British Rail Class 730
British EMU from the Bombardier Aventra family From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The British Rail Class 730 Aventra is a type of electric multiple unit passenger train built by Alstom for West Midlands Trains. Two separate batches of the fleet were built; 48 three-car units and 36 five-car units.
| British Rail Class 730 Aventra | |
|---|---|
A Class 730 departing Milton Keynes Central in 2025 | |
 Class 730 West Midlands Railway interior | |
| Stock type | Electric multiple unit |
| In service | 13 November 2023 – present |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Built at | Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
| Family name | Aventra |
| Replaced | |
| Constructed | 2020–2024[1] |
| Number built | 84 |
| Formation | |
| Diagram | |
| Capacity | |
| Owners | Corelink Rail[6] |
| Operators | |
| Depots | |
| Lines served | |
| Specifications | |
| Doors |
|
| Maximum speed |
|
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead |
| Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
| Bogies | Bombardier Flexx-Eco |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Coupling system | Dellner |
| Multiple working |
|
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
History
In October 2017, West Midlands Trains were awarded the franchise to operate local rail services around Birmingham and the West Midlands, suburban services to London Euston, and long-distance inter-urban services operating from both Euston and Birmingham New Street.[14] At the time the franchise was awarded, the company announced that it would procure more than 100 new trains at a cost of £680 million to replace older rolling stock and enhance its fleet.[15] Of these, a total of 81 EMUs were ordered from Bombardier Transportation from its Aventra product range.[16] They were built at Derby Litchurch Lane Works.[17] The first completed train was unveiled in September 2020.[15]
In 2022, the order was amended to increase the proportion of three-car units in the fleet, which will result in the delivery of 48 three-car units and 36 five-car units instead of the original plan for 36 three-car units, Class 730/0, and 45 five-car units, Class 730/1 and Class 730/2 – a total of 324 vehicles in 84 units.[18][5]
Testing and introduction into service
Summarize
Perspective
The Class 730 trains entered service on 13 November 2023[19] and were the second new fleet to be introduced by West Midlands Trains, following the Class 196 which entered service on 17 October 2022.[20]
The introduction of the Class 730 on the Cross-City line in 2024 will allow the Class 323 units to be withdrawn,[21] 17 of which will be cascaded to Northern Trains.[22] It will also allow for the withdrawal of the Class 350/2 units on the West Midlands Trains network.
The Class 730 was tested in Velim in the Czech Republic, as well as in the UK.[23] Testing of Class 730 units on the West Midlands Trains network began in March 2021,[24] and in February 2022 the then full order of 36 Class 730/0 units received authorisation for service from the Office of Rail and Road.[2]
The three-car Class 730 units are currently being used on West Coast Main Line services out of London. This allowed for the withdrawal of Class 319s.[25] The first three-car Class 730 entered passenger service on the Wolverhampton-Birmingham-Walsall services in February 2024,[26] with the units being introduced on Cross-City Line services in the Spring.[4][19][27][28] The first pair of Class 730 units entered service on the Cross-City Line on 15 April 2024.[29] The three-car Class 730/0 units will be maintained at Soho Depot in Birmingham which is the home depot of the Class 323s[7] and the five-car Class 730/2 units will be maintained at Bletchley Depot in Milton Keynes. In 2020, West Midlands Trains planned to maintain them at Bescot Depot in Walsall.[9][18]
Fleet details
The two separate batches were constructed to operate at different maximum speeds to suit different uses. The three-car Class 730/0 trains—designed for Cross-City Line and Birmingham local services— operate at up to 90 mph (140 km/h),[15] and were built to double capacity on the Cross-City Line. The five-car Class 730/2 trains will operate on outer suburban and long-distance LNR services and will operate at up to 110 mph (180 km/h).[15][17][30]
| Subclass | Operator | Qty.[6] | Year built | Cars per unit | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 730/0 | 48 | 2020–2024 | 3 | 730001–730048 | |
| 730/2 | London Northwestern Railway | 36 | 5 | 730201-730236[31] |
Named units
All 48 West Midlands Railway Class 730/0 units, dubbed the Landmark Class are to be named after landmarks within the West Midlands.[32]
| Number | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 730018 | Hurst Street | Officially named on 23 May 2024 to celebrate Birmingham Pride. This was the first Class 730/0 to be named. The unit has also had a pride livery applied, with the faded diamond motif in pride colours.[33] |
Illustration
Class 730/0 3-car unit
References
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