widney Manor, Dorridge, Warwick Parkway, Canley, Tile Hill, Berkswell, Hampton in Arden, Marston Green, Lea Hall, Stechford, Adderley Park, Kidderminster, Blakedown, Hagley, Stourbridge Junction, Lye, Cradley Heath, Old Hill, Rowley Regis, Langley Green, Smethwick Galton Bridge

From the above can be deduced that where local commuters can gain access to railways serving regional centres, there is a strong upward trend and where there are frequent services, such as on three of the lines that run into Birmingham, the growth—162% is astonishing. The inevitable conclusion from this survey is that where a suitably-located railway line is in place but not used to carry passengers, this measure is likely to be valuable and beneficial, particularly where frequent services can be provided.

4 n e w s UK MARKET FOR NEW RAIL PASSENGER SERVICES ON EXISTING LINES Growth in the use of railways for railcars, when ready to be offered for and near Sheffield. commuting into regional centres has sale. A smaller, parallel market has These are places where a railway applied unexpected pressure on the presented itself, local initiatives exists but is only used for freight or availability of diesel trains, which has emerging which relate to towns such mainly weekend heritage visitors or is opened up an opportunity for the as Bewdley, Medstead, Wisbeech, ‘mothballed’ and able to be brought PPM 100-120 lightweight regional Brierley Hill, Folkestone, Oswestry back into use. DON VALLEY RAILWAY PROJECT There are train services from Huddersfield from the North West side of Sheffield via Penistone. From there to Sheffield costs about £7 for a very indirect journey, taking three quarters of an hour. Services only run hourly and these factors combined result in only just over 100,000 passengers using the station in a year.

The adjacent town of Stocksbridge in Yorkshire is 10 miles to the North West of Sheffield. To make an existing freight line serving a steel works available for passenger services would render it possible to complete the journey in about 20 minutes and with a ‘passing point’ at about halfway along the line, two trains could operate a half hourly service. A halt at would be a convenient boarding point for Penistone passengers. The town of Stocksbridge, lying in the scenic Upper Don Valley.

Adding the population of Penistone, 11,000 to Stockbridge, 18,000 and Outibridge 2000, creates a watershed population of over 30,000, source of a reasonable flow of commuter traffic into Sheffield.

The new Don Valley Railway is a volunteer –led organisation supported by highly capable and experienced members. They have taken a close interest in the PPM-railcar based Stourbridge Branch, making several visits to the line and are seeking Parry People Movers and PMOL’s collaboration in developing a business model for a PPM railcar operation on the Don Valley Ready for passenger services, the freight line from Sheffield line, applying the knowledge acquired at Stourbridge. to Stockbridge

COUNTERPARTS ANNOUNCE FRESH generally convinced that off road public Among several projects for which PROPOSALS FOR MALAYSIA transport is the only practicable solution to D’TRAM is considered as a contender, the - John Parry Reports the increasing urban traffic congestion. emphasis is on large capacity vehicles and so the bogie development leading to As readers of earlier issues of these The D’TRAM innovation, like many of the vehicles able to carry between 100 and 200 newsletters may recall, D’TRAM, a team best ideas, turns a problem (to avoid flash passengers is as important for Malaysia as of experienced civil engineers have, since flooding during heavy tropical deluges it is for the UK. With one exception; the 2009, been investing in their own requires deep road side storm drains to prosperous northern state of Penang has a innovative approach to tramway clear the water) into a solution, most interesting transport heritage construction intended both for the capital, constructing a transit system over the top including running, until closure in 1935, Kuala Lumpar and also regional centres. of the storm drains. Having in 2010-11 open sided San Francisco trolley style Malaysia, unlike many newly independent undertaken a worldwide review of trams. That decision is now regretted. nations in the post WWII period, valued available light rail vehicle technologies, and continued investing in its railways. D’TRAM’s engineers decided that the Penang could well take the lead in a clutch The former steam-hauled Kereta Api PPM specification best matched their of Malaysian light rail projects. Design Tanah Melayu which I rode on as a infrastructure concept. Political issues in attention is being given into how to adapt research student in the late 1950s has now Malaysia tend either to boost or dampen the current 2 axle Class 139 railcar to suit become a modern electrified system. Two down engineering progress with both a historic outline tramcar to delight visitors of PPMs long term associates, Brecknell national and state administrations able to to George Town on Penang Island. Willis & Co, rail engineers and Clayton press the ‘stop’ or ‘go’ buttons. In Equipment, specialist locomotive builders, November, after a year of ‘no news’, PPM having been playing a key part in that were contacted again by D’TRAM with modernisation work in Malaysia. The the information that the climate had same firms are keen to become involved become favourable and the project should with PPM in work on urban light rail be back on the move, by February 2014. systems, Malaysia’s political leaders are

