Parry People Movers Ltd, the successor to the company that built the two Class 139 vehicles which operate on the Stourbridge branch, is putting forward the idea of double-deck trams based on the ‘139s’.
The company notes that conventional double-deck buses are more successful than longer, articulated ‘bendy’ single-deck buses in urban areas. Its latest newsletter says: “A lot can be learned from the modern bus industry, especially about the size and configuration of vehicles and construction of bodywork. By constructing an additional top deck on a derivative of the Class 139 railcar, the existing 60 passenger capacity can be increased to over 100 even allowing for space needed for stairs between the decks.”
The PPM double-deck tram will have normal stairs between decks plus a compact passenger lift, the newsletter says.
- For more on this, read RAIL 789, published on December 9.
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Andrewjgwilt1989 - 01/12/2015 23:43
But the Stourbridge Town line isn't as busy and I think there should be plans to extend the trains from just 1 carriage to 2 or 3 carriages instead of making it double decker as the Class 139 could be replaced by the Class 230 D-Trains if possible.
Andrewjgwilt1989 - 01/12/2015 23:46
And the platform at Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town stations may not be expanded as the Class 230's would be 2 carriages to operate on that branch line.