Pre Metro is working with Lightweight Community Transport Limited (LCT) to retrofit the former PPM Car 12 Railcar.
Car 12 first made an appearance on the Network in 2005 as number 999900, when it was used for an experimental service on Sundays to prove the viability of a low-cost light rail service on the Stourbridge Branch Line.
That experimental service would eventually become today’s Stourbridge Shuttle.
The prototype Railcar was later sold to LCT and transferred to the Severn Valley Railway, where it unfortunately suffered vandalism and graffiti attacks, leaving it in a state of disrepair.
With the growing focus on sustainable and innovative transport solutions, the potential of Car 12 has once again come into the spotlight
The vehicle has now been retrieved from Severn Valley Railway and cleaned up at Dudley’s Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC).
The restoration marks the beginning of a new phase in its lifecycle, as the Railcar is set to play a crucial role in testing and developing cutting-edge light rail technologies.
Pre Metro has signed an agreement with Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) for a workspace to restore, modify and test the vehicle.
On the 30th of July, Pre Metro and LCT teams met at the centre to plan the potential work, including the different potential fuel sources and the possible replacement of the original flywheel with battery technology.
Speaking afterwards, Pre Metro’s Managing Director, Phil Evans, said: “We are looking forward to using Car 12 – a vehicle that has already proven its value in the past – as a testbed for lightweight technology to assist in extending the lifecycle of the Stourbridge Shuttle vehicles.”
“We remain fully committed to low-cost, environmentally friendly vehicles.”
With this new lease on life, it’s hoped that this two-decade-old innovation can continue to trailblaze as a testbed for new technology with industry experts driving the project forward.