British Rail Class 730

The British Rail Class 730 Aventra[6] is a type of electric multiple-unit passenger train designed by Bombardier Transportation and built by Alstom for West Midlands Trains. Two separate batches of the fleet will be built; 48 three-car units and 36 five-car units.[7]

British Rail Class 730
Aventra
Class 730 unit undergoing testing at Walsall
In servicePlanned for 2023[1]
Manufacturer
Built atDerby Litchurch Lane Works
Family nameAventra
Replaced
Constructed2021–present
Number under construction71[1][2]
Number built10[3]
Formation
  • 3 cars per 730/0 unit:
  • DM1-PMLW-DM2[4]
  • 5 cars per 730/1 and /2 unit
Diagram
  • 730/0 units:[4]
  • DM vehicles: EL2490A
  • PMLW vehicles: ER2500A
Fleet numbers
  • 730/0: 730001–730048
  • 730/1: 730101–730129
  • 730/2: 730201–730216
Operator(s)West Midlands Railway
Depot(s)
Specifications
Doors
  • Double-leaf sliding plug
  • (2 per side per car)
Maximum speed
  • 3-car: 90 mph (145 km/h)
  • 5-car: 110 mph (177 km/h)
Electric system(s)25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collector(s)Pantograph
BogiesBombardier Flexx-Eco
Safety system(s)
Coupling systemDellner
Multiple working
  • Within class;
  • 730/0: max. 3 units[5]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

History

In October 2017, West Midlands Trains were 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.[8] At the time the franchise was awarded, the company announced that it would procure more than 100 new trains at a cost of £680m[9] 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.[10] They are being built at Derby Litchurch Lane Works.[11] The first completed train was unveiled in September 2020.[9]

In 2022 the order was amended to increase the proportion of three-car units in the fleet, which will result in the delivery of 48 three-car units and 36 five-car units instead of the original plan for 36 three-car units and 45 five-car units.[7]

Testing and introduction into service

The Class 730 was tested in Velim in the Czech Republic, as well as in the UK.[12] They will enter service in 2023[1] and will be the second new West Midlands Railway fleet to be introduced, with first being the Class 196 which entered service on 17 October 2022.[13] The introduction of these trains will allow the Class 323s to be withdrawn[2] with 17 sets being cascaded to Northern Trains.[14] It will also ensure the withdrawal of the Class 350/2 units on the West Midlands Trains network.

Testing of Class 730 units on the West Midlands Trains network began in March 2021,[15] and in February 2022 the 36 Class 730/0 units received authorisation for service from the Office of Rail and Road.[4]

The Class 730/0 units will enter service on West Coast Main Line services out of London allowing for the withdraw of Class 319s,[16] before entering service on the Cross City line in the first half of 2024.[17]

Fleet

The two separate batches will be constructed to operate at different maximum speeds to suit different uses. The three-car Class 730/0 trains—designed for Cross-City Line inner suburban services—will operate at up to 90 mph (140 km/h)[9] and will double capacity on the Cross City Line. 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).[9][11]

Class Operator Qty. Year built Cars per unit Unit nos.
730/0 West Midlands Trains 48[7] 2021–pres. 3 730001–730048
730/1 29 5 730101–730129
730/2 16 730201–730216

Vehicle numbering

Individual vehicles are numbered in the ranges as follows, with the last three digits of each vehicle number matching those of the unit to which the vehicle belongs:[5]

Ranges for Class 730/0 vehicles[5]
DM1 PMLW DM2
490001–490048 492001–492048 494001–494048
Ranges for Class 730/1 and /2 vehicles
(to be confirmed)

European Vehicle Numbers for the fleet are devised by prefixing the domestic vehicle number with type code 94, country code 70, and a leading zero; "94700...".[5]

Illustration
Class 730 3-car unit

References
  1. "Class 730 fleet | LNR | London Northwestern Railway". www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  2. "Class 730 Fleet". West Midlands Railway. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  3. "West Midlands Trains Launches CAF '196'". Modern Railways. No. 890 (November 2022). Key Publishing. pp. 12–13.
  4. Fletcher, Steve (2 February 2022). "The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011, as amended – Authorisation of Class 730/0 – Unit numbers (inclusive) 730001 to 730036" (PDF). Letter to Paul Carter (Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd d.b.a Alstom). London: Office of Rail and Road. UK/51/2022/0004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  5. Fletcher, Steve (18 November 2022). "The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011, as amended – Authorisation of Aventra Cl730/0 upgrade for multiple unit operation (3x Cl730/0), unit numbers (inclusive) 730001–730048" (PDF). Letter to Paul Carter (Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd d.b.a Alstom). London: Office of Rail and Road. UK/51/2022/0010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  6. Clinnick, Richard (11 September 2018). "Bombardier Class 345s roll off the production line". Rail. No. 860. p. 29.
  7. "West Midlands Trains launches CAF '196s'". Modern Railways. Key Publishing. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  8. Jones, Tamlyn. "Over 100 new trains West Midlands trains – with wi-fi and speeds up to 110mph". Birmingham Post. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  9. "Class 730 EMU for Birmingham's Cross-City Line revealed". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  10. "Bombardier and CAF win West Midlands train contracts". Railway Gazette International. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  11. Fender, Keith; Sheratt, Philip (June 2018). "West Midlands prepares for new fleets". Modern Railways. Vol. 75, no. 837. p. 78.
  12. "Aventra for WMT on Test at Velim". railvolution.net.
  13. "New West Midlands Railway fleet enters passenger service". Birmingham: West Midlands Trains. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  14. "Class 323 EMUs to remain in traffic with Northern". Rail. No. 886. 28 August 2019. p. 30.
  15. "New 'Aventra' train pays a visit to Redditch as it builds up the miles". Redditch Standard. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  16. "West Mids '730s' to debut out of Euston". Modern Railways. No. 899. October 2022. p. 88.
  17. "West Midlands Trains turns back the clock with retro repaint for Class 323". Today's Railways UK. No. 252. February 2023. p. 55.

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