Engineering:Magway Ltd
Magway is a UK startup noted for its e-commerce and freight delivery system that aims to transport goods in pods that fit in new and existing 90 cm (35 in)-diameter pipes, underground and overground, reducing road congestion and air pollution.[1] It uses linear magnetic motors to shuttle pods, designed to accommodate a standard delivery crate (or tote), at approximately 31 miles per hour (50 km/h).[2]
Founded in 2017 by Rupert Cruise, an engineer on Elon Musk's Hyperloop project, and Phill Davies, a business expert, Magway secured a £0.65 million grant in 2018, through Innovate UK’s 'Emerging and Enabling Technologies' competition, to develop an operational demonstrator. In 2019, £1.58 million was raised through crowdfunding to fund a pilot scheme,[3] and in 2020, Magway was awarded £1.9 million[1] from the UK Government's 'Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge', an initiative launched to coincide with the first meeting of a new Cabinet committee focused on climate change. In September 2020, Magway completed its first full loop of test track in a warehouse in Wembley. [4]
Primarily focused on two freight routes from large consolidation centres near London (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and Hatfield, Hertfordshire) into Park Royal, a west London distribution centre, future plans involve installing 850 kilometres (530 mi) of track in decommissioned London gas pipelines, to deliver e-commerce goods from distribution centres direct to consumers in the capital.[5] The design of the pipes is similar to the current underground pipe system in small tunnels that distribute water, gas, and electricity in the city.[6] The pods are powered by electromagnetic wave from magnetic motors that are similar to those used in roller coasters.[7] A proposed route that runs from Milton Keynes to London will have the capacity to transport more than 600 million parcels annually.[6] Outside of urban areas, Magway plans to build its pipe system alongside motorways.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Steer, George (2019-12-03). "The tunnels promising to overhaul how our shopping is delivered". https://www.ft.com/content/063bf638-dfb5-11e9-b8e0-026e07cbe5b4.
- ↑ Excell, Jon (2019-11-20). "Magnetic freight delivery concept could slash road congestion". https://www.theengineer.co.uk/magnetic-freight-delivery-system/.
- ↑ "Magway successfully raised £750,000 - Dec 2019." (in en). https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/magway/pitches/bd7LNZ.
- ↑ "Fix the Planet". 16 October 2020. http://view.e.newscientist.com/?qs=abbdd61dc420b1b3ab638afc9b46146db763124448ef004772ffa593faa965536b7c5bef78608e9de8c6e07452e655724be1676519ec6ba79288b363a6387498908845b6dad6d8591c7af705d55f76979cc3dedffde38fbf.
- ↑ Phill Davies, co-founder/Commercial Director at Magway (19 October 2020). "Delivery in the pipeline". Construction & Civil Engineering. pp. 12–15. http://www.ccemagazine.com/2020/10/19/delivery-in-the-pipeline/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Handley, Lucy (2019-11-14). "A start-up is planning an underground network of tunnels in the UK to deliver more than 600 million packages a year" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/14/underground-tunnels-could-deliver-more-than-600-million-parcels-a-year.html.
- ↑ Langley, Edwina (2020-02-10). "Are these subterranean tunnels the future of deliveries?" (in en). https://www.standard.co.uk/futurelondon/cleanair/magway-underground-tunnels-delivery-courier-a4309971.html.
- ↑ Nott, George (October 2, 2020). "A greener future for food delivery?" (in en). https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/technology-and-supply-chain/a-greener-future-for-food-delivery/648942.article.
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