Class 730 LNR & WMR Delivery/test Updates

[ABB125]

No new train since 2014 (?) has been delivered with above solebar CET and tanking ability following a change in the relevant standards. Not a spec oversight issue.

Out of interest, why was the standard changed? (And presumably the change was to disallow above-solebar emptying?)

 

[rogercov]

730207 was back from Gascoigne Wood on 12/3 and is back in service today.

 

[james_the_xv]

730231 has returned to Bletchley today

 

[40029 Saxonia]

730231 has returned to Bletchley today

And according to RTT on Monday 16th, 730209 was taken from BY to GW.
Any news on 203 & 206 entering service yet? Thanks

 

[Lewisham2221]

Not sure on that, but tank size (can lose multiple toilets on a unit per day due to effluent levels) and tanking access point (being inaccessible from platform level) are the 2 biggest issues.

Wet floors has also been noticed by many guards.

That probably explains why both the 1542 and 1642 from Rugby had no working toilets today. A total of 12 toilets, and not one useable? Is this common?

 

[SCDR_WMR]

That probably explains why both the 1542 and 1642 from Rugby had no working toilets today. A total of 12 toilets, and not one useable? Is this common?

Far too common. Though they should be removed from service, often train crew needs to refuse to work them to force the hand of the controllers.

 

[Russel]

Overall I enjoy working 730s, much more passenger friendly and feel light and spacious.

From a passengers point of view,I fully agree.

Plus the capacity boost on the Crewe services is appreciated.

I've mentioned it before, but the 730/2s are what the 720s should have been.

 

[Merle Haggard]

On the subject of lavatories defective & locked out of use; I caught a late morning Down service from Northampton last week which was formed of 2 x 730/2s. The overhead displays showed that most lavatories were out of order. The one nearest my seat had a professional-looking LNw/WMT white sticker apologising for the lavatory being out of order and there were also the remains of at least four other white stickers on the door. On the assumption that these all had originally displayed the same message it seems to me likely that the problems are not as simple as having run out of water or the tank being filled that morning since leaving the depot. Indeed, it's logical that the remaining sticker was applied at the depot after the fifth unsuccessful attempt to get it to work.

Oddly, the problem seems to afflict the small, manual door ones more than the accessible type - one of the latter was the one still working

 

[Peter Sarf]

On the subject of lavatories defective & locked out of use; I caught a late morning Down service from Northampton last week which was formed of 2 x 730/2s. The overhead displays showed that most lavatories were out of order. The one nearest my seat had a professional-looking LNw/WMT white sticker apologising for the lavatory being out of order and there were also the remains of at least four other white stickers on the door. On the assumption that these all had originally displayed the same message it seems to me likely that the problems are not as simple as having run out of water or the tank being filled that morning since leaving the depot. Indeed, it's logical that the remaining sticker was applied at the depot after the fifth unsuccessful attempt to get it to work.

Oddly, the problem seems to afflict the small, manual door ones more than the accessible type - one of the latter was the one still working

I would imagine that the presence of the remains of previous stickers means that the loo has been fixed and then at a later date the/another problem has occurred again and for long enough to get a new sticker !.

I was expecting the accessible loo to run out of water/effluent-space the quickest because frankly the accessible loo is easier for an able bodied person to use. I go for the accessible loo because I have my small backpack on my back - I am not leaving my possessions out in the carriage.

 

[cockneyviking]

730203 is out today. 1Y08 0650 Northampton to Euston.

 

[wythallpaul]

730203 Allocated on 1Y08 this Morning (24/03/26).

Clarification:- 1Y08 0650 Northampton (NMP) to London Euston (EUS)

In a Pair with 730231 & set off 13 Minutes Late According to Realtime Trains (RTT).

 

[Merle Haggard]

I would imagine that the presence of the remains of previous stickers means that the loo has been fixed and then at a later date the/another problem has occurred again and for long enough to get a new sticker !.

snip

True; but a lavatory on a new train that has already had an 'out of use' sticker applied on 5 occasions (and currently doesn't work) suggests to me that the repairs so far have not been entirely successful. Perhaps because maintenance has an up-hill struggle against design.

But my point was to suggest that not being able to re-tank during the day and relying on carrying it out overnight at a a depot may not be the primary cause of lavatories being out of use earlier in their working day.

 

[40029 Saxonia]

730203 is out today. 1Y08 0650 Northampton to Euston.

