A NEW VISION FOR LOCAL TRANSPORT

Parry People Movers Ltd

Overend Road, Cradley Heath, West Midlands, B64 7DD, UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 (0)1384 569553 Email: [email protected] HOW PERCEIVED A SHORT HISTORY THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE PASSENGER RAIL The answer OUR STORY began 20 years ago when, for to suit the tastes of customers with plenty to the need: the first time, concerns were beginning to of money: the most prosperous of the Lightweight be raised about whether it was possible to towns and cities of the industrialised rail and the provide for unlimited growth in personal world. innovative travel as part of town planning. PPM PPM35 For the rest, because there were roads of and . On the environmental front, worries were a sort connecting every part of every also being expressed about the urban town, obviously the only public transport Developed in concentration of vehicles propelled by that could be deployed would be buses. stages, and internal combustion engines, producing proven in a unhealthy amounts of noxious gases in the But there is always a problem with the bus variety of PPM50 local atmosphere. The world’s economies mode. The journey on a bus is as good or real public had already experienced the first and bad as the road that it runs along, and transport second ‘Oil Shocks’ and, instead of how much traffic is likely to get in the operations, scrapping street running railways — way. In Britain, while car manufacturers the ‘People Mover’ and streetcar systems (as they were called provide many vehicles capable of ‘Class 139’: PPM60 differently in Europe and the USA) — a exceeding 100 mph, traffic conditions in employs few cities with foresight had been most urban areas restrict average speeds . This technology, preserving old systems and building new to one-tenth of that speed. Traffic once regarded as a throwback, is now ones. But the emphasis at that time was conflicts result in the experience being far established as a sensible traction solution all towards lavishly built and equipped from steady and smooth, whereas by train for branch line rail services and for smaller ‘supertram’ systems. One small voice (on segregated routes) or tram (with street tram systems. could have been heard at the time in a suitable traffic control measures), report by Britain’s National Technology journeys are smooth, steady and Now in daily service on the Stourbridge Foresight Programme published in 1996: predictable. Rail journey times are Town branch in the West Midlands, part ‘The capital cost of conventional Metro/ generally far quicker than on a congested of the franchise, PPM Supertram systems limits them to urban road – but expensive to introduce. vehicles are providing unprecedented areas which have large populations and levels of economy both in terms of high density movement corridors. A new The causes of the high expense associated running costs and environmental impact. lighter, cheaper mode is needed for all with trams and trains are: The People Mover concept is ready to those towns which cannot meet the solve the transport needs of many urban requirements for a supertram but which Excessive weight because local trains and rural communities. still have problems to solve in their are built to standards common to all centres.’ including high speed units. The solution: ‘MISLAS’

This was the era when the prospect of Reliance on powerful electric current to ‘Make It Safe, Light And using battery electric propulsion in place power the on board motors. This creates Simple’ of internal combustion engines became a the need for expensive safety materials serious objective. By 1997 there were 35 on board, and major provision to insulate different forms of battery undergoing the areas surrounding the electrical research and development. Meanwhile, paths of conventional electric there had been a small hint, in a massive tramways. report, suggesting that another technology should be investigated: Over specification ‘Lack of progress in battery development compared, for instance, has encouraged investigation of other with buses, technologies. An alternative way of which have the storing energy is a flywheel.....’ benefit of long — 18th Report on Transport and the Environment, production Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, 1994 A traditional town runs. centre has a library, cafes,

Our researches, meanwhile, identified pubs, shops, places of worship and that railways and tramways had a railway station, but no swift and concentrated nearly all their resources convenient way of travelling into higher specification systems designed between them. AFFORDABLE URBAN AND RURAL TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS PROVEN IN SERVICE HOW A LIGHTWEIGHT APPROACH AND HYBRID DRIVELINE CHANGES EVERYTHING! Greatly enhanced fuel efficiency and lower emissions figures are the result of our new approach to rail technology for smaller branch lines and tramways. Compare the traction arrangements below:

Capacity: 85 Passengers Capacity: 60 Passengers

MANY OF BRITAIN’s existing branch lines — urban and rural — depend on railcars which are also designed for high speed mainline operation. An example is the Class 153 single-car ‘’ diesel unit, previously used on the Stourbridge Town branch. These have 285hp, 14-litre engines suited to 75mph regional service, and were a wasted resource on a short branch line with stops close together and 20mph maximum speed. rather than the demands of a local service with frequent stops.

