People Movers

Ultra Light Rail

PPM 60 Railcar No 139 002 approaches Stourbridge Town on 12th May 2009

The People Mover concept, also known as Ultra Light Rail, involves the use of small, lightweight railcars to convey passengers over a usually short dedicated link.

One type of vehicle, designed to operate on pre-existing rail lines, is the Parry People Mover. This is based around independently operating vehicles with flywheel energy storage, the flywheels being charged electrically at stations. The Parry People Mover has been in revenue earning service for several years between Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town.

Other types of People Mover exist, and these have typically found applications in places such as airports and large shopping malls.

Parry People Mover on conventional rail lines

Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town

The service on the short branch line connecting Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town is a National Rail franchised service, the franchisee being West Midlands Railway. Two Parry People Mover railcars are in use.

Very Light Rail

Airport People Movers

Each of the following systems operates with two trains of small vehicles, one train on each of two parallel tracks. The trains can thus operate independently of one another without the need of signals.

Birmingham Airport Skyrail

Links Terminal 1 with Birmingham International rail station, 585m on viaduct. The system uses two single, articulated cars and is cable hauled. It opened in 2003, on the route of the original maglev system that operated from 1984 to 1995. Built by Doppelmayr Cable Car.

Birmingham Interchange HS2 People Mover

Proposed people mover which will connect Birmingham Interchange High Speed 2 station, currently under construction, with the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham International station on the West Coast Main Line, and Birmingham Airport. Part of the route will replace the existing Skyrail.

Gatwick Airport People Mover

A 1.2km link on viaduct between the North and South terminals. The system was originally installed in the 1980s but largely replaced and updated in 2010 by Bombardier.

Heathrow Airport People Mover

Links the T5 landside terminal with the remote Concourse A, and from 2011 with Concourse B. The eventual total length will be 670m, all in tunnel. The first section of the system opened in 2008. Built by Bombardier.

Luton Airport DART

People mover linking the airport with Luton Airport Parkway rail station.

Stansted Airport Track Transit System

Links the main terminal building with satellite buildings 1 and 2. The total length is 3.2km, above ground and in tunnel. The first section of the system opened in 1991, with the extension to building 2 in 1998. It has 9 cars organised into 4 car trains with a spare. The builders, ADtranz, subsequently became part of Bombardier and the technology is similar to that at Gatwick.