Thanks. 203 beat 206 into service I think. There's a drag from G Wood to BY in RTT today

 

[Peter Sarf]

True; but a lavatory on a new train that has already had an 'out of use' sticker applied on 5 occasions (and currently doesn't work) suggests to me that the repairs so far have not been entirely successful. Perhaps because maintenance has an up-hill struggle against design.

But my point was to suggest that not being able to re-tank during the day and relying on carrying it out overnight at a a depot may not be the primary cause of lavatories being out of use earlier in their working day.

I agree. The presence of a sticker does indicate more then just a tanking timing issue.

Of course if someone flushes something down the pan that the toilet cannot cope with then that might take an engineer intervention !.

 

[Merle Haggard]

snip

Of course if someone flushes something down the pan that the toilet cannot cope with then that might take an engineer intervention !.

Shhh!!!
Otherwise we'll return to having those irritating, long announcements - that Virgin presumably thought wildly amusing - about 'your ex's sweater' and 'goldfish' ...

 

[Peter Sarf]

Shhh!!!
Otherwise we'll return to having those irritating, long announcements - that Virgin presumably thought wildly amusing - about 'your ex's sweater' and 'goldfish' ...

Oh yes, heard about that. Another reason I am glad I avoided Pendolinos so often !.

I think the level of announcements on 730s is about right. Except going to and from Crewe recently I noticed the number of coaches vising short platforms varied between different announcement modes - Guard vs Technology. I was near the back and the doors were available more often than announcements would make one expect !. This leads to one learning to ignore announcements.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Bletchley to Gascoign Wood see at Derby not long ago, 37510 hauling 730234.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

True; but a lavatory on a new train that has already had an 'out of use' sticker applied on 5 occasions (and currently doesn't work) suggests to me that the repairs so far have not been entirely successful. Perhaps because maintenance has an up-hill struggle against design.

But my point was to suggest that not being able to re-tank during the day and relying on carrying it out overnight at a a depot may not be the primary cause of lavatories being out of use earlier in their working day.

The issue is as much as they were 'supposed' to last 3 days between tanking, which is how they have been operated since the summer.

So currently, trains enter service untanked as they aren't completed on all trains every night. An unacceptable failure, and no matter how many complaints from LLC/H&S reps, the company don't seem the slightest bit bothered to change it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2026 ==

Oh yes, heard about that. Another reason I am glad I avoided Pendolinos so often !.

I think the level of announcements on 730s is about right. Except going to and from Crewe recently I noticed the number of coaches vising short platforms varied between different announcement modes - Guard vs Technology. I was near the back and the doors were available more often than announcements would make one expect !. This leads to one learning to ignore announcements.

Another ongoing problem. Resolved finally on the Liverpool route, then they took the 730s off.

Lichfield TV still announces front 6/7 coaches as if it's stopping on the high level!

Rugeley TV on the Up states front 4 when front door of coach 6 is the rearmost door available!

Maybe by the end of the year Alstom will bother to sort it out

 

[Merle Haggard]

The issue is as much as they were 'supposed' to last 3 days between tanking, which is how they have been operated since the summer.

So currently, trains enter service untanked as they aren't completed on all trains every night. An unacceptable failure, and no matter how many complaints from LLC/H&S reps, the company don't seem the slightest bit bothered to change it.
[snip

Thanks for the answer but there's one puzzle. On other recent units if the toilet tanks are empty/full the toilet locks automatically (??) and a red 'out of order' sign lights up. That's why I thought the defects indicated by the paper label on the door were other than full/empty tanks, which would be indicated automatically by the red light at some point during the working day.
Is it the case at the depot that, if they don't have time to replenish the tanks, the label is applied? Or do conductors have a stock of labels to apply when the lavatories fill up during the day?
The overhead displays in each coach indicate whether lavatories in that set are out of order as well, of course.
The 730/2 formed up Northampton was 30' late start this morning waiting stock from depot. If the depot delay was caused by tanking possibly paying the resulting WCML delay attribution might focus LNw managements' mind.

 

[40029 Saxonia]

The train is long enough that it would block the points while it was stopped.

Bletchley to Gascoign Wood see at Derby not long ago, 37510 hauling 730234.

The return working to BY is bringing 730209 back

 

[Sparks807Evo]

The issue is as much as they were 'supposed' to last 3 days between tanking, which is how they have been operated since the summer.

So currently, trains enter service untanked as they aren't completed on all trains every night. An unacceptable failure, and no matter how many complaints from LLC/H&S reps, the company don't seem the slightest bit bothered to change it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2026 ==


Another ongoing problem. Resolved finally on the Liverpool route, then they took the 730s off.

