Avanti West Coast's Class 807 makes 'soft' passenger debut between London Euston and Birmingham

Avanti West Coast put its first Class 807 Hitachi AT300 electric multiple unit into passenger use at the weekend.

The unit, 807003, was run for one day only as part of a shakedown test, ahead of the fleet’s formal entry to service which is currently planned for November.

The diagram was from Oxley depot, with the set undertaking two round trips 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 its day by working the 1816 from the capital.

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

An Avanti spokesman said: “The first run of one of our Class 807 Evero trains on Saturday was a success with lots of positive comments received from our customers. Our Class 805 bi-mode trains have already improved journeys on routes across the West Midlands and North Wales, and these all-electric seven-carriage versions will allow us to run more services to Liverpool when they fully enter service 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 units have also been accepted. The two sets still to be added to passenger traffic are 805006/007.

More Class 807s are due to arrive with Avanti in November, and in December all its remaining Class 221 Voyagers will have returned to Beacon Rail ahead of the start of the new timetable.

Some of these are transferring to CrossCountry.

Dates new Avanti trains have been accepted 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