Class 730 - Debut / First Run to Redditch - 15th March 2021

The new West Midlands Railway Class 730 no 730002 made the debut run for the class down the branch to Redditch on the evening of 15th March 2021. The Derby built EMU is captured arriving into Alvechurch at 1726 before briefly stopping and then heading down the branch to Redditch. After a reversal the unit then headed back to Birmingham as the 1745 from Redditch passing back through Alvechurch at 1748 passing 323207 on the opposite platform. Slightly earlier, the same unit ran from Birmingham New Street to Bromsgrove and return. The interior still being in plastic wrapping from the manufacturer. On the southbound ‘fast’ run I selected (by mistake) the slow motion video but actually it came out ok. It is seen here passing south through Barnt Green at speed and returning back north shortly afterwards, passing a Class 323, whereupon it made a platform stop before moving off.