9 323s to stay with WMR beyond 2021?

[RealTrains07]

Its been suggested on another thread that WMR plans to retain the remaining 9 323s once the other 17 have moved to northern in order to run services at the 2 new stations at Willenhall and Darlaston after re-opening in 2022.

Sorry if bit off topic but from what I last seen believe from December they will route the Crewe to Birmingham round the Darlaston way but call at Tame Bridge Parkway before the new stations open by 2022. Would make sense the 323s being kept for the local services between Wolverhampton, Walsall and New Street. Would save the messy arrangement currently whereby we have LNWR units operating West Midlands Railway services.

The article below gives context about the 2 stations re-opening though it dosent mention what fleet will run the line.

New services and new stations for Walsall to Wolverhampton line - RailInsider

Plans are proceeding for the reopening of the line between Walsall and Wolverhampton, last used for passenger services in 2008 but kept open since then for freight. New stations will be opened at Willenhall and Darlaston – both of which were closed in 1965. There will be two trains an hour...

www.railinsider.co.uk

(As their is currently no source to confirm this. I thought its better to be posted in speculations for now until it’s confirmed and then the thread can be moved elsewhere)

Would WMR keeping the 9 323s be a good idea if its true?

Would they be suitable to run the new services to walsall via Darlaston as a replacement for the 350s currently running the services?

Any regulars on the walsall - wolvehampton or crewe to birmingham line have any views?

 

[Energy]

I can see them ordering extra 730s instead, keeping a tiny fleet of 9 3 car units is going to be less preferable to just more 730s.

 

[D365]

Perhaps Porterbrook is offering heavy incentives, enough to beat out an option for more 730s...

 

[Energy]

Perhaps Porterbrook is offering heavy incentives, enough to beat out an option for more 730s...

Maybe, it depends on how Porterbrook value the units. If they believe they don't have future operators ahead of them they might be giving the price to be close to the scrap value.

However the only source for this is a forum member's friend who works at WMT. Not exactly a credible source. Remember that 36 (for WMR) 730s are replacing 26 323s which is an increase of 10 units, similar number of units to the 9 which are said to be staying.

 

[Domh245]

Keeping the 9x 323s does seem a very short sighted move which perhaps isn't surprising, but would be disappointing none the less.

It leaves the next franchisee with a microfleet (admittedly, also a bit of a problem for WMeT) that'll need replacing, presumably any options on additional 730s will have lapsed leaving the next operator to have to procure a moderately sized fleet and displacing even more 350s (or 730s!) to justify it - that or hope there's a need for more EMUs in the franchise area!

 

[43096]

Maybe, it depends on how Porterbrook value the units. If they believe they don't have future operators ahead of them they might be giving the price to be close to the scrap value.

However the only source for this is a forum member's friend who works at WMT. Not exactly a credible source. Remember that 36 (for WMR) 730s are replacing 26 323s which is an increase of 10 units, similar number of units to the 9 which are said to be staying.

The additional 10 730s are to provide more 6-car formations on Cross-City. Though with the current situation and who-knows-what long term implications for travel patterns, whether that is now actually needed is an interesting point.

 

[D365]

The additional 10 730s are to provide more 6-car formations on Cross-City. Though with the current situation and who-knows-what long term implications for travel patterns, whether that is now actually needed is an interesting point.

At a risk of derailing another thread: still far too early to speculate.