The Stourbridge shuttle is now run by PPM Class 139s. These have much smaller engines — 60hp and 2.3 litres — but equivalent performance: a result of using a hybrid driveline. The Class 139s are able to use a much smaller engine, as a result of a ‘hybrid’ arrangement. An underfloor flywheel stores any surplus energy providing additional acceleration even up a steep gradient. Energy normally wasted as heat during braking is returned back to the spinning flywheel, ready for use when next required. Local residents appreciate the new railcars which, compared to the ’Sprinters’ are perceived as almost silent, and emitting no diesel fumes.

Standard gauge People Movers can be powered by LPG, ’bio-gas’, diesel or — with an electric motor — charged at station stops. In all cases, this innovative power system gives the smooth power delivery, and quiet passenger experience, associated with electric trams...... but without their huge costs for electrification and infrastructure!

Stourbridge Town Depot With the Class 139, maintenance and repair is carried out at a small depot on the branch, there is no need to venture out on to the main line. A Class 139 dedicated to a particular branch line need never leave its home. Conventional trains — larger, faster and better suited to longer and busier routes — can be freed up to undertake more demanding services elsewhere.

ONE CAR ENGINE TRANSPORTS SIXTY PASSENGERS WHILE THE SAME ENGINE ON THE ROAD RARELY PROPELS MORE THAN TWO... IMPROVED SERVICES WITH CUTS TO CARBON EMISSIONS & FUEL COSTS IN THEIR FIRST intensive seven-day-a-week operation, Parry People Movers Class 139 railcars are providing the best ever service on the branch line at Stourbridge. As a result of a quick turnaround procedure and brisk acceleration, the Class 139s run six return services every hour—while heavy rail rolling stock could only provide around four.

1 hour

While the passenger space on the new railcars limits numbers to 60 per trip, there is capacity to carry 720 passengers in a single direction each hour. The heavy rail Class 153 which previously performed the service could only provide 680 one-way passenger trips in an hour, with a fully-loaded capacity of about 85 passengers on each trip.

The improved energy performance of the new Class 139 railcars has made big inroads into the quantity of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. It is calculated that the heavy rail units, while performing the Stourbridge service, produced 809 kg of CO2 per day. The new Class 139s have brought this down to only 240 kg of CO2 per day, all this despite offering the public those extra two return services every hour.

The cost of putting fuel into a vehicle has been rising. Public transport operators once treated fuel as a minor cost compared with wages and the lease of the vehicle — not any more.

A single railway carriage or bus can consume £1000 worth of fuel in a week at current costs. The Class 139 railcar, with an engine only the size of a medium-sized family car incurs a fuel bill less than half the cost of other modes.

Less CO2, less cost

A FUEL BILL LESS THAN HALF THE COST OF OTHER MODES PROVEN IN SERVICE ADAPTABLE INTERNAL LAYOUT PASSENGER TESTIMONIALS “We enjoyed our return trip over the The passenger compartment can be laid out in accordance with the requirements branch and thought the vehicle most of the operator. Seats can be arranged longitudinally, or facing forwards and pleasant to ride in. For a small vehicle, the climbing ability on the return back. Tip-up seats can be installed to provide for wheelchairs, bicycles or heavy journey from the Town to Junction was luggage. The arrangement shown provides plenty impressive, and it really was the highlight of our day to sample of floor space for members of this novel new technology in the public choosing to stand rail travel” ADRIAN WILLATS, in an for short trips, or at times e-mail received by PPM of heavy passenger on 11th October 2009 loading. "That's a definite plus. That's lovely!" A PRAM-PUSHING MOTHER's reaction to PPM 50 railcar's level access from the platform at Stourbridge Junction, 25th June 2006 ‘PANORAMIC’ PPM RAILCARS There are many reasons to prefer a ride on a PPM railcar over a conventional heavy rail unit. Aside from the economies of operation, there is the visual experience enjoyed by the passengers on board. The panoramic 360 degree view that the Class 139 railcar offers is an improvement on the limited view of the passing scenery from a conventional train.

The controls are simple: A relaxing ambience one lever for the brakes and one controlling speed and direction. Driver attentiveness is monitored and a foot pedal must be pressed several times each minute to prevent the brakes from being applied automatically. The instruments indicate the speed and condition of the railcar.

Looe Valley background image: Peter Whatley (Geograph Project Collection) TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR OPERATORS THE ABILITY to maintain public transport vehicles in fully serviceable condition is crucial. Parry People Movers’ railcars are designed to be maintained in facilities with no more complex equipment than a small bus garage. Components such as engines, gearboxes, door mechanisms and controls and instrumentation are supported by the firms that originally manufactured them, or by their agents. Fitters employed to maintain the vehicles on site have the facility of a comprehensive, fully illustrated manual which provides reference back to the identity, properties and sources of the consumables needed to maintain an efficient service.