5 n e w s BUSINESS MODEL FOR CRADLEY HEATH SITE AS AN INNOVATION AND MICRO-ENTERPRISE CENTRE

The site at Cradley Heath can be 2. No 2 occupant: Parry Environmental/ presented as a unique Intermediate Long Life Cars. Providing motor trade/  Fast-floor system Technology 'showcase' of building garage facilities for skilled mechanics  Lightweight insulating systems devised for international aid serving their own customers. PE to also tiles and wall panels agencies - official bodies, such as the undertake technical consulting and Department for International training: emphasis on prolonging the life The short financial summary below Development and for international of well-designed older cars provides a budget for the various business NGO's. As prototype construction entities operating from the Cradley Heath exercises they anticipated what 3. No 3 occupant: Intermediate site. The starting point on both the subsequently became the basis for Technology innovation/IT Workshops construction and transportation sides will significant levels of construction activity ITI to promote itself as a lead source of be provision of equity capital. This can in several regions of Africa, South and innovative concepts for International be put alongside asset-backed loans and South East Asia, the Caribbean and Latin Development sector: agencies working in any public sector grant money that is America. Linked by a narrow gauge water, construction, transport, energy and available. railway on site which itself pioneers disaster preparedness. The successor R&D business is technology now in service on Britain's structured around a presently dormant rail network, the showcase, as well as a 4. No 4 occupant: Micro-enterprise company, Intermediate Technology training facility of interest to industry and Centre, both host and incubator to small Workshops Ltd., is to be the principal academia, will comprise a potential traders involved in sustainable activities, custodian of the International visitor centre. e.g. Repair and recycling Development assets and will devise new A plan is emerging for exploiting this site methods and materials to be put out to commercially and to be an 'incubator' of ITI prospectus of R&D themes leading up licence the organisations that work in that to commercial licence deals -reinforced field. concrete beam railway and ‘Carpet Track’ and WFQR storm shelter building A third entity, Long Life Cars Ltd., an system (manufacturing and construction associate company of PPM Ltd., will rent franchises) UK New Product List out vehicle maintenance facilities such as (Stabilite-based Products):- a '4 post' ramp and pit and be host to several micro enterprises whose  Portable planters businesses are based on keeping older  Lightweight bricks cars and light vans on the road LLC will Development of hexagonal ‘Parry’ roof for  Garden mushrooms obtain good quality used parts for supply school classrooms and annexes  Walk-on-Water panels to motor traders that are also supporting  Pattern-imprinted slabs older vehicles, mainly overseas. micro-enterprises within a prevailing theme of livelihood creation and environmental and economic sustainability, together with a centre for Research and Development. More than one business entity will be involved. On the transport side, Parry People Movers will provide an 'anchor' of responsible administration of the 1 Hectare site while conducting its business promoting the Class 139 railcars and associated technical services to a Stourbridge Chibolya school, Zambia built with technical help from Cradley Heath operation and to new projects under development. TRANSPORT ENGINEERING £.000s CIVIL ENGINEERING £.000s

