West Midlands Class 323 - the final countdown

[childwallblues]

Seen 323208 this afternoon at the end of the Allerton depot siding which runs alongside the Merseyrail line to Hunts Cross.

 

[crosscity]

Seen 323208 this afternoon at the end of the Allerton depot siding which runs alongside the Merseyrail line to Hunts Cross.

Yes, it's been there since the 29October - the first and only WM323 to be transferred to the North-West so far.

 

[GhostManDN91]

Any plans for it to get it's new colours 323208 yet?

 

[diligentdave]

Any plans for it to get it's new colours 323208 yet?

No, not until most of the others have come across. So, a long wait!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Hoping to have my last ride on new years day, depends if any 323's appear on the Redditch - New Street shuttles

 

[crosscity]

Hoping to have my last ride on new years day, depends if any 323's appear on the Redditch - New Street shuttles

All Redditch services and those starting/ending at Bromsgrove are worked by 323's and will be for months to come until the 730's finally replace them. I'm not aware of any other EMU's working the CrossCity Line south of New St since the 310's, 308's and 304's in the 1990's. DMU substitutions are unheard of in recent history too. If there are trains to Redditch on New Year's day you will be almost guaranteed a 323.

 

[dereksingh291]

any idea when the rest of the WMR 323s will transfer over to Northern and the WMR 730s gonna enter service in May 2024?

 

[Liam L]

any idea when the rest of the WMR 323s will transfer over to Northern and the WMR 730s gonna enter service in May 2024?

Next two in January apparently, then the rest will follow once the 730s start on the cross city

 

[dereksingh291]

Next two in January apparently, then the rest will follow once the 730s start on the cross city

okay when will the WMR 730s enter service on the Cross City line and will they be used between Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham International?

 

[childwallblues]

okay when will the WMR 730s enter service on the Cross City line and will they be used between Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham International?

I understand that they will. Also on Wolverhampton to Walsall.

 

[Liam L]

okay when will the WMR 730s enter service on the Cross City line and will they be used between Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham International?

All WMR local services the 730s will be used on.

Wolves - Walsall
International - Rugeley
Cross city

 

[mic505]

All WMR local services the 730s will be used on.

Wolves - Walsall
International - Rugeley
Cross city

Didn't know the 730/0's are to be used on the Rugeley route. Assuming to remove the 350/2's from service asap.

 

[crosscity]

When I started the thread a couple of months ago I said I'd keep my spreadsheet up-to-date and share it here. Since then there's been little to report other than two more units are scheduled to leave sometime in January.

When the actual exodus starts in earnest it might be interesting to see which ones are still in service. I propose to report roughly weekly and add the last date an individual unit has been seen. I'm not going to report on the actual workings or where they were seen, just that a particular unit was out and about in the West Midlands on a passenger train.

My main source will be this thread. As virtually the full fleet is still active, I thought I'd start now so there'll be meaningful information when the units head northwards or are withdrawn.

Here is today's report. The one's filled in so far are those that I've taken photos of. I'm not out every day and I don't write numbers down, so I'm looking forward to updating the list from your info. The 'Source' column will only contain either 'Ray' (ie me), 'RailUk' or the name of another source.

Unit	Name/Note	Last seen in WM service	Source	Future	Date left WM or withdrawn
323201	Duddeston
323202	Butlers Lane			Northern
323203	Aston	Sun 05Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323204	Selly Oak
323205	Blake Street	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323206	Barnt Green			Northern
323207	Bournville	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323208	Five Ways	Transferred		Northern	Sat 28Oct2023
323209	Birmingham New Street			Northern
323210	Shenstone			Northern
323211	Four Oaks
323212	Bromsgrove	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323213	Sutton Coldfield	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323214	Wylde Green
323215	Gravelly Hill
323216	University
323217				Northern
323218		Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323219	Kings Norton			Northern
323220	Lichfield Trent Valley			Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323221	Was 'Northfield' (now in 'Centro' livery	Mon 11Dec2023	Ray
323222	Redditch	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray
323240	Erdington	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray
323241	Dave Pomroy 323 Fleet Engineer 40 Years Service.			Northern
323242	Alvechurch			Northern
323243	Longbridge	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray	Northern
As at	Tue 26Dec2023

 

[Liam L]

323214 is down at Wolverton for repairs to it's wiring, it's due back to Soho in the new year.

https://twitter.com/HunsletTheBear/status/1730529229706526948?s=19

Didn't know the 730/0's are to be used on the Rugeley route. Assuming to remove the 350/2's from service asap.

