UK: At Birmingham New Street, two WMR Class 323 EMUs depart on a service to Lichfield Trent Valley

UK: At Birmingham New Street, two West Midlands Railways Class 323 EMUs (323218 & 323221) depart on train 2P59, the 1929 from Bromsgrove to Lichfield Trent Valley. Also seen are some West Midlands Trains Class 350 EMUs. Clip recorded 20 April 2024.
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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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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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[@ferroviestazioni7323]

Nice video