West Midlands Railway’s Class 730 electric trains are now calling at Walsall, with the local council welcoming the new service.
The trains began running on the Rugeley-to-Birmingham-International route recently, calling at Walsall.
They have been operating on the route between Walsall and Wolverhampton via Birmingham since February this year and on the Cross City line since April.
The new, electric trains include more storage areas for bicycles and at least one accessible toilet on each train.
They have better digital information screens, plug and USB sockets for each seat, underfloor heating, smart air conditioning and free WiFi.
They also have clear luggage racks, which minimise the chances of passengers leaving their bags on the train.
Each Class 730 train has three carriages and can carry 546 passengers, a forty per cent greater capacity than the twenty-year-old trains they are replacing.
West Midlands Railway has introduced the new fleet as part of a billion-pound investment in trains and infrastructure.
Only around ten per cent of trains serving Walsall is a Class 730. However, the operator expects that by Christmas, that figure will have passed fifty per cent.
More trains will enter services as more drivers complete their training on the new stock.
Passengers make around one million journeys to or from Walsall station each year. Train services from the station go to Birmingham New Street to the south and to Cannock and Rugeley to the north.
“We are delighted even more customers at Walsall are now enjoying the benefit of travelling on our newest trains, which offer increased capacity and modern features like power points and smart air conditioning. With six trains departing the station every hour and more than a million passenger journeys made to and from Walsall every year, we are proud that these new trains are playing their part in helping to grow the economy of the borough by enhancing leisure and business travel.“
Max Taylor, Commercial Director, West Midlands Railway
Responses
Are London Northwestern Railway going to start introducing the Class 730/2 by the end of 2024 that are to replace the Class 350/2 and Class 319. And to see the Class 730/2 operating from London Euston to Birmingham New Street, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Crewe, Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent and Liverpool Lime Street. And maybe retain the Class 350/2 to operate from London Euston to Bletchley, Hemel Hempstead, Northampton, Coventry, Milton Keynes Central and Tring.
Perhaps London Northwestern Railway should start introducing the Class 730/2 5-Car units by the end of 2024 and the Class 350/2 to be moved for storage and the Class 319 to be sent for scrap or cascaded to Northern.
When is something going to happen on the line from Birmingham Snow Hill? Seems it has been forgotten.
Do these units really have more seats than the Class 350 four-car units that have hitherto operated the Chase Line, or do they claim standing passengers as part of their capacity?
There is a non-seated area around the doors which permits greater numbers of standing passengers than was possible with the 350s. This should work best on the busier, frequent stop services and reduce waiting times at stations.
The bew trains are so spacious really nice I suffer from anxiety in crowded places and had to give my hob up in the city due to constant panic attacks on the Rugeley trent Valley train. I may consider going back to city with the new train
Absolute joke the toilets are never working on them. The company do not have a facility to empty them regular so run them all day with no working toilets. How is that good for the customers
I’ve never read such an inaccurate item less information fewer seats and rough ride,toilet locked ouyof use no luggage tacks
New trains are bad joke, they stripped everything that was possible. Train is a proper bone-shaker, feels like it will fall apart at any moment. One toilet on board – out of order early morning. Something like comfort wasn’t considered at all, older trains was better (still far from good).
Absolute garbage. New trains 100% better
You should try the Caledonian sleepers, hard to imagine a noisier vehicle to ride in.