It's to allow the 350s to be used to strengthen the LNR services

 

[JW4]

When I started the thread a couple of months ago I said I'd keep my spreadsheet up-to-date and share it here. Since then there's been little to report other than two more units are scheduled to leave sometime in January.

When the actual exodus starts in earnest it might be interesting to see which ones are still in service. I propose to report roughly weekly and add the last date an individual unit has been seen. I'm not going to report on the actual workings or where they were seen, just that a particular unit was out and about in the West Midlands on a passenger train.

My main source will be this thread. As virtually the full fleet is still active, I thought I'd start now so there'll be meaningful information when the units head northwards or are withdrawn.

Here is today's report. The one's filled in so far are those that I've taken photos of. I'm not out every day and I don't write numbers down, so I'm looking forward to updating the list from your info. The 'Source' column will only contain either 'Ray' (ie me), 'RailUk' or the name of another source.

Unit	Name/Note	Last seen in WM service	Source	Future	Date left WM or withdrawn
323201	Duddeston
323202	Butlers Lane			Northern
323203	Aston	Sun 05Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323204	Selly Oak
323205	Blake Street	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323206	Barnt Green			Northern
323207	Bournville	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323208	Five Ways	Transferred		Northern	Sat 28Oct2023
323209	Birmingham New Street			Northern
323210	Shenstone			Northern
323211	Four Oaks
323212	Bromsgrove	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323213	Sutton Coldfield	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323214	Wylde Green
323215	Gravelly Hill
323216	University
323217				Northern
323218		Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323219	Kings Norton			Northern
323220	Lichfield Trent Valley			Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323221	Was 'Northfield' (now in 'Centro' livery	Mon 11Dec2023	Ray
323222	Redditch	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray
323240	Erdington	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray
323241	Dave Pomroy 323 Fleet Engineer 40 Years Service.			Northern
323242	Alvechurch			Northern
323243	Longbridge	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray	Northern
As at	Tue 26Dec2023

323204	Selly Oak	Wed 27 Dec 2023	2O44 - Front set
323207	Bournville	Wed 27 Dec 2023	2L41 - Front set
323212	Bromsgrove	Wed 27 Dec 2023	2R43 - Front set
323213	Sutton Coldfield	Wed 27 Dec 2023	2O44 - Rear set
323220	Lichfield Trent Valley	Wed 27 Dec 2023	2R43 - Rear set
323242	Alvechurch	Wed 27 Dec 2023	2U42 - Front set

Here’s 6 for you

couldn't catch the other 2 units

 

[Wyrleybart]

Didn't know the 730/0's are to be used on the Rugeley route. Assuming to remove the 350/2's from service asap.

I think the franchise made it a little confusing.
WMR was planned to split during it's lifetime and morph into WMR and LNwR and the fleets ordered were
3 car 730/0 for WMR cross City
5 car 730/1 for WMR sort of Regional
5 car 730/2 for "ex Silverlink" work

In practice it seems 730/1 has morphed / is morphing into more 730/0, whilst 730/2 are still to replace 350/2 which go back to the lessor.

AIUI the Cannock line had platforms extended after electrification to accommodate 4 car 20m class 350s so will not accept 5 car 23m class 730s. I assume the services will have to be 350/1, /3 or /4, or 730/0.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

I think the franchise made it a little confusing.
WMR was planned to split during it's lifetime and morph into WMR and LNwR and the fleets ordered were
3 car 730/0 for WMR cross City
5 car 730/1 for WMR sort of Regional
5 car 730/2 for "ex Silverlink" work

In practice it seems 730/1 has morphed / is morphing into more 730/0, whilst 730/2 are still to replace 350/2 which go back to the lessor.

AIUI the Cannock line had platforms extended after electrification to accommodate 4 car 20m class 350s so will not accept 5 car 23m class 730s. I assume the services will have to be 350/1, /3 or /4, or 730/0.

Or 730/2 using ASDO

 

[AJDesiro]

I think the franchise made it a little confusing.
WMR was planned to split during it's lifetime and morph into WMR and LNwR and the fleets ordered were
3 car 730/0 for WMR cross City
5 car 730/1 for WMR sort of Regional
5 car 730/2 for "ex Silverlink" work

In practice it seems 730/1 has morphed / is morphing into more 730/0, whilst 730/2 are still to replace 350/2 which go back to the lessor.

AIUI the Cannock line had platforms extended after electrification to accommodate 4 car 20m class 350s so will not accept 5 car 23m class 730s. I assume the services will have to be 350/1, /3 or /4, or 730/0.

I thought the 730/1s were destined for short distance LNR services, with the 730/2s destined for long distance LNR services before the order changed?

