West Midlands Class 323 - the final countdown

[Geeves]

Some what tenuous link but there's some nice shots of a former Birmingham 323 doing the rounds up in Glossop about 2 mins in.

 

[crosscity]

Mon 21Sep
323222 323240 on 2O10 the 07:09 Lichfield TV-Bromsgrove.

It's a different diagram to last week. Here is my 'Ready Reckoner' for the new diagram at Kings Norton:

Station	Direction	Time	Train
New St	To Lichfield TV	06:07	Diagram6 2P03 from New St
Kings Norton	To Bromsgrove	08:09	Diagram6 2O10
Kings Norton	From Bromsgrove	08:47	Diagram6 2P15
Kings Norton	To Bromsgrove	11:09	Diagram6 2O22
Kings Norton	From Bromsgrove	11:47	Diagram6 2P27
Kings Norton	To Bromsgrove	14:09	Diagram6 2O34
Kings Norton	From Bromsgrove	14:47	Diagram6 2P39
Kings Norton	To Bromsgrove	17:09	Diagram6 2O46
Kings Norton	From Bromsgrove	17:47	Diagram6 2P51
Kings Norton	To Bromsgrove	20:09	Diagram6 2O58
Kings Norton	From Bromsgrove	20:47	Diagram6 2P63
Kings Norton	To Bromsgrove	23:09	Diagram6 2O70
Kings Norton	From Bromsgrove	23:47	Diagram6 2G75 to New St only

 

[warwickshire]

Observations Monday 23rd September 2024
Bromsgrove to Lichfield
323240 North 323222 South

5J70 0854 Soho to Wolverton Centre Sidings
323216 South 323215 North
Farewell to 323216 323215.

 

[Geeves]

Looks like 215 + 216 did make it to Wolverton today running as 5J70 this morning

 

[The_Train]

Did 323217 come back out of Wolverton and head north?

 

[crosscity]

Thought I'd share this photo of the last time 323's passed one another on the Crosscity line.

Sat 21Sep2024 20:54. Wylde Green. BR Class 323 EMU 323221 323215 323222. [P1200386] by Ray Honke, on Flickr

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Thought I'd share this photo of the last time 323's passed one another on the Crosscity line.

Sat 21Sep2024 20:54. Wylde Green. BR Class 323 EMU 323221 323215 323222. [P1200386] by Ray Honke, on Flickr

Great photo there.

I must say it does show quite clearly the rather poor new(ish) front PIS displays, which I must say are far poorer than what they had under LM. They're not the standard TrainFX end display (a very slow/laggy, oversized font that often doesn't fit) and the original Northern ones don't have them.

 

[Liam L]

Did 323217 come back out of Wolverton and head north?

Yes.

323s at Wolverton

Off lease
201
204
211
214
215
216

Northern repaints
205
220

 

[The_Train]

Yes.

323s at Wolverton

Off lease
201
204
211
214
215
216

Northern repaints
205
220

Thank you kind sir! Any date of when 217 resurfaced from Wolverton please?

 

[warwickshire]

Observations Tuesday 24th September 2024
Bromsgrove to Lichfield
323240 323222.

 

[Liam L]

Thank you kind sir! Any date of when 217 resurfaced from Wolverton please?

My list has it down for 13th June for the move to Allerton, Where it's been ever since

 

[crosscity]

Wed 25Sep morning observation
S 323240 323221 N on same Lichfield-Bromsgrove diagram as Mon and Tue.
(ie green one is out today at the north end).

 

[blue87]

221 & 240 on 2P03 0607 BHM-LTV and diagram 221 at Lichfield end.

 

[crosscity]

221 & 240 on 2P03 0607 BHM-LTV and diagram 221 at Lichfield end.

That's good to know. So same units and diagram as yesterday.
Thanks for posting.

 

[warwickshire]

Observations Thursday 26th September 2024
Bromsgrove to Lichfield
323221 North 323240 South.

