Since then, I have managed to travel in every Class 323 Unit (by number) and also on every route they have worked (including the very rare occasions they reached my 'home' stations of Rugby, Long Buckby and Northampton in service). One of their distinctive features is the curious whining noise they made when accelerating and braking. Commuters have even been known to mimic this sound when on platforms waiting for the train! I admit to doing this myself and can still hear it in my sleep. They last worked a WM service on Fri 27 Sep and the last three units were to leave by the end of the month.

So, the date was set for Sun 29 Sep, our first project with West Midlands Railway. It was, conveniently, the day after the biennial Open Day at Alan Keef in Ross-on-Wye with train rides, so my plan was set with hotels booked, firstly in Hereford and then Birmingham City Centre. But fate and the weather gods were to intervene. Due to severe flooding at the site (Herefordshire was one of the worst affected counties and sometimes it is Ross-in-Wye), the event had to be cancelled. As soon as I found out via our website Forum (with thanks to the poster), I cancelled the Hereford hotel and replanned the Saturday.

Instead, on Sat 28 Sep I purchased a West Midlands Day Ranger (excellent value for a large area) at Rugby to do my last three stations in the rover area. Just as last time I had tried this itinerary, it was severely affected by crew shortage at WMR Tyseley and Worcester Depots. Roughly half the North Warwickshire Line services were cancelled! I persisted and managed to use my target stations, Danzey, Wood End and Wootton Wawen. Once request stops, they became mandatory from 21 May 2023.

I was in my hotel, not far from New Street, by about 19.30. Sunday dawned and I was out by around 06.55 for the short walk to the newly opened Wetherspoons at New Street. The Website and App had it opening at 07.00 for breakfast (as opposed to the more usual 08.00) but when I arrived with another member, it looked suspiciously not open! The station itself doesn't open until 08.00 in any case. So, we had to hang around outside on quite a chilly morning. Inside, I at least managed to purchase a hot drink before making my way to P10 for our 08.22 tour departure - the first train of the day from New Street.

Formed of 323222 and celebrity Centro Liveried 323221, I was in coach 'B' with other BLS members, 'B' for BLS - thanks, Martha! The spec had the train visit most of its old haunts during the day, apart from the northern part of the Cross City Line. Included was a run to Liverpool, booked Centre Road at Crewe.

It was south towards Barnt Green where we headed firstly, picking up here and at the foot of the Lickey at Bromsgrove. Arrival was in P1, apparently the first visit of a passenger carrying EMU to said platform in service. This was followed by the last ascent of the famous 1:37.7 incline (not that you would notice it if you didn't know it was there, with electric traction and a very well powered, relatively speaking, light train). Then there was a second pick up at New Street, at 09.16, no doubt appreciated by many.



Once rare but now common at Curzon Street Jn, was the Down Vauxhall Chord, then Perry Barr South to Soho North Jn was covered en route to Wolverhampton, where we were routed via P4, rare in this direction, a new move for me. (I don't overly worry about bidirectionality but take it when it happens.)

Another pick up at Stafford and all was looking quite good for our fast run to Merseyside. Sadly, it didn't quite come off, due to a strange piece of signalling regulation. We ended up behind the LNwR stopping service that we were supposed to be ahead of. This cost us the non-stop pass of Crewe. On the plus side, I noted my last two Class 730 EMUs needed for sight at Crewe! 730025+730034 were stabled together.

These are, of course, the direct replacements for the 323s. I have sampled one of these in service (quite by chance, between Euston and Milton Keynes) and have to say, don't find them too bad.

So, our Liverpool Lime Street arrival, scheduled for 10.58 on P2, became 11.22 on P1 via the Up Slow single bore tunnel. Time for sustenance in the local 'Spoons'! Being just in time for breakfast (served until midday), I partook of an American style 'Brunch'. Meanwhile, our Society rafflers spent the whole 1 hr 42 min break tearing up over 20,000 tickets - there were 40 prizes Including from WMR and the over 300 participants had been particularly generous. Some of them made it to Headbolt Lane during the break and a couple had booked a full 3-course Sunday lunch at a local hotel; well, it was Sunday.






Departing 13.04, the return journey was a regulation run back to Crewe. Then, after a brief stop, we took the route to Alsager and Kidsgrove. (Did Class 323s ever run in service along here? I suspect not. Answers on a Postcard Please...!) They are, of course, still to be seen occasionally on the local Northern service between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke-on-Trent (but less often now, with their 331 EMUs).



323s did occasionally operate between Stoke and Stafford, calling at the 'temporarily closed' (from 23 May 2004!) Wedgwood and Barlaston stations and the now permanently closed Norton Bridge one. On this occasion, we went via the bidirectional single track East Chord to join the West Coast Main Line (which was the only route back in those days). New territory for 323s was the 'Chase Line' from Rugeley Trent Valley to Walsall. More track for some track chasers to mark up was the ladder at Rugeley North Jn and then the connection to Rugeley Trent Valley P1, which has no regular booked passenger trains.






In the past, I have heard Walsall described as 'one of the ugliest stations on the Network' and it must be said, in my opinion, that isn't all that far wrong! Most took advantage of the 30 min break to stock up on food and hot drinks. The station, 'Costa' coped very well with the unexpected 4pm Sunday rush.



On the final leg now, Perry Barr North Jn to Soho South Jn was followed by the track highlight for many, the electrified Up & Down Monument Lane Loop. Once very difficult to do on tours due to the signalling, it has recently been realigned (straightened), refettled and resignalled to passenger standards.

Back in New Street, it was now time for a run down to Coventry, everyday territory for these units until about 2005. An Up departure from Birmingham International P2 was another rare move. I had decided to leave the tour at Coventry during its reversal. That way, I could be back home around an hour earlier than otherwise (as I had a 10 mile cycle ride home from Rugby, with the Northampton Loop shut, barring a move to Long Buckby). All this after one final rare move, from the Up Main to Coventry P4. So, my last 323 journey in the West Midlands ended. All that was left was to take the obligatory photos as the tour left for journey's end at New Street. I took the next train to Rugby and cycled home, arriving 19.15.

It had been a good weekend out. The weather held out, just. The tour had been a triumph, with the right mixture of established routes and rarish moves. I know these sort of unit farewell bashes are shunned by some as being of little interest and pointless - it's true that they will never have the glamour of loco hauled tours but they deserve to be a success and this one was. It was good to work with a new TOC.

It was very positive to see so many of the younger (and very young) generation of enthusiasts involved. They are the future of our Society and hobby. I have been involved in all things railway since 1991 or thereabouts and firmly consider myself one of the 'Old Guard' (in more ways than one sometimes!).

Thanks, as always, to our organising and stewarding teams, to WMR and all their very friendly staff for adding to the atmosphere and, of course, NR for facilitating it all. In addition, everyone who parted with their hard earned cash to take part. Retro Logo even donated some bespoke branded items, specific to the tour, which turned out to be very popular raffle prizes; they have also made significant donations to the charities from online sales. Over £21,000 was raised, shared between Scotty's Little Soldiers and Brain Tumour Research. Both had representatives on the tour. The former, provide long term support for bereaved military children. New figures show that about 2,100 children EVERY year experience the death of a parent who served, or is serving, in the British Armed Forces - far more than previously known.

From a 'RailUK Forums' posting: Superb tour, really enjoyed it. I've been on a good few railtours and that was one of the nicest, the atmosphere on board was great. Thanks BLS, you did us proud.