Launch

Made by Serif

The economical and ecological way to revive Britain's branch lines

David Bathurst (left), Alex Lawrie (right)

Report by Eric Alexander, an interested member of the public from High Wycombe

“The meeting comprised a demonstration of the preferred vehicle, a Parry People Mover (PPM), interposed between two discussion sessions.

Attendance

“Invitations had been sent to approximately 250 members of the public, shareholders in either the Centre for Alternative Technology or in GoAhead.

“Five members of the public attended: a couple from High Wycombe, a couple from Ludlow, and a man from Birmingham. Five people involved in running the company also attended, including one from the Wensleydale Railway, one from the Chasewater (Staffs) line, and a representative of manufacturer Parry.

PPM demonstration

“This took place on a short stretch of track extending from a platform at Stourbridge Junction. The vehicle demonstrated had been successfully tested in public use during 2006 on the branch line to Stourbridge Town: our driver had gained experience during this period. The line is due to adopt a permanent LCT service in the near future, using a more modern version of the PPM, working on the same principles.

“The PPM works as a single-decked, single-car tram. The driving force is a belt-driven flywheel, mounted horizontally under the floor and powered in bursts from a conventional engine. Maintenance is easy, since access to the drive mechanism is through the floor. The engine also powers an alternator to charge a 24V battery, which provides all electrical requirements.

“The preferred engine at the moment is a two-litre propane-combustion engine. A mains-powered electric alternative has been trialled: it requires stopping places for drawing power at regular intervals along the route.

“Once the flywheel is set in motion, the engine can be switched off until more power is required. On the downhill stretch from Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town, one burst was found to be sufficient for the whole journey: in the opposite direction, the engine needed to be run for most of the way. The PPM should be capable of tackling existing uphill railway gradients of any length and steepness.

“The vehicle is lightweight, economical and quiet: its appearance is modern and attractive. Our driver said the essentials of driving could be learned in five minutes. The manufacturer sells the vehicles at £700,000 per pair. No company other than Parry has yet designed a vehicle that so precisely meets the needs of LCT.

Discussions

“The company is confident that LCT has a niche between heavy rail and bus, where it can provide the most economical and energy-efficient service. It has been set up as an industrial and provident society, simplifying management but limiting financial rewards for individual directors.

“It seeks to raise £250,000 in the short term to finance earliest implementation phases, starting with services running on existing track such as the Stourbridge branch line.

“For the present phase of investment, individual investments are limited to £20,000, with a minimum sum of £500. It will be a few years before investors can expect financial returns, but they should be good in the long term.”

LCT launch, Stourbridge 26th September 2008