New railway fleet welcomes first passengers
A brand new West Midlands Railway (WMR) train fleet welcomed its first passengers on board yesterday.
Passengers - plus a small band of railway enthusiasts - climbed aboard the Class 196 train at Shrewsbury railway station shortly before 7am for the maiden journey to Birmingham New Street.
The train - 196101 - was officially named “Charles Darwin ” by the High Sheriff of Shropshire Selina Graham at a special ceremony last week.
The Class 196 is the first new fleet to be introduced to the West Midlands franchise for more than a decade and is part of WMR 's £690m investment in new trains and infrastructure.
The first trains in the fleet will enter service on the Shrewsbury Line in coming weeks, serving destinations including Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Telford.
A special event to celebrate the fleet 's impending launch was held at Wolverhampton Station last Friday, with guests including West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and passenger groups.
The diesel fleet, consisting of 80 carriages in total, has been constructed by manufacturer CAF at its factories in South Wales and Spain.
From next year, trains in the fleet will also serve the Hereford Line, connecting Birmingham with destinations including Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Worcester.
The fleet will run first on the Shrewsbury Line. Initially a small number of journeys will be run by Class 196s as the new trains are drip-fed into service over coming months. The trains are due to enter service on the Hereford Line next year, connecting Birmingham with destinations including Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Worcester.
The name “Charles Darwin ” was chosen for the first train in the fleet by WMR staff following an internal poll. It honours the Shrewsbury-born naturalist recognised as one of the greatest Britons of all time.
Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director, said: “I am delighted to see our Class 196 trains carrying passengers for the first time today.
“With smart air conditioning, power points at every seat and extra space on board, I am certain these trains will prove a hit with passengers. ”
Passenger benefits include more seats and tables with improved under-seat storage, improved accessibility, more bicycle storage, clear luggage racks to avoid passengers leaving items behind, smart new digital screens featuring live journey information, plug and USB sockets at every seat, intelligent air-conditioning and free WiFi.
For more information visit www.wmr.uk/newtrains
Pictured from left to right: WMR customer experience director Jonny Wiseman and High Sheriff of Shropshire Selina Graham