 

[Liam L]

Today units were 221 and 240 as posted above. Hopefully 323222 will make a appearance tomorrow for the final day unless its now finished.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Sep 2024 ==

UPDATE: Confirmed 323222 will be making a appearance!

 

[Dgss1]

What is the plan for tomorrow/today's diagram? Need to ride them early because I have plans for most of Friday.

 

[crosscity]

What is the plan for tomorrow/today's diagram? Need to ride them early because I have plans for most of Friday.

Here is my 323 'ready reckoner' for New St today (Fri 27Sep), the last day of public service. (Note: times are approximate).

Station	Direction	Time	Train
New St	To Lichfield	06:03	Diagram6 2P03 from New St
New St	To Bromsgrove	07:53	Diagram6 2O10
New St	To Lichfield	09:03	Diagram6 2P15
New St	To Bromsgrove	10:53	Diagram6 2O22
New St	To Lichfield	12:03	Diagram6 2P27
New St	To Bromsgrove	13:53	Diagram6 2O34
New St	To Lichfield	15:03	Diagram6 2P39
New St	To Bromsgrove	16:53	Diagram6 2O46
New St	To Lichfield	18:03	Diagram6 2P51
New St	To Bromsgrove	19:53	Diagram6 2O58
New St	To Lichfield	21:03	Diagram6 2P63
New St	To Bromsgrove	22:53	Diagram6 2O70
New St	From Bromsgrove	00:03	Diagram6 2G75 terminates

 

[Potteries 323]

Should be 323222+323240 as part time spotter says that 323221 is unallocated.

 

[Liam L]

Should be 323222+323240 as part time spotter says that 323221 is unallocated.

It is, I just had my last ride down from New Street to Longbridge.

 

[warwickshire]

Friday 27th September 2024.
Observations

Lichfield to Bromsgrove
323240 South 323222 North

Farewell X city 323 1993 to 27th September 2024.

Another piece of British Rail era bites the dust into history.

 

[birchesgreen]

Is that truly the end now or will some remain in standby in case of 730 shortages?

 

[Geeves]

So if above is correct the 'last ever 323' is going to be the 2331 off Bromsgrove with a 0004 arrival at New St?

Seems to have arrived so soon!

 

[Liam L]

Is that truly the end now or will some remain in standby in case of 730 shortages?

323221 and 323222 leave on Monday which will leave 323240 at Soho for the farewell event planned for staff on Friday 4th.

 

[1D54]

323221 and 323222 leave on Monday which will leave 323240 at Soho for the farewell event planned for staff on Friday 4th.

Is it usual to have such an event when a final unit leaves for pastures new?

 

[43096]

Is it usual to have such an event when a final unit leaves for pastures new?

LNER did a similar event for Craigentinny staff with the last HST set.

 

[mansonlo49]

Took picture of 323240 at Longbridge and towards Bromsgrove

 

[childwallblues]

I rode 196113 from on the 1050 from New Street to Bromsgrove yesterday morning. I had intended to take the 1129 back up to New Street which I thought would be a 730 bue arrived as 323240 and 323221. So I rode 221 up to Longbridge and can claim a ride on it on its last day in normal service.
I shall see it on the tour on Sunday when it passes Liverpool South Parkway after leaving Lime Street.
The WM 323s paid many visits to Liverpool in their early days and I had a few spirited runs on them on the 24 miles between Stafford and Crewe but mainly on the slow lines as their top speed was no match for the 86/87/90 on the fast lines.

 

[Geeves]

So for the first time since 1994 no 323s are in operation around Birmingham today subject potentially to any breakdowns of 730s

 

[TheTallOne]

So for the first time since 1994 no 323s are in operation around Birmingham today subject potentially to any breakdowns of 730s

I thought there was a Sunday a few weeks back where none were running?

But still a big day! Plus tomorrow's rail tour, which might try to get a photo of as it passes through the area. If I'm awake in time.