1. Lead occupant: PPM Ltd using 50% of Royalty on railcar sets 540 Royalty on equipment sales 70 the office accommodation and 25% of the works. Activities - development and Design project 45 Royalty on building products 20 marketing of the PPM 'brand' transport Consultancy work 60 Training fees 10 consulting + management services to other companies including to some on the Rents & Tech Support 54 Open day ticket income & 20 same site. product sales 699 120

The Intermediate Technology Innovation company will be launched shortly as a company under ‘Community Interest’ category and an initial panel of Members/Trustees/Directors is being recruited. Please contact John Parry at PPM to learn more about this.

Parry Innovation Pamphlet on our website - www.parrypeoplemovers.com > Press Room > Leaflets & Brochures > Innovations Catalogue

6 n e w s Five Men In a Boat - A Salutary Tale for Today which one to throw over the side. The The Mate and the deckhand exchanged lawyer then mentioned that there was a glances and then put both the lawyer and risk that the millionaire whose money it the accountant over the side (the was that had been dumped would sue the decision to do so taken on purely crew to compensate for his loss. financial grounds). Later, when the three However, being legally skilled, the remaining men ran out of food, they ate lawyer offered to make a careful record the banker, applying the reasonable of why the decision had had to be taken parameters of a) who was least important A yacht belonging to a multi millionaire and this could be used in their defence. for the navigation and handling the oars sailing in a remote area of the Pacific Of course to do this would take several and b) who was the best source of life from Santiago in Chile to Tahiti sank hours and he would need to charge for saving nutrition. When the two seamen suddenly having struck a large floating his time as well. The Mate said ‘all well finally reached Tahiti and handed the object. This was a sea container washed and good but what if the sea gets even valuables over to the multi-millionaire, overboard from a cargo ship thought to rougher and both heavy hold-alls have to because they had been through such an have contained a large quantity of be dumped so there will be no possibility ordeal, he had been advised that they expanded polystyrene bowls and beakers of a reward given to the crew?’ The would no longer be fit for work and so destined for fast food restaurants. reply by both the accountant and the he had to pay them off. Also, under the Though waterlogged, the container was lawyer was that as professional men they terms of their Contracts of Employment, still afloat, but had been barely visible. would not be sharing in the profits and they were responsible not only for the Everyone on the yacht drowned except so would still have to charge for their safety of the yacht (which was for five men who had been on deck and time which in that event would thankfully insured) but also for delivery were thrown clear, together with a small presumably come out of the crew-mens’ of all valuables carried on board. dinghy. The five consisted of, the Mate, wages. Therefore, on legal advice they were not who was a navigator, a deckhand, who entitled to any reward either. was a good oarsman, an accountant, a barrister The fictitious anecdote has and a plump banker. In close parallels with real the morning, they situations where discovered, hidden by professionals involved in the millionaire owner legal and financial who was to meet the services are both averse to yacht on arrival in risk but unscrupulously Tahiti, two heavy hold- greedy for reward and will alls one full of gold take advantage of the bullion, the other sealed vulnerability of others packs of bank notes in caught up in perilous three different currencies. ‘In addition to This neat move, emerging from the situations. This involves a short term the predicament we are in’ said the Mate collusion between the two professionals, focus which puts in jeopardy a fair and ‘we now have the bloody responsibility meant that they would be still earning reasonable outcome making people act of looking after the boss’s cash!’ fees whilst sitting in a boat which was for themselves, completely disregarding being rowed and steered by their the interests of others. The sea was choppy and water coming ‘clients’! The snag was that before the over the sides of the dinghy, almost as professional work could begin, both the It also illustrates following the advice of fast as it could be baled out and the Mate accountant and lawyer needed to know professionals, multi-millionaires can said that one or other of the hold-alls that they would be certain to get their avoid paying a penny more for anything must be dumped. The two crew fees paid. The plump banker then spoke than they have to—which is how they members then noticed that the lawyer, up. He said he could draw up documents become filthy rich in the first place. For accountant and banker had gone to one for the Mate and the deckhand to sign by professionals, the lesson that needs to be end of the boat and were talking quietly. which his bank would provide a loan to learned is that if all you care about is The Mate demanded to know what they the crewmen to guarantee that the lawyer securing your fee, the eventuality may were discussing. The accountant said and accountant would get their fees. reveal itself far more painful than what that if some of the treasure could be However, this would be on the basis that you might lose by being fair minded and saved there seemed to be a good chance the bank, which would consider the taking account the interests of others. the two crew members would get a ’venture’ to be high risk, would need to And if the men in the boat had handsome reward. ‘Or a job for life!’ cover its exposure by having their homes cooperated and thought out innovative said the deckhand optimistically. Using on shore pledged as security. Such solutions, they might have tied the hold- his knowledge of finance, the accountant security was vital because the bank’s alls to the floating sea container and the offered to put a few hours into policy would not allow it to participate three professionals could have learned calculating the individual value of the in the equity of an enterprise of this sort. how to catch fish. two hold-alls so as to advise the crew