Ease of maintenance is a key part of the Parry People Movers philosophy. If routine examinations find damaged components parts, most replacement tasks can be carried out through convenient lift-out floor panels. Created with the experience of the first year of operation at Stourbridge, the illustrated manual (right) has been created as a clear visual guide to assist in all aspects of railcar technical support. THE PASSENGERS THE MANUAL

Families use the railcars Commuters gather ready to board as the railcar Sociable groups of older and find the level access draws into Stourbridge Town station — the high citizens frequently travel convenient for pushchairs and trolleys frequency service avoids platform overcrowding outside peak hours.

Wheelchair users disembark Commuters and students crowd on board at Scruffy the dog and his friend Shelly without need for a ramp the start of the working day are always welcome on the railcars BRANCH LINE REVIVAL

THE DEMISE OF the branch line in the 1960s led to a network of carefully engineered transport corridors facing an uncertain future. A number of these live on as preserved railways, making a significant contribution to local economies. However, they are run as museums and the nature of their patronage means that their rails are only busy at certain times of the day, and are quiet when local roads are at their most congested. Looking Above: An extract from Parry Associates’ beyond the gleaming steam engines and milk churns, survey of branch lines with renewed these branch lines, with carefully integrated light rail public transport vehicles, could play a vital role in everyday local life. potential Those lines that appear to have vanished beneath the undergrowth are still being rediscovered by astute developers and industrious community groups. PPM railcars really can bridge gaps and enable

Above: An the revival of branch line passenger services for artist’s impression of the PPM 90, a fraction of the cost of a new train service, designed with ‘community railways’ in mind light rail route or bus rapid transit project. MODULAR BUILDING BLOCKS: MATCHING VEHICLE DESIGN TO OPERATORS’ NEEDS SALOON & OPTIONAL ENDS Passenger capacity increased with multi-section vehicles

PPM RAIL VEHICLES are built from modular units. Anticipating demand for larger vehicles than the PPM 60 type SPACEFRAME (currently in service on the Stourbridge Town branch), the PPM 90 and CHASSIS larger derivatives are being developed to meet the needs of lines up to 10 miles in length. PPM was primarily developed as a low-floor vehicle concept, modified with a simple frame to suit taller platforms. For low-floor urban versions, the ‘spaceframe’ module between the chassis and body is simply omitted. Cabs can be replaced with a passenger-space end unit to create two- and three-car vehicles. The driveline can be specified to suit the nature of the service, depending on running speeds and gradients. Larger vehicles will use components already proven on one of the the UK’s most intensive railway services. They will share the PPM 60’s accessible driveline fit for purpose, robust, but specified to keep costs within sensible, sustainable limits. PPM 60 LOW FLOOR PPM PPM 120

PPM 200 CLASS 139 RAILCARS: SUSTAINED RELIABILITY Trips operated as a percentage of the timetabled service Service runs seven days a week with weekday departure every 10 minutes

Comment by: LORD ANDREW ADONIS Former Secretary of State for Transport ‘In Stourbridge, the innovative “Parry People Mover” is providing a brilliant tram-style service on the branch line from Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town — a much more frequent service than when it was a conventional train, and far more energy efficient. Labour candidate Lynda Waltho persuaded my predecessor to 6 MONTH AVERAGE: fund the scheme, and John Parry, 99.2% the entrepreneur behind it, is an evangelist for its potential to expand rail access, economically, in other towns and cities.’ — after visiting Stourbridge on 13th April 2010

PRESS RELEASE: “London Midland’s Stourbridge Shuttle hits

14th May 2010 99% reliability and carries more passengers than ever”

London Midland's Stourbridge Shuttle has achieved over 99 per cent reliability in service and is carrying more passengers than ever, according to latest figures.

Each week, the Parry People Movers Class 139 railcars run over 1,300 trips in passenger service along the branch line between Stourbridge Town and Junction.

The Stourbridge Town branch is operated to an intensive timetable with just two minutes allowed between arrival and departure for most of the day on Mondays to Saturdays, making it an especially challenging environment for rail operations. The latest figures refer to the period from November 2009 to April 2010.

On April 30 over 1,900 passenger journeys were recorded in a single day for the first time since the lightweight railcars commenced operations. In the same week another first was achieved when over 10,000 passenger journeys were made on the line. In the six months from November to April, over 220,000 passenger journeys were made on board the railcars.

London Midland managing director, Mike Hodson, said: “After a period of bedding down and gathering experience with this new technology, this operation is becoming an integrated part of our busy network.”

John Parry, chairman of Parry People Movers Ltd, added: “We are delighted to see our railcars providing the people of Stourbridge with this rail service, and doing it well.”