Parry People Mover

[xc170]

Do any of you know when its supposed to be delivered, we have waited long enough for the dam thing!

Adam

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

Is this for the Stourbridge line?

It has been delayed for health and safety reasons or something like that and required more time to be tested, although expected to begin services in the new year I do not know of a specific date.

 

[xc170]

Year stourbridge junction - town

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

Is that line still officially the shortest line in the country? I know some people do not like the PPM, purely for asthetic reasons but it is much more economically and environmenatlly efficient than a DMU over 0.3 miles of track.

 

[John_158]

It wont be the shortest for long though as don't forget that they are extending the line right through to the Town Centre.

I hope that they get it in passenger service soon though as will be interesting to see it and ride it as iam hoping to do another West Midlands Trip soon.

When i last visited i thought what a waste of resources this line was ie..Train Crewe and a Class 153 which could have been more useful attached to a 158 on the Liverpool-Norwich route.

I honestly do not know why they are bothering investing in the People Moover as the line is only obviousley still in use for Lazy people as it only takes less than 2minutes from End to End so it would only be a five to ten minute healthy walk.

Another waste of money i say !

Statement on LMs web site here :-

http://londonmidland.go-cms.co.uk/index.php/news/news_items/view/83

 

[xc170]

Well no its not really a waste of money, It will be more economical to use than a 153.

 

[John_158]

Not really when you take in to consideration the cost of maintaing the track and paying the driver when you could just rip up the line.

They would be better re-opening the St.Helens Ctl-Junction line and using one of theese on there.

 

[D306]

another reason apart from H+S is the fact that there's still driver training, as well as there only being one available at the moment. the second one is still being built

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

Not really when you take in to consideration the cost of maintaing the track and paying the driver when you could just rip up the line.

They would be better re-opening the St.Helens Ctl-Junction line and using one of theese on there.

A PPM is more economically efficient than a 153 in terms of fuel costs, maintenance etc.

And all that aside, they are much more environmentally friendly which is a benefit.

 

[Darandio]

although expected to begin services in the new year

Well that does give them 358 days!!!

 

[Techniquest]

Don't forget, if they had decided not to bother getting the PPMs for the line (as it's such a waste of time...), then line closure proposals would have to drawn up, time allowed for people to moan, blah blah blah. All the while the service would have to continue, using a 153.

Would rather it is run the way it is right now!

 

[WillPS]

Is there any actual point in this branch line? Do people use it, like a lot? And if so - why?

It's the equivelant of getting on a tram in Nottingham or Sheffield for like 2 stops!

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

I have often wondered why the line has'nt been closed before. Unusually, unlike many other similar cases the line has'nt been kept open as a Parliamentary service - it has been threatened with closure on a number of occasions. There are ideas/proposals that should the PPM service be a success the line could be extended into the town centre as a light rail service.

 

[fgwuser]

A PPM is more economically efficient than a 153 in terms of fuel costs, maintenance etc.

And all that aside, they are much more environmentally friendly which is a benefit.

It also provides an excellent opportunity to try out and demonstrate the technology and so help the development of a vehicle that might then be available for lines elsewhere in the country where re-opening with heavy rail isn't economically viable. Might have been a better bet for Cambridge -St Ives....

 

[djw1981]

Is there any actual point in this branch line? Do people use it, like a lot? And if so - why?

It's the equivelant of getting on a tram in Nottingham or Sheffield for like 2 stops!

The elderly, those with mobility issues, heavy bags etc. Surely this allows the town centre to have national rail access, which is something we are all supporting. maybe it will be a 'prototype' route for using PPM or similar to feed into heavy rail routes from town centres and retail parks etc. If people knew there would be c=good connections and such like this could return railways to being good local transport links.

Look at old maps of any area and see how close the stations were together, because they were for local passenger flows - look at the proximity of stations on trams, Metro, and London underground. lightrail has its' place, maybe only as a feeder to heavy rail, but that is still a vital function. How many rail stations have bus stops outside because the railway no loner serves the areas where people want to travel from and to.

 

[Phoenix]

Basically the Junction station is at the top of what I would one of those funking annoying hill hence the constant gradient on the branch and due to the fact the area is full of those whole would rather not live near Birmingham due to their age means that it's either bus train or nothing and due to it being such a short route and the fact there is a constant flow of people wanting to do the journey it is much better to just quickly shuttle the folk up to the top and back down again.
Also the PPM could finally make the branch line completly viable and this can also lead onto many other lines able to stay open or re-open.