New Trains for Old
The new trains promised by West Midlands Trains as part of the 2017 franchise agreement started to enter service during 2023 and the remainder of the order should enter service during 2024 and 2025.
The order was as follows :-
- 26 Class 196 diesel multiple units split into two sub-classes (Class 196/0 and Class 196/1)
- 84 Class 730 electric multiple units split into two sub-classes (Class 730/0 and Class 730/2)
The specifications for each of the sub-classes are as follows :-
Class 196/0 DMU
| Total Units | 12 |
| Train Operator | West Midlands Railway |
Number of Carriages | 2 |
| Seating Layout | 2+2 |
| Number of Seats | 141 (+ 2 tip up seats) |
| Total Passenger Spaces | 279 |
| Wheelchair Spaces | 2 |
| Bicycle Spaces | 3 |
| Toilets | 1 universally accessible |
Used on the following services :-
Birmingham New Street to Hereford
Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury
Nuneaton to Leamington Spa
Class 196/1 DMU
| Total Units | 14 |
| Train Operator | West Midlands Railway |
Number of Carriages | 4 |
| Seating Layout | 2+2 |
| Number of Seats | 311 (+ 2 tip up seats) |
| Total Passenger Spaces | 588 |
| Wheelchair Spaces | 2 |
| Bicycle Spaces | 3 |
| Toilets | 1 universally accessible 1 space saver |
Used on the following services :-
Birmingham New Street to Hereford
Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury
Class 730/0 EMU
| Total Units | 48 |
| Train Operator | West Midlands Railway |
Number of Carriages | 3 |
| Seating Layout | 2+2 and 1+1 |
| Number of Seats | 199 (+ 2 tip up seats) |
| Total Passenger Spaces | 547 |
| Wheelchair Spaces | 2 |
| Bicycle Spaces | 3 |
| Toilets | 1 universally accessible |
Used on the following services from early 2024 :-
Walsall to Wolverhampton
Birmingham International to Rugeley Trent Valley
Birmingham Cross City Line
Class 730/2 EMU
| Total Units | 36 |
| Train Operator | London Northwestern Railway |
Number of Carriages | 5 |
| Seating Layout | 2+2 |
| Number of Seats | 408 |
| Total Passenger Spaces | 633 |
| Wheelchair Spaces | 2 |
| Bicycle Spaces | 3 |
| Toilets | 1 universally accessible 2 space saver |
Used on the following services from late 2024 :-
Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street
London Euston to Tring, Milton Keynes Central and Crewe
These units replaced the following older Classes of multiple units.
Class 170 DMU
Class 319 EMU
Class 323 EMU
Class 350/2 EMU
