Parry People Movers - Class 139

[Mordac]

I do wonder how they stay in business.

They're contracted to operate the Stourbridge service I believe.

 

[sd0733]

That's pretty much correct, the Stourbridge PPMs are crewed and operated by Pre Metro Operations who I believe operate as a kind of Open Access TOC. PMO is owned by Parry though.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Isn't the dual-manning at least partly a way of cutting down turnaround times? I.e. both staff members are driver/guard, and alternate based on direction?

 

[gingerheid]

I do wonder how they stay in business.

There was an insolvency in the group https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01121110/insolvency

I think they sell other stuff abroad though - they have a range of similarly simple alternatives to more expensive products that are quite popular in developing countries.

 

[47802]

Maybe time for a 2 car D train, one route where you wouldn't have to bother changing the seating

 

[thenorthern]

Parry People Movers are rather like VivaRail, CityTram and other companies trying to enter the railway business. Its a very competitive business that unless you are a multi-national company its very hard to get into.

I am only guessing but I think the Class 230 D trains would struggle to work the Stourbridge Town Branch as its got a gradient of 1 in 27 or something like that which is quite steep.

 

[edwin_m]

There was an insolvency in the group https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01121110/insolvency

I think they sell other stuff abroad though - they have a range of similarly simple alternatives to more expensive products that are quite popular in developing countries.

"Appropriate technology", like machines to manufacture bricks and tiles from local materials on remote sites in developing countries. Their premises are largely constructed from bricks and tiles they made themselves.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Isn't the dual-manning at least partly a way of cutting down turnaround times? I.e. both staff members are driver/guard, and alternate based on direction?

Don't think so as every time I've been on it the driver has changed ends each trip and the guard has stayed the guard.

I do seem to recall, however, that they can both do the other job and do take turns in being rostered thus.

 

[birchesgreen]

Its dual manned because London Midland don't do DOO.

 

[Camden]

Give the D stocks spent their days emerging and descending on the underground network, I'd be surprised if they were unable to handle the gradients. I think it would only make sense if the branch could be integrated into a longer route though.

 

[edwin_m]

Its dual manned because London Midland don't do DOO.

Unlikely to be the reason, as the shuttle is run by a different company under some kind of sub-franchise agreement with LM. It obviously has its own safe operating rules and what happens on the rest of LM has no influence on whether DOO would be allowed here.

The reason is more likely to be that the design of the drive system doesn't allow for the sort of failsafe measure that would be required. This is one of the areas where I mentioned above the vehicle is simple and unsophisticated/ Designing the necessary features and more importantly producing a safety case for them would most likely be prohibitive when the only benefit is saving one crew member on the shuttle. If the conductor is needed for revenue protection there's little point in having DOO anyway.

 

[Firesprite]

Parry People Movers are rather like VivaRail, CityTram and other companies trying to enter the railway business. Its a very competitive business that unless you are a multi-national company its very hard to get into.

I am only guessing but I think the Class 230 D trains would struggle to work the Stourbridge Town Branch as its got a gradient of 1 in 27 or something like that which is quite steep.

They never had any problems with the 1 in 30 gradients on the East London line when in D78 mode. The branch would be ideal for the battery version

 

[Crossover]

Isn't the dual-manning at least partly a way of cutting down turnaround times? I.e. both staff members are driver/guard, and alternate based on direction?

No, the guard/driver retain the same role for a period of time, doing both up and down services. All staff who operate it do both roles however, and I think they swap periodically (every hour or so?) probably in part to break the monotony (and maybe also before a driver gets completely hacked off with the DRA! :P)