UK: Birmingham Cross-City Line Class 323 EMUs pass at Longbridge station

UK: Birmingham Cross-City Line Class 323 EMUs pass at Longbridge station.
323222 & 323213 depart on train 2P33, the 1303 Bromsgrove - Lichfield Trent Valley.
323221 & 323218 depart on train 2O30, the 1209 Lichfield Trent Valley - Bromsgrove.
To celebrate 30 years service in the West Midlands unit 323221 was repainted into the Centro livery.
Clip recorded 20 April 2024.
The British Rail Class 323 are electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger trains built by Hunslet Transportation Projects and Holec. All 43 units were built from 1992 through to 1995, although mock-ups and prototypes were built and tested in 1990 and 1991.
Entering service in 1994, the 323s were among the last trains to enter service with British Rail before its privatisation in the mid-1990s. The units were designed to operate on inner-suburban commuter lines in and around Birmingham and Manchester with swift acceleration and high reliability.
The units are known for the distinctive sounds that can be heard during acceleration or deceleration. These sounds are generated by the traction electronics.
West Midlands: Central Trains inherited from British Rail a fleet of 26 units in two blocks; 323201-323222 and 323240-323243. In November 2007, these passed to London Midland when it took over the franchise.
In December 2017, West Midlands Trains took over the West Midlands franchise, and the 323s passed to that company. It is expected that they will be replaced by new Class 730 units on the Cross-City Line in the first half of 2024.
To celebrate 30 years of operation of Soho Depot where the West Midlands fleet is maintained, the West Midlands fleet had Soho LMD 1993 Cross City Line Diamond logos applied to them.
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The Cross-City Line is a suburban rail line in the West Midlands region of England. It runs for 32 mi (51 km) from Redditch and Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, its two southern termini, to Lichfield, Staffordshire, its northern terminus, via Birmingham New Street, connecting the suburbs of Birmingham in between. Services are operated by West Midlands Trains.
Cross-City Line services began in 1978, as a project of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) to improve local rail services. It made use of pre-existing railways lines, which previously did not have any through services. Services were extended to Redditch in 1980, and to Lichfield Trent Valley in 1988. The route was electrified in 1993. In 2018 services were extended to Bromsgrove, which was added as a second southern terminus.
As part of the new West Midlands Trains franchise, the Class 323 units will be replaced by Class 730 Aventras.
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Longbridge railway station is a railway station serving the Longbridge, Rednal, Rubery, and West Heath areas in the far south-west of Birmingham, England. It is on the Cross City Line. The station and all trains calling there are operated by West Midlands Trains.
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Longbridge is described as a hub for public transport with a number of bus services run by Kev's Coaches and National Express West Midlands passing through it with destinations including Birmingham City Centre, West Bromwich and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston. West Midlands Railway serves Longbridge railway station on the Cross City Line, with destinations at Redditch or Bromsgrove and Four Oaks or Lichfield with connections to Hereford and Nottingham at University station or nationwide at Birmingham New Street station. In 2020 a large multi-storey carpark was built near Longbridge station as a park and ride facility to reduce car journeys into the city centre.
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West Midlands Trains (WMT) is a British train operating company. It operates passenger trains on the West Midlands franchise between London and the English Midlands under two trading names: within the West Midlands region as West Midlands Railway (WMR) and outside the region as London Northwestern Railway (LNR).
West Midlands Trains was created as a consortium of three companies, Abellio, JR East, and Mitsui & Co, which joined to bid for the West Midlands franchise; they were amongst the three bids to be shortlisted in April 2016, and were awarded the franchise during August 2017. In addition to the DfT, it is also accountable to the West Midlands Rail Executive for services that operate wholly within the West Midlands region. On 10 December 2017, West Midlands Trains took over operations from the prior operator, London Midland. As per the original terms of the franchise, West Midlands Trains is expected to continue to operate until March 2026.
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[@markypea]

That was one of the most interesting video descriptions I have read to date! Thanks for that!

[@FrontCompVids]

Thanks, glad you found it useful 👍

[@markypea]

@@FrontCompVids I got a notification for this comment whilst I was on the 323 from New Street to Redditch!
I lived near Redditch 20 years ago and having got this line in Train Sim World wanted to see it in action before the 323 was replaced.