(Short story long here. Copying from Wikipedia would be unfun for me.)
Whoever won the West Midlands rail franchise / contract (and took over most, if not all, routes from London Midland) decided to purchase new rolling stock so that they can convince the public they do want to attempt improving services around the nonexistent Midlands, and on the West Coast Main Line to and from London Euston (which in all fairness is a good cause). As a result, eighty-four electric Class 730 Aventras have been ordered (that was back in 2017? Time flies so quickly anyway) along with some type of spanish metal things that obviously aren't the subject of this video.
Class 730 units are therefore built by Alstom in Derby (Litchurch Lane, familiar name for you), and fourty-eight units in the 730/0 subclass are designated for use on stopping or semi-fast services along the Cross City Line and other secondary routes along the imaginary Birmingham and Midlands region. These trains run on 25kV 50hz AC overhead electrification, has a top speed of 90 miles per hour (Mind you, this isn't a concern when they run stopping services that go no further from London than Milton Keynes) and are 3 carriages each. They are spacious and bright, and has a number of improvements (Passenger-wise, considering many railfans love the 323s, most likely for the running sounds) over the Class 323 units they are intended to replace. They are the first Aventras to have cab-end gangways (they allow you to walk across two units, given they are coupled up and the gangway door didn't malfunction), and to offer 2+2 (or less dense) seating throughout.
However, some reliability issues (which led to frustrating cancellations and therefore a considerable amount of passengers complaining) with the Class 319 fleet has led West Midlands Trains to use these 730/0 units in the London Northwestern Railway brand (as seen in this video, 010 gained the dual branding, like the 350/1s do) on the same diagrams as the 319s gradually and completely replacing them, and the first pair of these new units have entered service on 13th November 2023 (the date of fliming), working one of the few peak hour diagrams that only run on weekdays.
Thirty six Class 730/2 units will be introduced in the future, these 5 carriage units are designated for longer distance travels (such as London to Crewe), and will allow the 730/0 fleet be subsequently transferred to work in Birmingham. (Is that where they belong?)
Included is a walkthrough of the 3-car interior, and (afterwards) a clip of the 730/0 pair departing Watford Junction.
Notes
Date: 13/11/2023
Units: 730010 / 730007
Diagram: SO762 (previously BY901/902 when operated with Class 319s, timings remain unchanged on date of fliming)
Marley Studios 2023
(The video description took me ages to finish)
5 окт 2024
