Adaptable Carriage
Government funding secured to develop Adaptable Carriage system that will create space for cargo on passenger trains.
PRODUCT development company 42 Technology has secured £350,000 worth of Government funding towards developing a system that can turn passenger carriages into goods vehicles.
The Adaptable Carriage system allows seats and tables to be stowed within three minutes, creating space for cargo that would normally be sent by road. 42 Technology envisages the system being employed on quieter off-peak services to carry low-density, highvalue goods. It could also be used to create storage space for wheelchairs and bicycles, if required.
The firm has been awarded the funding by Innovate UK to “further de-risk the technology and provide access to organisations to help demonstrate its feasibility and value to the rail and logistics industry”, according to Zane van Romunde, Transport Sector Lead at 42 Technology.
A pilot testing programme is expected to commence later this year, with Porterbrook supplying rolling stock for the trials. RAIL understands the tests are likely to use either an off-lease Class 319 electric multiple unit or a ‘769’ Flex bi-mode unit.
“We are in the process of identifying a suitable test vehicle for the trials,” Rupert BrennanBrown, Head of Communications and Engagement at Porterbrook, told RAIL.
In its submission to Innovate UK, 42 Technology claimed the rail industry could generate £20 billion a year by moving goods in unused passenger seat capacity. It further claimed that city centre to city centre deliveries could be sped up by 40% compared with using road haulage companies.
Based on 20 rows of seats being compressed, the company estimates each could have the equivalent cargo space of an articulated lorry.
van Romunde claimed the system could be installed on new-build trains as part of the original specification, or retrofitted during refurbishment schedules.
“Adaptable Carriage has been specifically designed as a flexible modular system. It has no impact on current carriage layouts and can accommodate whatever number of tables or seat formats are required by train operators. In theory, all new-build trains could encompass the system,” he added.
van Romunde told RAIL the firm is in talks with a number of train operators, both in the UK and overseas, but declined to provide further details. He said the company has also spoken to “a number of logistics companies”, although RAIL understands that at least one high-profile delivery firm is working on a similar concept.
“They are excited at the prospect of being able to use existing spare capacity within the rail network to carry cargo into city centres,” he added.
“It would help them to tackle growing public concerns about inner-city noise and emissions, and is ideally suited for integration with the low-carbon last-mile delivery network.”