News from Ferry Meadows Railway in Peterborough is that they have started building a new tram for the railway. It will be some 38 feet long and 34 inches wide and will consist of two 12 seat cars with a power bogie in the middle. Capacity will be 24 passengers or 20 passengers and a wheelchair or prams in one of the middle compartments. The tram will be powered by a new twin cylinder Kubota linked to a 1100 variable speed Eaton hydraulic unit. Controlled from either end it will be operated by a single person with no need to use the turntables at both ends of the line.
Although it will only be able to carry passengers on the lower deck it will appear to be an open top double-decker from the period 1910-15; it won’t be a replica owing to the need to make it narrow gauge and keep its stability on 10.1/4 inch track. Nevertheless the plan is to keep as many original style of fittings as practicable.
Two bogies are almost complete and work has started on the power bogie, the plan is for testing and painting by October/November 2015. A fuller article and pictures will appear in due course.
