Porterbrook acquires 404 trains in Corelink fleet deal

Porterbrook acquires 404 trains in a completed transaction with Corelink Rail Infrastructure Limited (Corelink), expanding its UK rolling stock portfolio, as outlined in a Porterbrook news update and reported by Railway Pro.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The deal covers 404 vehicles operated by West Midlands Trains (WMT): 324 Class 730 Aventra electric multiple units and 80 Class 196 diesel multiple units. They run regional and longer-distance services between London, Birmingham and Liverpool. Together, the fleets account for around 60% of West Midlands Trains’ operations.

Porterbrook Corelink train acquisition: fleet and operator impact

Porterbrook CEO Mary Grant said West Midlands Trains has been one of the company’s most important customers for more than 15 years. She added that the transaction both reinforces that long-standing partnership and closes out an investment programme of over £1 billion over the past five years, covering new trains, rolling stock modernisation, traction and rail infrastructure innovations.

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Class 730 Aventra West Midlands Trains services and performance

Manufactured by Alstom, the Class 730 Aventra EMUs operate on the Walsall–Wolverhampton route and Birmingham’s Cross City line. They entered commercial service in March 2024 and carried over 12 million passengers on the Cross-City line in their first year. West Midlands Railway also reported a 19% increase in customer satisfaction on the route since the trains were introduced, pointing to generous space in the carriages, an intelligent air conditioning system and modern amenities, as previously covered by Railway Supply.

Bletchley maintenance depot upgrade and Corelink structure

The five-unit Aventra electric trains will be based and maintained at the Bletchley maintenance depot. The facility was upgraded last year with modern stabling tracks, inspection facilities, new overhead lines and portals, following a £66 million investment by Porterbrook.

Corelink is a joint venture between Infracapital and Pan-European Infrastructure II, a fund managed and advised by DWS Group GmbH & Co KGaA. Infracapital managing director Tom Crawley said the partners are proud to have established Corelink together with DWS, delivering a modern and energy-efficient rolling stock fleet that provides a reliable commuting experience across the West Midlands rail network.

He added that Porterbrook is well positioned to continue supporting Corelink’s mission to provide safe and sustainable rail transport in the UK.

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