GB2350828A

GB2350828A - Passenger railway vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2350828A
Application number: GB9913004A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Howard Groves
Original assignee: DCA Design International Ltd
Current assignee: DCA Design International Ltd
Priority date: 1999-06-05
Filing date: 1999-06-05
Publication date: 2000-12-13
Also published as: GB9913004D0

Abstract

The vehicle, for accommodating passengers on two levels, has a main body (15) mounted on sets of wheels located towards each end of the vehicle. The body (15) has a portion (16) located between the wheels and extending downwardly below platform height. The body area between the wheels defines upper and lower seating areas 17, 21 and each seating area has sets of seats facing one another. The sets of seats (17) in the upper seating area are accommodated between the sets of facing seats (21) in the lower seating area. There is a walkway (22) which gives access to both sets of seat via steps which is generally of the level of the platform (L).

Description

2350828 DCA RAILWAY VEHICLE This invention relates -to railway vehicles

and in particular to such vehicles for accommodating passengers, often termed railway carriages.

Railway carriages have strict limitations in relation to their height and width. This has 5 hitherto made it difficult to have seating at two levels and has restricted the passenger W capacity of such vehicles, particularly those used in the United Kingdom An increase in the passenger capacity for each carriage is desirable to give better utilisation 0 of carriages and to enable trains of the existing lengths to carry more passengers, particularly at peak travel periods. Often the number of carriages in a train is restricted by platform lengths so to achieve increased capacity for a given train length it is necessary to increase the passenger capacity of individual carriages.

It has been proposed to increase carriage capacity by providing seating at two levels within a carriage. This has been found to be relatively straight forward when carriage height is more than double the height of the passengers. The passengers can then stand up in the upper and the lower areas of the vehicle. Where vehicle height is insufficient such an arrangement is not easily achieved. Such is usually the case in the United Kingdom where dimensional limitations are greater than in some other countries.

An object of the invention is to provide a railway vehicle with additional seating capacity compared with prior vehicles.

According to the invention there is provided a railway vehicle for accommodating passengers, comprising a main body mounted on sets of wheels located towards each end of the vehicle, the body defining a space in which passengers are to be seated, the body extending downwards below platform height in the region between the wheels and upwardly towards a height defined by the gauge restrictions, the body space between the wheels DCA 2 defining upper and lower seating areas, each seating area having sets of seats facing one another and the sets of facing seats in the upper seating area being accommodated between the sets of facing seats in the lower seating area. By platform height is meant the height of conventional platforms by which passengers gain access to the vehicle, or the level of doors 5 into the vehicle where platforms are not employed.

Preferably access to the seats is obtained by a walkway extending longitudinally of the vehicle at a level between the upper and lower sets of seats. Conveniently said walkway is to one side of the vehicle and at or above the level of the platform.

The walkway may be at or about the same level throughout the length of the vehicle.

The vehicle may have access doors towards the ends of the vehicle but other access doors may be provided, for example centrally along the vehicle, with a transversely directed part of the walkway providing a throughway between the central doors.

Towards the ends of the vehicle there may be provided other seating areas for locating seats at or about the platform level and over the wheels.

By this arrangement the upper and lower seating areas are provided with adequate head room for the passengers in each area. The height in the lower area is achieved by positioning the lower area between sets of seats in the upper area. Access to the seats in the upper and lower areas from the walkway is achieved by steps up and steps down respectively from the walkway.

As well as enabling a higher seating capacity in the vehicle the arrangement also provides for access to the seating areas along the walkway which is at a constant or almost constant level not requiring passengers to step up or down in passing along the walkway, and obtaining convenient access for catering trolleys, wheeled luggage, push chairs etc.

DCA 3 Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig 1 is a schematic side elevation revealing the interior of a railway carriage, Fig 2 is a side elevation, Fig 3 is an isometric view showing the internal passenger space, Fig 4 is a view corresponding to Fig 3 showing the space from another direction, and Fig 5 is an end view of the carriage Referring to the drawings a railway carriage is shown which is intended to provide seating for passengers. The carriage is intended to be linked end to end with other carriages and is mounted on sets of wheels 10 and 11 located towards opposite ends of the carriage. There are also provided doors 12 and 13 also towards opposite ends of the carriage and to opposite sides of the carriage, the doors providing access for passengers entering the carriage, usually from a platform which is located at or about a predetermined height above the rail surface.

Access into the carriage is possible from either side of the carriage in the usual manner. Instead of sets of wheels for each carriage, carriages may have shared sets of wheels, shared with the next adjacent carriage.

The carriage has a notional datum level L extending lengthwise of the carriage at a predetermined level above the wheels which level is also at substantially the level of platforms with which the carriage is to be used. On the wheels sets there is mounted a carriage body 15 the outline shape of which is governed to some extent by the gauge of the railway system in which the carriage is to be used. Thus there is a limiting factor on the height and width of the body 15 but this differs according to the railway system. In the DCA 4 United Kingdom this gauge may vary from location to location but, if the carriage is to be usable throughout the United Kingdom railway system the vehicle must be constructed to be of the minimum gauge applicable. Similarly the length of the carriage and the height of the platforms with which the carriage is to be used are also limiting factors on the size of the 5 carriage.

