West Midlands Trains also waiting on new vehicles
Seventy-seven new trains should have been in traffic with West Midlands Trains as this issue of RAIL went to press, but the operator has confirmed that none will be used this year.
According to the West Midlands franchise agreement, all 26 CAF Class 196 diesel multiple units, along with 51 Bombardier Class 730 Aventra electric multiple units, are due to enter traffic by the end of the year.
The Office of Rail and Road has approved WMT using ‘196s’ (both the two-car and four-car variants) in passenger service.
But currently, only four four-car ‘196/1s’ have arrived at Tyseley for testing and commissioning, as well as for mileage accumulation and driver training - the latter has been affected by COVID-19 and rules relating to social distancing in cabs.
And no Class 730 has been delivered by Bombardier, with just 12 of the 333 vehicles built so far. One set (730001) has recently returned from testing at Velim (Czech Republic), while a second set (730002) is undergoing dynamic testing (performing as if in service) at Derby Litchurch Lane, where the trains are being built. WMT should also have had 35 of 36 three-car ‘730/0s’ in service, ten of 29 five-car ‘730/1s’, and six of 16 five-car ‘730/2s’ in use by the end of 2020.
Discussing the entire Aventra programme, which also includes South Western Railway Class
701s, London Overground Class 710s and Greater Anglia Class 720s, Bombardier spokesman
Will Tanner said on November 3: “COVID-19 has obviously had an impact, but we have ramped up as much as possible following our production pause in the spring, and we are due to build 22 cars this week and 26 next week across six lines.”
The delay in introducing WMT’s new fleets has not stopped the operator dispensing with its Class 153 DMU fleet (see separate story), although the WM franchise agreement shows that six threecar Class 170/6s should have been returned to Porterbrook by September 30, and 17 two-car Class 170/5s should follow by December 31.
So far, none have been removed from traffic, although some ‘170/6s’ have lost their centrecars, which are being cascaded to CrossCountry.
WMT spokesman Andrew
McGill confirmed to RAIL that the operator was speaking with East Midlands Railway, which is due to receive the Class 170s, about the delays and how they will affect that cascade.
EMR will use the ‘170s’ on its regional routes, replacing the current Class 15x Sprinter fleet. However, as the older trains currently have no home lined up, this can be delayed if required.
A further complication is that 26 three-car Class 323s used by WMT are due to be moved on by February 28 2021. These are being replaced by the Class 730/0s and are destined for Northern.
The franchise document states that ten sets should have been returned to Porterbrook, but also states that this should not happen until replacements are in use.