British Rail Class 730
The British Rail Class 730 Aventra[1] is a class of electric multiple units to be built by Bombardier for West Midlands Trains. Two separate batches are planned to be built, with 36 three-car units intended to be operated on suburban services on the Cross-City Line by West Midlands Railway, and 45 five-car units for suburban and long-distance services from Euston by London Northwestern Railway.[2]
| British Rail Class 730 Aventra | |
|---|---|
| In service | 2021 (planned) |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier Transportation |
| Built at | Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
| Family name | Aventra |
| Replaced | |
| Number under construction | 81 trainsets |
| Formation | 36 x 3 cars 45 x 5 cars |
| Operator(s) | West Midlands Trains |
| Specifications | |
| Doors | Plug |
| Maximum speed | 730/0: 90 mph (145 km/h) 730/1 & /2: 110 mph (177 km/h) |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV AC (OHLE) |
| Current collection method | Pantograph |
| Bogies | Flexx |
| Coupling system | Dellner |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
They will be the first train of the Aventra family to feature end gangways.[3]
History
In October 2017, West Midlands Trains was awarded the franchise to operate both 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.[4] At the time the franchise was awarded, the company announced that it would procure more than 100 new trains at a cost of £680m[5] to replace older rolling stock and enhance its fleet. Of these, a total of 81 EMUs were ordered from Bombardier Transportation from its Aventra product range.[6] They will be built at Derby Litchurch Lane Works.[2] The first completed train was unveiled in September 2020.[5]
Testing and Introduction into Service
The Class 730 was tested in Velim in the Czech Republic, as well as in the UK. They will enter service in mid 2021 to 2022. They will be the first of West Midlands Train's new fleet to enter service. The introduction these trains will allow the class 323 to be cascaded to other routes on the network. The trains will be serviced at a new depot a new train maintenance depot at the site of the old Bescot freight yard in Wednesbury.
Some will be put under the LNWR brand name, whereas some will carry the West Midlands Railway livery and branding.
Fleet
The two separate batches will be constructed to operate at different maximum speeds to suit different uses. The three-car Class 730/0 train - designed for Cross-City Line inner suburban services - will operate at up to 90 mph (140 km/h).[5] The five-car Class 730/1 and 730/2 trains - designed for outer suburban services and long distance services respectively - will operate at up to 110 mph (180 km/h).[2][5] They will double capacity on the cross city line.
| Class | Operator | No. Built | Year Built | Cars per Unit | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 730/0 | West Midlands Trains | 36 | 2020-21 | 3 | 730001–730036 |
| Class 730/1 | 29 | 5 | 730101–730129 | ||
| Class 730/2 | 16 | 730201–730216 |
References
- Clinnick, Richard (11 September 2018). "Bombardier Class 345s roll off the production line". Rail (860): 29.
- Fender, Keith; Sheratt, Philip (June 2018). "West Midlands prepares for new fleets". Modern Railways. 75 (837): 78.
- @Richard_rail (30 March 2020). "Here's a driving vehicle from a @BombardierR_UK Cl.730 on order for @WestMidRailway. @RAIL 902, on press this Wednesday has a full round-up of what's happening at the UK train factories at the moment #COVID19" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Jones, Tamlyn. "Over 100 new trains West Midlands trains – with wi-fi and speeds up to 110mph". Birmingham Post. Birmingham Post. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- "Class 730 EMU for Birmingham's Cross-City Line revealed". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
- "Bombardier and CAF win West Midlands train contracts". Railway Gazette International. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2017.