 

[Wyrleybart]

I thought the 730/1s were destined for short distance LNR services, with the 730/2s destined for long distance LNR services before the order changed?

You may well be right.
I could never really understand the point of splitting the franchise whilst it is still in operation. Much easier to do what was done to Central Trains in 2007 ands carve it into lumps at franchise changeover.

 

[JW4]

When I started the thread a couple of months ago I said I'd keep my spreadsheet up-to-date and share it here. Since then there's been little to report other than two more units are scheduled to leave sometime in January.

When the actual exodus starts in earnest it might be interesting to see which ones are still in service. I propose to report roughly weekly and add the last date an individual unit has been seen. I'm not going to report on the actual workings or where they were seen, just that a particular unit was out and about in the West Midlands on a passenger train.

My main source will be this thread. As virtually the full fleet is still active, I thought I'd start now so there'll be meaningful information when the units head northwards or are withdrawn.

Here is today's report. The one's filled in so far are those that I've taken photos of. I'm not out every day and I don't write numbers down, so I'm looking forward to updating the list from your info. The 'Source' column will only contain either 'Ray' (ie me), 'RailUk' or the name of another source.

Unit	Name/Note	Last seen in WM service	Source	Future	Date left WM or withdrawn
323201	Duddeston
323202	Butlers Lane			Northern
323203	Aston	Sun 05Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323204	Selly Oak
323205	Blake Street	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323206	Barnt Green			Northern
323207	Bournville	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323208	Five Ways	Transferred		Northern	Sat 28Oct2023
323209	Birmingham New Street			Northern
323210	Shenstone			Northern
323211	Four Oaks
323212	Bromsgrove	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323213	Sutton Coldfield	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323214	Wylde Green
323215	Gravelly Hill
323216	University
323217				Northern
323218		Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323219	Kings Norton			Northern
323220	Lichfield Trent Valley			Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323221	Was 'Northfield' (now in 'Centro' livery	Mon 11Dec2023	Ray
323222	Redditch	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray
323240	Erdington	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray
323241	Dave Pomroy 323 Fleet Engineer 40 Years Service.			Northern
323242	Alvechurch			Northern
323243	Longbridge	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray	Northern
As at	Tue 26Dec2023

@crosscity I am currently on 323221 (Centro livery) leaving Birmingham New Street so that’s out.

@crosscity I am currently on 323221 (Centro livery) leaving Birmingham New Street so that’s out.

That worked 2P49 as the front unit with 323242 Alvechurch as the rear unit.
On 2R51 I couldn’t catch the rear unit but the front unit was 323241.
2U50 was worked by 323213 as the front unit with 323204 as the rear.

I hope you’re actually going to use these in the table and I’m not wasting my time for nothing.

31 December 2023

2P18 - Front unit 323215 Gravelly Hill
2P18 - Rear unit 323241

2R19 - Front unit 323204
2R19 - Rear unit 323213 Sutton Coldfield

2R31 was also 323004 and 323213

 

[Liam L]

203 & 217 - 11:03 off Birmingham to Bromsgrove today.
210 & 216 off 12:03 off Birmingham to Bromsgrove today.

Feel free to add these to the table.

 

[Laurencemcd]

203 & 217 - 11:03 off Birmingham to Bromsgrove today.
210 & 216 off 12:03 off Birmingham to Bromsgrove today.

Feel free to add these to the table.

210 and 216 must’ve been fun, from my experience they’re two of the fastest units out of the 26 in the West Midlands.

 

[Liam L]

210 and 216 must’ve been fun, from my experience they’re two of the fastest units out of the 26 in the West Midlands.

210 is deffo the fastest out of the batch for sure, I was in that set. 216 also a good one too to be fair

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Thanks for the help again, got over my cold yesterday so was fit enough to drive up to Redditch, left home at 7am to get there in time for the 09.31 to New Street, first time I've done the Redditch branch for at least 18 years, couldn't recognise Alvechuch with the new two track alignment!

First time I've been on a 323 for god knows how many years (would have been roughly when it the Network West Midlands branding started, 2010 was that?) now remembered how fun they are!

 

[crosscity]

@crosscity
I hope you’re actually going to use these in the table and I’m not wasting my time for nothing.

You are definitely not wasting your time.

I'm not going to record who has reported seeing a particular unit, nor where it was seen or which service it was working. All anyone will see on the spreadsheet is the date and the source of the last time the unit was seen in service. Your actual posts will, of course, remain on this thread.

I will post my updated spreadsheet on a Monday or Tuesday. This will give a snapshot of the fleet at that time.
Once a unit is sent to Merseyside or is withdrawn I won't be reporting on them further.

