System and method of transporting objects

A method of transporting at least one object between locations, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an object transport system, the object transport system comprising:
• a track, the track comprising:
• one or more cable sections, the or each cable section comprising a cable;
• one or more rail sections, the or each rail section comprising a rail;
• a track transition between one of the one or more cable sections and one of the one or more rail sections;
• a junction or transition comprising an entry section of the track and two or more exit sections of the track;
• a pod configured to traverse the track, the pod comprising a trolley and a supported or pendant pod housing,
• wherein the trolley is a powered trolley configured to drive the pod along the track,
• wherein the trolley is configured to traverse the or each of the cable sections by moving along the cable of said cable section, traverse the or each of the rail sections by moving along the rail of said rail section, and traverse the track transition to thereby move from the cable of the one of the cable sections to the rail of the one of the rail sections or from the rail of the one of the rail sections to the cable of the one of the cable sections,
• wherein the junction or transition comprises a curved rail section, the curved rail section being curved horizontally such that the curved rail section is configured to, when the trolley passes through the junction or transition and traverses the curved rail section, cause a change in the direction of the trolley horizontally, and
• wherein the pod housing is formed and arranged to contain, support or provide an enclosure for an object to be transported;
• and
• a station configured to be a point of transition for the pod and/or an object conveyed by the pod;
• and
• switching apparatus configured to switch a pathway for the trolley traversing the entry section between the trolley exiting the junction or transition traversing a first one of the exit sections and the trolley exiting the junction or transition traversing a different one of the exit sections;
• accessing a pod for the at least one object;
• conveying the at least one object in the pod to a desired location;
• and
• exiting the at least one object from the pod.