In order for the body 15 to accommodate an increased number of seated passengers compared with existing carriages the body 15 has a portion 16 between the wheels 10 and 11 which extends downwards below the level L, ie below the level of that part of the carriage above the wheels 10 and 11.

Within the envelope defined by the body 15, including the downwardly extending portion 16, there is provided a seating arrangement by which seats are located within an upper region and a lower region of the body. In the upper region there are provided sets of seats 17 in which each set comprises rows of seats facing one another and each set 17 being spaced in the longitudinal direction from the adjacent set or sets. In this case there are three seats 18 in each of the rows but there may be more or less than three seats. Between the rows of seats 18 in each set 17 is provided a walkway 19 to gain access to the seats 18, which walkway 19 extends transversely of the longitudinal direction of the carriage and also provides a foot well for passengers occupying the seats 18.

Similarly in the lower part of the body 15 there are provided sets 21 of seats in which each set comprises rows of seats facing one another. In this case there are three seats 18 in each row but there may be more or less than three seats in each row and there is a walkway 22 for each set of seats, extending transversely of the longitudinal direction of the carriage.

It will be seen that the lower sets of seats 21 are located between upper sets of seats 17 so that sufficient head room between the walkway 22 and the upper part of the carriage is provided by the space between the upper sets of seats 17. Head room for the upper sets of seats 17 between the respective walkway 19 and the roof of the carriage is also sufficient for the DCA 5 passengers.

For providing access along the carriage there is provided a walkway 25 which extends along the side of a carriage between the ends of the carriage substantially at the level L which is at the level of the carriage above the wheels and which is also substantially at or above the level of platforms with which the carriage is to be used. Thus access to the walkway 25 from the platform and through the doors 12 and 13 does not normally require more than one step. Similarly steps are not normally necessary along the walkway 25 and the walkway is at a substantially constant level throughout the length of the carriage.

Access from the walkway 25 into the upper and lower seating areas is by steps 26 up into the upper seating areas and by steps 27 down into the lower seating areas.

At opposite ends of the carriage above the wheels 10 and I I there are provided other seating areas 29 and 30 which are at the level of the walkway, the platform and the level L and in which conventional seating 31 is arranged. In addition or alternatively the seating 31 may be replaced by buffet, toilet, disabled persons facilities, bicycle stores or other facilities, in part or wholly.

It will be seen that windows 33 are provided for each of the upper and lower seating areas and the windows 33 may be of the shape shown in the drawings which is generally trapezoidal or the windows may be of more conventional shape, but the window arrangement is intended to give enhanced visibility and light to the seating areas. In order to permit the provision of windows as shown in the drawings the body may have a construction which enables body supports or hoops to be inclined along lines 34 relative to the vertical. Alternatively the body supports or hoops may be located vertically in conventional manner.

It will be appreciated that by provision of the downwardly extending portion 16 of the body the location of various service items required for the carriage cannot be in this region but the arrangement of the seats provides other regions for locating such service equipment, for DCA 6 example between the lower sets of seats and beneath the walk-way. Similarly the arrangement of seats permits the provision of luggage areas, for example between the sets 17 of seats in the upper area.

If desired further access doors may be provided in addition to those towards the end of the carriage. For example central doors may be provided, midway along the carriage, and a transversely arranged walkway may extend between the doors on opposite sides of the carriage, connecting with the longitudinal walkway 25.

7

Claims

1 A railway vehicle for accommodating passengers, comprising a main body mounted on sets of wheels located towards each end of the vehicle, the body defining a space in which the passengers are to be located, the body extending downwards below platform height in the region between the wheels and upwardly towards a height defined by the gauge restrictions, the body space between the wheels defining upper and lower seating areas, each seating area having sets of seats facing one another and the sets of facing seats in the upper seating area being accommodated between the sets of facing seats in the lower seating area.

2. A railway vehicle according to Claim 1 wherein access to the seats is obtained by walkway extending longitudinally of the vehicle at a level between the upper and lower sets of seats.

3. A railway vehicle according to Claim 2 wherein said walkway is to one side of the vehicle and at or above the level of the platform.

4. A railway vehicle according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the walkway is at the same level throughout the length of the vehicle.

5. A railway vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims having access doors at least towards the ends of the vehicle.

6. A railway vehicle according to Claim 5 including access doors located centrally of the length of the vehicle and having a transversely directed walkway between the centrally located doors.

7. A railway vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein seating areas are provided towards opposite ends of the vehicle for locating seats at or about the 8 piatform level and over the wheels.

8. A railway vehicle substantially as described with reference to the drawings.