Hope this helps.

 

[JW4]

All anyone will see on the spreadsheet is the date and the source of the last time the unit was seen in service. Your actual posts will, of course, remain on this thread.

I will post my updated spreadsheet on a Monday or Tuesday. This will give a snapshot of the fleet at that time.
Once a unit is sent to Merseyside or is withdrawn I won't be reporting on them further.

Hope this helps.

Ok

 

[crosscity]

Here is this weeks update

Unit	Name/Note	Last seen in WM service	Source	Future	Date left WM or withdrawn
323201	Duddeston
323202	Butlers Lane			Northern
323203	Aston	Sun 05Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323204	Selly Oak	Sun 31Dec2023	RailUK
323205	Blake Street	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323206	Barnt Green			Northern
323207	Bournville	Wed 27Dec2023	RailUK	Northern
323208	Five Ways	Transferred		Northern	Sat 28Oct2023
323209	Birmingham New Street			Northern
323210	Shenstone	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323211	Four Oaks
323212	Bromsgrove	Wed 27Dec2023	RailUK	Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323213	Sutton Coldfield	Sun 31Dec2023	RailUK	Northern
323214	Wylde Green	Tue 26Dec2023	RailUK		At Wolverton for repairs
323215	Gravelly Hill	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray
323216	University
323217		Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323218		Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323219	Kings Norton			Northern
323220	Lichfield Trent Valley	Wed 27Dec2023	RailUK	Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323221	Was 'Northfield' (now in 'Centro' livery	Sun 31Dec2023	Friend
323222	Redditch	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray
323240	Erdington	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray
323241	Dave Pomroy 323 Fleet Engineer 40 Years Service.	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323242	Alvechurch	Sat 30Dec2023	RailUK	Northern
323243	Longbridge	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray	Northern
As at	Tue 02Jan2024

There are plenty of gaps to be filled in:
No reports at all for units 201, 202, 206, 209 211, 216 and 219.
Last reported in November for 203, 205, 222 and 243.

 

[jonesy3001]

Have any more of the wmt 323s had the digital mods done before they go to allerton?

 

[TheTallOne]

323203 Aston was in use on New Year’s Day, used it to hop from Selly Oak (free parking!) to University on the cross city line.

I’ll miss the sounds of these trains pulling away, but I guess it’s time for something newer.

In all the years I’ve travelled on this line (10ish), never knew they had names. Will try to keep an eye out for them when I’m commuting.

 

[Liam L]

Here is this weeks update

Unit	Name/Note	Last seen in WM service	Source	Future	Date left WM or withdrawn
323201	Duddeston
323202	Butlers Lane			Northern
323203	Aston	Sun 05Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323204	Selly Oak	Sun 31Dec2023	RailUK
323205	Blake Street	Fri 24Nov2023	Ray	Northern
323206	Barnt Green			Northern
323207	Bournville	Wed 27Dec2023	RailUK	Northern
323208	Five Ways	Transferred		Northern	Sat 28Oct2023
323209	Birmingham New Street			Northern
323210	Shenstone	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323211	Four Oaks
323212	Bromsgrove	Wed 27Dec2023	RailUK	Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323213	Sutton Coldfield	Sun 31Dec2023	RailUK	Northern
323214	Wylde Green	Tue 26Dec2023	RailUK		At Wolverton for repairs
323215	Gravelly Hill	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray
323216	University
323217		Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323218		Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323219	Kings Norton			Northern
323220	Lichfield Trent Valley	Wed 27Dec2023	RailUK	Northern	May be mid Jan2024
323221	Was 'Northfield' (now in 'Centro' livery	Sun 31Dec2023	Friend
323222	Redditch	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray
323240	Erdington	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray
323241	Dave Pomroy 323 Fleet Engineer 40 Years Service.	Mon 01Jan2024	Ray	Northern
323242	Alvechurch	Sat 30Dec2023	RailUK	Northern
323243	Longbridge	Mon 06Nov2023	Ray	Northern
As at	Tue 02Jan2024

There are plenty of gaps to be filled in:
No reports at all for units 201, 202, 206, 209 211, 216 and 219.
Last reported in November for 203, 205, 222 and 243.

Class 323 Allocations 02/01/2024

Diagrams can be found here – Disclaimer. Allocations 323201 – SO369 323202 – SO373 323203 – SO385 323204 – SO368 323205 – SO364 323206 – SO384 323207 &#821…

partimespotter.wordpress.com

Todays allocations, All units mentioned are allocated and have been in traffic.

Also to fill the missing names on the list
217 - Chester Road
218 - Lichfield City

Hope that helps