Rail — rolling stock & vehicles
Rail — rolling stock & vehiclesFleet programme
Alstom Class 730 Aventra Fleet (West Midlands Trains)
West Midlands, UK · 2021–2022 · £705.2m (2024 prices)
The judgement call
Account-gated at launch* Fleet size changes during the programme to optimize capacity and service requirements. * Investment in new fleet and infrastructure to boost capacity and modernize services.
Key engineering challenges
* Integration of new fleet with existing infrastructure and signalling systems. * Addressing initial operational issues and faults (e.g., corridor doors). * Upgrading depot facilities (Soho Depot) to accommodate maintenance of the new fleet.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- West Midlands Trains (London Northwestern Railway, West Midlands Railway)
- Lead contractor
- Alstom
- Lead designers
- Alstom
- Project type
- Vehicle/fleet programme
- Scale
- 36 five-carriage trains (180 carriages); later fleet size changes mentioned
- Disciplines
- Mechanical; Electrical; Systems
- Standards & frameworks
- RSSB; Network Rail standards
Sources: * Alstom Press Release (alstom.com) * Railway-Technology.com * Railmarket.com * West Midlands Railway website