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Train on track for Chinese adventure




A family-run Alcester manufacturing company is preparing to transport its latest creation, an ornate theme park train, to its new home in China.

Severn Lamb, which employs 37 people, has just completed one of three new trains destined for a Theme park in Fashun, north China.

The Jupiter Train, a replica of a 19 Century train from the American mid-west, is capable of moving u-p to 320 passengers on up to four carriages.

The company won a contract to supply the vehicles two years ago and has already sent a smaller train to the park last year.

Severn lamb will also set to send a number of trolley carriages and vintage vehicles to the park as part of the contract.

Patrick Severn Lamb, Managing Director of Severn Lamb said: “I think the good part of this story is that we are a British company exporting to China, rather than the other way around.

“This is a very significant contract for us and it has helped secure local jobs. We were chosen because there really is no one else in the world that makes these vehicles.

“We supplied vehicles to Disneyland in Hong Kong back in 2003 and the theme park in China contacted us, said they liked what we had created and asked if they could have something like that. There are not many parks in the world that would be able to operate trains of this size.

“What a lot of people don’t realise is that China has very strict legislation and safety laws regarding such attractions and we have worked very hard to make sure that what we have delivered meets these criteria. Most of the vehicles we make have a top speed of around 16km per hour, but these particular ones have been limited to 10km per hour to meet the safety rules.

“My grandfather started this business almost 70 years ago with narrow gauge trains. To see the Jupiter rolling onto the track made me feel immensely proud, the guys here have done a cracking job, the quality of the work is fantastic.

“As you can imagine we faced a lot of competition from companies within China for this contract but the attention to detail and the quality of our products convinced them to go with us. We have already delivered a small train to the park and the feedback we received about that has been great.”

Last year Severn Lamb announced that it would be developing trains for London’s Postal Museum, which is set to open early in 2017.



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