West Midlands Trains - West Midlands Trains Rolling Stock - C

West Midlands Trains - C

West Midlands Trains Rolling Stock

WMT inherited a fleet of Class 139, 150, 153, 170, 172, 319, 323 and 350 units from London Midland, but as the newer units enter service, some will be returned to the leasing companies that own them.

West Midlands Trains Current Fleet

West Midlands Trains Class 139 Parry People Movers

The concept of using the lightweight railcar dates from 2006 when a year-long pilot scheme began on the Stourbridge Town branch line on Sundays, using a Parry People Movers PPM50 unit constructed in 2002 and numbered as 999900 under TOPS. The success of this trial led to the provision of regular services using the technology in the franchise plans for the new West Midlands Franchise. Following the award of the franchise to London Midland, it placed an order for two PPM60 units with Parry People Movers, through Porterbrook. The service itself was operated for London Midland by Pre Metro Operations.

These two units are 139 001 and 139 002, composed of vehicle numbers 39001 and 39002 in the British carriage and wagon numbering and classification system. The vehicles are mechanically similar to 999 900, but are approximately one metre longer. They were intended to start operating on the Stourbridge Town branch in 2008. In January 2009 it was confirmed that 139001 was still undergoing testing at Chasewater Railway and 139002 was still not completed.

Despite the difficulties in the commissioning of the two Class 139 units, London Midland consistently outlined its faith that they would be ready to enter service. In March 2009, it was announced that the first unit had received its passenger certification from Network Rail, allowing it to carry passengers. London Midland stated that they would begin a phased entry into service, starting with weekend operation in April, leading up to a full service by the timetable change in May 2009.

Until then, London Midland temporarily returned a Class 153 to operating the branch service. 139 002 officially entered service on 29 March 2009 as part of the type's phased entry. This unit had previously worked in full service, including all-day on Monday 11 May 2009 and previously had worked all morning services during February and March 2009.

In May 2009, the first unit, 139 001 was finally delivered to Stourbridge, with 999 900 removed at the same time. Test unit 999 900 had been on the branch line between 2005 and 2009. At the point of introduction, they displaced a single Class 153 DMU that was previously allocated to the branch line. By December 2009, the 200,000th passenger had been carried by the railcars.

West Midlands Trains Class 172 DMU

West Midlands Trains operate a total of 35 two-car and three-car Class 172 units, 27 of which had been ordered by predecessor London Midland, who originally planned for them to enter service by the end of 2010 on services to and from Birmingham Snow Hill, replacing Class 150s. The original 27 sets have revised front ends with end gangways which make the trains look like the Electrostar family of units.

From 1 September 2011, the Class 172s started operating on the Snow Hill Lines with some weekend work from Birmingham – Hereford. When first used in service, the units suffered a fault with engine vibration in the passenger cabin, which has since been rectified.

The units were originally meant to replace all of the Class 150s, however three were retained until 2019 and moved on to Northern after the Class 172/0 and Class 230 units entered service. Between late 2018 and early 2019 West Midlands Railway inherited the London Overground 172/0s to replace the remaining Class 150s and Class 153s operating on the Coventry to Leamington line, the Coventry to Nuneaton line and Birmingham to Hereford. All had entered service by May 2019.

In May 2021, Chiltern Railways' fleet of four Class 172/1s transferred to West Midlands Trains. This transfer means that all of the Class 172 units are operated by West Midlands Trains. The initial sublease contract was until December 2021, the end of Chiltern Railways' franchise agreement, but the units have remained with West Midlands Trains, with Chiltern stating that the 172/1s would not be returning to them.

West Midlands Trains Class 196 Civity

WMT is in the process of replacing its fleet of 23 Class 170/5 and 170/6 Turbostar and eight Class 153 units, which operate on West Midlands Railway services, with 26 new Class 196 Civity units.

The Class 153 units left West Midlands Trains at the end of 2020, and the Class 170 units will move to East Midlands Railway, with the exception of the centre cars of the 170/6s which moved to CrossCountry to lengthen its 170/5s.

The first of these new units entered service on the Shrewsbury line on 17 October 2022.

West Midlands Trains Class 319, 323, and 350 EMUs

The Class 319, Class 323 and all Class 350/2 units will be replaced by brand new Class 730 units.

Seventeen of the Class 323 units will be transferred to Northern Trains to work with the existing 323 units already in service with them.

West Midlands Trains Shunting Locomotive

08 Shunter

Stock movements 1952–1962

West Midlands Railway

Parry People Mover 139 Railcar

Stourbridge Town branch line

2009

Bombardier Turbostar 172 DMU

Birmingham–Hereford

Snow Hill Lines

Leamington Spa to Nuneaton

2010-2011

CAF Civity 196 DMU

Snow Hill lines

Birmingham–Shrewsbury

Birmingham–Hereford

Shrewsbury–Walsall via Birmingham New Street

2019–20

Hunslet Transportation Projects/Holec 323 EMU

Cross-City Line

1992–1995

London Northwestern Railway

BR Second Generation (Mark 3) 319 EMU

London Euston–Tring/Milton Keynes Central

London Euston–Northampton

1987–1988

Siemens Desiro 350

London Northwestern Railway

Abbey Line

Birmingham New Street–Northampton

Birmingham New Street–Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent

London Euston–Tring/Milton Keynes Central

London Euston–Northampton

London Euston-Crewe via Trent Valley Line

London Euston–Birmingham New Street

Birmingham New Street–Liverpool Lime Street

West Midlands Railway

Birmingham International-Rugeley Trent Valley

Wolverhampton–Walsall via Birmingham New Street

2004–2014

West Midlands Trains Notes

^ Converted from London Underground D78 Stock originally built between 1979 and 1983.

West Midlands Trains Overview

West Midlands Trains Franchise(s): West Midlands

10 December 2017 – 20 September 2026

West Midlands Trains Main Region(s): West Midlands

Greater London

West Midlands Trains Other Region(s): North West

East Midlands

West Midlands Railway

Fleet Size:

2 Class 139 Parry People Mover sets

39 Class 172 Turbostar sets

26 Class 196 Civity sets

26 Class 323 electric multiple units

London Northwestern Railway

Fleet Size:

7 Class 319 electric multiple units

87 Class 350 Desiro electric multiple units

West Midlands Trains Stations Called At: 178

West Midlands Trains Stations Operated: 146

West Midlands Trains Parent Company: Transport UK Group (70%)

JR East (15%)

Mitsui & Co (15%)

West Midlands Trains Reporting Mark: LM

West Midlands Trains Predecessor: London Midland

West Midlands Trains Technical Length: 867.4 km (539.0 mi)