parry rail cars

An organisation that i belong to has recently been talking about using these light weight rail cars to provide a service should they take over a local disused branch, how suitable are these for a heritage railway type of operation with gradients of 1 in 30 , i would prefer a normal heavy rail dmu myself as i dont think that people would want to visit a branch line to ride in modern traction, how good are these units at dealing with heavy gradients ,i also prefer the mechnanical dmu because these can double up as loco hauled once you get a steam loco which given the nature of the line would be the main attraction

 

We had one at Wirksworth and although I didn't have much to do with it, it never seemed to be that good (ours was a prototype I believe). We never used it in service and I only saw it move once. I think they are much better at stop/start than longer runs as well. You would be much better getting a DMU of some description - maybe a 121 or 122 to begin with as these provide above 50 seats.

 

well like i said my preferance would be for a heritage dmu because it would fit in to the heritage plan plus being vacuum braked you can use them as loco hauled stock as mk1 s in fair condition dont come on the market that often unless someone has a couple they wish to donate should we be in a possition to take the branch over the branch in question is only just over a mile long , but it heavily graded downhill from the network rail junction to the station and the return is up a 1 in 30 all the way to the junction, its the repeated full power/ heavy brake use that concerns me and i dont think that a light weight rail car would be up to it

 

That'll be Folkestone, then.

Perhaps the EKR might be willing to help out with a MLV (using battery power). Together with a suitable EMU driving trailer, Bob's yer mother's brother. Appropriate for that line, too - more so than a DMMU.

As, of course, would be a pannier tank.

 

thanks for that, i will investigate that with the comittee and theEKR we might need to come to some working arrangement after all we are both very close neibours and should the campain fail, we will be looking for a home for Antwerp once restored,so it would do us good to have good relations with all the local preserved railways as regards a pannier we do have links with KESR ,but i would prefer a couple of terriers pushing and pulling as a one week end special thats my wish should we ever get off the ground, to raise some funds

 

The people movers might not be so good on gradient though due to the fact they don't weigh anything and have relatively little power in comparison to a DMU. Possibility of wheelslip?

 

i am not even sure that they have been tested on anything more substantial than 1 in 80 i guess the answer would be to see what the outcome with NR and borrow one
i would guess that low adheasion weight could be a factor , do they float?? because if the brakes dont hold you could end up getting the paddles out, Folkestone to france without changing, hummm ?? might be on to something here (only joking) orif you stall on the climb get out and push i guess would be the order of the day

 

I went to a Ins Mech Eng presentation where we had a presentation about these (I hasten to add most in the room were automotive based!). Based on good principals (i.e. using commonly available parts, like a Transit van engine), and indeed it has a horizontally mounted rotating flywheel.
Rail adhesion was one of my concerns, but it also has no way of connecting to anything else (and he seemed rather proud of the fact?!!), meaning you couldn't get the 08 out and recover / tow it in a failure situation (or provide assistance in during poor conditions), no coupling hook / plug, brake systems different etc. Thinking of brakes, I am racking my brains to remember if it had disc brakes (ref the recent RAIB investigation with leaf issues / slippage caused by debris build up on disc braked wheels of a multiple unit)....
Good concept, but over priced and only sensible in a self contained system running several of the units (and maybe one more level than your's), but might be worth offering him the chance of trialling it?.... I might still have my notes if your interested....

 

two of our members did infact have a tour of the works and several trips on the stourbridge line , but i am not convinced that they are suitable, mostly because of the recovery issues, and low adheasion of these units on a heavily graded line the members involved seemed to think that they would convince our local council that its a good idea for a limited public service but i would guess that a DMU would be cheeper and to my view more flexible , ie vacuumed braked, and could be used as back up loco hauled stock

 

Recovery is a big concern. You don't want the thing stuck in the event of a failure! I suspect that kind of vehicle works better in constant use rather than an occasional thing.

 

Having thought the PPM would struggle during the recent inclement weather I can happily report that it has worked daily without any problems, it seems to have coped with the icy rails/gradient and has run to time. I have had my doubts about the concept and at times thought we should return the 'tin rocket' to the branch but my view has changed and with further development such as a bogie version prehaps this will become the way forward for little used lines.

 

I see that the Remembrance Line Association,the group who intend to make a community railway out of the Folkestone Harbour Branch have plans for a PPM operation. It is intended to use the up line of the branch,operating from a park and ride/new interchange at Folkestone Junction. Descending the branch ,the PPM would turn right after crossing the swingbridge and proceed via tramlines along Marine Parade to link up with the hydraulic lifts at the base of the Leas Cliff. From what has been said about the super reliability of the PPM-the 1 in 30 should be no trouble. Passengers would then find themselves 100metres from the town centre. The down line would be retained for heavy rail charters,local services and boat trains. The latter would rely upon a projected new cross channel ferry link being established with Boulogne. These guys have really got it worked out-hope their brilliant scheme comes together for them.

 

If the experience at stourbridge is anything to go by then the concept is sound , the only limiting factor as i can see is capacity, so a bogie version might be a good move, Perries could always test any new concept on the branch should the RLA get use of the branch .
but it still comes down to the big question, what reason would the public come to the line and would they accept riding in something that looks like a bus, rather than something that looks heritage bearing in mind that the main aim is to link a park and ride with the historic leas lifts, maybe if the parry had the old tram type bodywork with low entrance steps it might be commercially viable? and an attraction, and could be viewed as an extension of the journey from the lifts as you would be travelling on something that looks from the same era