Avanti West Coast’s Class 807 makes ‘soft’ passenger debut between London Euston and Birmingham – RAIL Magazine

Avanti West Coast released its first Class 807 Hitachi AT300 electric motor unit for passenger use over the weekend.

The device, 807003, was released for just one day as part of a shakedown test, ahead of the fleet’s official entry into service, which is currently scheduled for November.

The diagram was from Oxley depot, with the set making two return journeys between Birmingham New Street and Euston. The first train was the 0721 from Birmingham New Street, returning from Euston at 0916, before heading back south on the 1121 and finishing the day with an 1816 operation from the capital.

All four services arrived within six minutes of their booked arrival time.

An Avanti spokesman said: “The first run of one of our Class 807 Evero trains on Saturday was a success with very positive comments received from our customers. Our dual-mode Class 805 trains have already improved journeys on routes in the West Midlands and North Wales, and these seven-car all-electric versions will allow us to run more services to Liverpool when they become fully operational before the end of the year.”

Three of the ten seven-car Class 807s (807001/003/004) have now been accepted by Avanti.

All but two of the 13 five-car Class 805 bi-mode Evero cars have also been accepted. The two sets yet to be added to passenger traffic are 805006/007.

More Class 807s are due to arrive with Avanti in November and in December all remaining Class 221 Voyagers will return to Beacon Rail before the start of the new timetable.

Some of them are being transferred to CrossCountry.

Dates on which the new Avanti trains were put into service:

805002 30/07/23

805004 04/09/23

805005 29/09/23

805008 16/01/24

805009 02/02/24

805010 18/03/24

805001 15/04/24

805012 23/04/24

805011 31/05/24

805003 31/05/24

805013 28/06/24

807001 17/07/24

807003 15/08/24

807004 13/09/24