A brand new West Midlands Railway (WMR) electric train fleet has carried its first passengers this week, marking the start of a new era of rail travel in the region.
The first Class 730 to carry passengers in the region was Monday’s 10.41pm departure from Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton. From today, the trains are operating services on the Wolverhampton-Walsall (via Birmingham) route.
The fleet is made up of 48 three-carriage trains – making a total of 144 new carriages – and are part of a £700m investment in new fleets and infrastructure by WMR. The trains have significantly more capacity than the fleets they are replacing, with on-board features including accessible toilets, WiFi, and power points at every seat.
Built by Midlands-based manufacturers Alstom, the Class 730s are also set to be introduced later this year on the Cross City Line – connecting Lichfield, Birmingham, Redditch and Bromsgrove.
Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director, said: “I am delighted that our fantastic new Class 730 fleet has entered service in the West Midlands. These trains will make a real difference for our passengers, offering a better experience for customers travelling between Wolverhampton and Walsall.
“The Class 730s have modern features including digital information screens, accessible toilets and power points at every seat. They will also provide a much more spacious feel and a higher capacity so more passengers can travel on our services.
“Later this year we will be introducing the trains on other routes across the network, including the busy Cross City Line through Birmingham, so even more passengers can enjoy the new facilities.”
The first Class 730 train in passenger service on Monday 12 February was unit number 730018.
Image credit: WMR
