#class 323

[mjalford98]

Marking the withdrawal of the class 323 electric multiple unit trains from service around the West Midlands, seeing as I couldn't be bothered to brave the rail replacement bus service between Gloucester & Birmingham yesterday to see the farewell railtour, I thought I'd share these two snaps from shortly after the announcement of the intended replacement of the 323s by the new class 720s, taken just seconds apart, as a pair of unidentified class 323s cross paths departing from and arriving into Birmingham New Street on Saturday 12 August 2022 while on my way to the Blists Hill Victorian Town Steam Weekend. I love getting these shots showing such a change of scene in such a short space of time.

[emilytakesphoto]

train stations (with trains in them)

[uomminecraftsociety]

BR Class 323, you slut. You are with Northern now but you are still wearing clothes from West Midland's depot.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Trains at Birmingham New Street, 26/11/2023

[national-rail]

Vote for your favourite train! Round 1 Poll 4

(Top Left) Siemens Class 360 Desiro

(Top Right) Stadler Class 231 FLIRT

(Bottom Left) Hunslet/Holec Class 323

(Bottom Right) Metro-Cammell LU 1972 Stock

Voting ended onNov 23, 2024

See pinned for more info!

[emilytakesphoto]

bridge train

[emilytakesphoto]

train station (with a train in)

[mjalford98]

A year before their planned withdrawal from cross-city line services, a pair of class 323s are seen pausing at Birmingham New Street en route to Litchfield Trent Valley. The class 323s were among the last trains to enter service with British Rail before privatisation, and with the sun setting on their day working commuter services around Birmingham, 323221 is seen repainted in a variation of the livery they first wore under British Rail's Regional Railways sector working for the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive. What's interesting is that this after something of a hiatus in the early privatisation era when the main operator in the region was London Midland, the current livery used by West Midlands Railway again reflects today's branding of public transport in the West Midlands, as discussions once more circulate of bringing back a degree of local public control, as seen in London and Wales.

Privatisation of railways and other transport services is of course a controversial topic, and one which I hope to cover in my blog/podcast once that's up and running, but suffice to say that while I am very much in favour of creating opportunities for private entrepreneurship in all industrial sectors, public transport should at the very least see strong public involvement, especially at a local level. More will of course be on the way...