Lichfield TV still announces front 6/7 coaches as if it's stopping on the high level!

Rugeley TV on the Up states front 4 when front door of coach 6 is the rearmost door available!

Maybe by the end of the year Alstom will bother to sort it out

Quite right with failing them - operating trains on those services with no working toilets purely due to tanking is unacceptable. The approach taken by the industry to tanking / toileting is poor. Compare this to an EasyJet flight I had recently where they got engineers down during the turnaround to fix a toilet issue (took no more than ten minutes which I believe was a blockage) which if unresolved would have left two toilets instead of three for 180 or so people. Meant we were a little late getting going but meant better comfort standards onboard. I was thinking I wish the rail industry would take this more serious approach given equivalent time onboard and far more people to cater for!

On the software front, keep fingers crossed…had some 172s announcing a short platform at Moor Street for quite some time after they put in the new passenger information system (or some form of ASDO, not sure!)

 

[185143]

Quite right with failing them - operating trains on those services with no working toilets purely due to tanking is unacceptable. The approach taken by the industry to tanking / toileting is poor. Compare this to an EasyJet flight I had recently where they got engineers down during the turnaround to fix a toilet issue (took no more than ten minutes which I believe was a blockage) which if unresolved would have left two toilets instead of three for 180 or so people. Meant we were a little late getting going but meant better comfort standards onboard. I was thinking I wish the rail industry would take this more serious approach given equivalent time onboard and far more people to cater for!

On the software front, keep fingers crossed…had some 172s announcing a short platform at Moor Street for quite some time after they put in the new passenger information system (or some form of ASDO, not sure!)

Several TPE 397s still happily announce "due to a short platform at the next station..." on the approach to Manchester Oxford Road. Even in the 2nd coach, despite them all being accommodated easily.

And on westbound 185s, they tend to announce "This is Manchester Oxford Road" as the guard is giving two on the buzzer. No idea if the two issues are related.

But I quite agree. Failing a London-Crewe for no working toilets is entirely understandable! I had a 350/2 a few years back on the last one. The accessible bog was automatically locked out, the small bog was far from usable. Let's just say there was a flood, soaking into the carriage carpet, that had solids. The guard opened the accessible bog and made it very clear over the PA we were to tell him when it locked out, and if it locked permanently he would arrange toilet stops. Thankfully it didn't come to that, but I trust he'd have kept his word.

 

[rogercov]

In case anyone is still keeping track:
On 30/3/26 730230 was dragged from Bletchley to Gascoigne Wood (5Q16) and 730234 was dragged back (5Q77).

Also, I notice that 730220 is back on the Liverpool-Birmingham services today (probably a one-off).

 

[alex17595]

Also, I notice that 730220 is back on the Liverpool-Birmingham services today (probably a one-off).

So much for me getting to hide in the back cab away from the passengers then.

 

[40029 Saxonia]

According to RTT, 730206 is in service today. Not sure if this is it's first day in service

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Apr 2026 ==

I think there are 5 left to enter service. 730201 & 202 at Derby, 730204 & 227 at Gascoigne Wood & 730236 (last reported Old Dalby)

 

[nigelsporne]

I spent a few hours at Nuneaton yesterday and noted that one diagram was still a pair of 350s. Another diagram consisted of a single 730/2 which had travelled north earlier in the day. All diagrams looked well patronised especially the single unit! Will all diagrams be going over to pairs of 730/2s with the new Timetable?

 

[SCDR_WMR]

I spent a few hours at Nuneaton yesterday and noted that one diagram was still a pair of 350s. Another diagram consisted of a single 730/2 which had travelled north earlier in the day. All diagrams looked well patronised especially the single unit! Will all diagrams be going over to pairs of 730/2s with the new Timetable?

I think that solo 350x8 is remaining. It's very useful for training/pass out rides as it's pretty much the only UDS operation outside of the weekends (or additional strengthening like today on Liverpools)

 

[nigelsporne]

Thank you

 

[Jamesrob637]

I spent a few hours at Nuneaton yesterday and noted that one diagram was still a pair of 350s. Another diagram consisted of a single 730/2 which had travelled north earlier in the day. All diagrams looked well patronised especially the single unit! Will all diagrams be going over to pairs of 730/2s with the new Timetable?

The single you saw was probably a short-form, as all are now booked 10-car.

 

[alex17595]

The single you saw was probably a short-form, as all are now booked 10-car.

The 0510 off Crewe and the 2146 Off Euston are still booked 5 car.

The 0510 Joins at Euston to form a 10. The 2146 splits from a Tring I think.