7 n e w s TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT NEARLY SILENT, CITY CENTRE TO CITY CENTRE TRAVEL IN UNDER AN HOUR MAY BECOME POSSIBLE WITHOUT GOING BY RAIL The deliberations of the Transport Sector Panel of Technology Foresight, reporting to the Cabinet Instead of boarding Office (ISBN 0114301166) 20 years passengers in the ago, turned out to be remarkably open, because the accurate in several respects. STOL aircraft will be electrically- powered they can  Urban centres were expected to operate out of implement measures to reduce station-style the impact of air polluting forms weather-proof of traffic. They have done, buildings. examples London and Nottingham.. Pulling alongside platforms, the ‘docking’ procedure  Car manufacturing would will be far simpler than a normal airport expand with foreign company - owned plants in the UK Horizontal rotors with heavy circular rims, here shown, open but, while on making increased use of the ground, normally concealed under domestic engineering supply sliding covers. The rotors are spun up chain firms. Today, this is a electrically using power supplied from notable success story led by the tug. When released, the craft will TATA/JLR and several rise to its normal altitude mainly powered by stored kinetic energy, Japanese firms. i.e. functioning as flywheels  Flywheel energy storage systems would be incorporated into vehicles. Now an established fact at the Stourbridge line. A very powerful, high speed tug designed with the help of F1 engineers will bring the craft up to a speed of 65mph when it  New categories of lightweight, lifts off. Then airborne but still attached accelerates to 200mph energy efficient trains would at which point it releases and climbs to begin its flight. come into use on the Network. This prospect is now becoming reality, boosted by a major government funded R&D initiative, the ‘Radical Train’ project.

One element of the Foresight Panel predictions which has not yet come about is the increased emphasis on STOL (short take off and landing) aircraft, but even this could change as a result of four emerging factors:-

1. Escalating costs of building cross country rail lines due to planning issues, suggests non-rail Small Ekranoplan as seen on BBC 2’s Top Gear programme, with alternatives should to be looked into. presenter James May on board flying over a frozen lake in Russia. 2. Improved battery electric storage capability leading to the first instances of success by electric cars competing against petroleum-fuelled models. 3. Widespread military use of new silent ’drones’, some electrically powered, in surveillance and combat roles. 4. Renewed interest in Russian developed ’Ground Effect’ (ekranoplan) flight which enables a craft, with a very low use of engine power, to skim like a seabird just above the surface of land, ice or water.

The illustrations above show a development concept via which battery electric power STOL aircraft, the range of which is greatly extended by using during take off power assisted launch systems, might provide near silent, non polluting travel between urban centres using ‘micro-airports’, no larger than 16 hectares in area.

Parry News compiled and produced by John Parry, Natalie Bryant, Paul Davis, Jane Taylor, Will Jarman & Margaret Macey. 8 n e w s