Pre Metro Operations Limited

Pre Metro Operations Ltd (PMOL) provides the operational input for lightweight rail services.  The company is the subcontract operator of passenger rail services on the Stourbridge Town branch in the West Midlands, UK, on behalf of the franchised train operating company London Midland.  Under this arrangement, PMOL employs the operating staff and assures the operation and maintenance of two Class 139 railcars built by Parry People Movers Ltd.

The operation at Stourbridge is a world first – a full passenger service on a branch line of the national rail network but run as a segregated operation using innovative and environmentally-friendly lightweight railcars and service-specific staff.

PMOL was formed in 1999 to provide operational guidance and experience in the provision of public passenger transport services and has been licensed by the Rail Regulator to operate services and run a maintenance depot on the national rail network.  The company has also received approval for its tramway safety case and plans to provide future tramway and rural railway services in accordance with specifications established by transport service commissioning organisations and other customers requiring PMOL’s specialist input.

From 11th December 2005 until 17th December 2006, Pre Metro Operations Ltd ran public rail services on Sundays over the branch line between Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town, part of the national Network Rail system.  This operation used a lightweight railcar from Parry People Movers Ltd , the first passenger service of its kind, and achieved punctuality and reliability of 99%.  Over 4,000 journeys were run during the year's experimental service, which were funded by Centro and the Strategic Rail Authority.

Delivering a vehicle to a line using temporary ramp
A combination of established and new skills is needed to handle the issues arising where railway and tramway applications merge. These include specification, commissioning with civil and mechanical engineering design, health and safety management, driver training, technical support and passenger information systems, all playing a part in the whole implementing and operating concept. In addition to the accommodation of heavy and light rail management and culture, the typical model involves many interfaces with bus operations, local bus companies being the most likely source of drivers and managers for new systems.
Pre Metro Operations Ltd’s team is qualified to bridge the interface between heavy and light rail and bus operation. Under the current national plan for ‘Community Railways’ certain short branch lines will be converted to light rail type operation. PMOL will be the source of knowledge and skill to bring this about.	Route learning and driver training