Late delivery of new class 323 units from Hunslet's saw a variety of older electric multiple units used for a short period on Cross-City services from Lichfield to Redditch. The biggest surprise was the transfer of a tranche of life-expired class 308 units from the Eastern Region. After the delivery of the 323's the 308s saw further service in West Yorkshire.
On 30th July 1993 class 308 electric multiple unit No.308154 in Network South East livery at Longbridge on a Cross-city line service.
The class 308 electric multiple units which had started to arrive in 1993 continued to fill in for the lack of availability of the new class 323 units. Between 1993 and 1995 at least nineteen different units were noted in use in the West Midlands:
308134; 308136; 308137; 308141; 308143; 308145; 308147; 308152; 308153; 308154; 308155; 308156; 308157; 308158; 308159 308160; 308161; 308163; 308164;
Some of the one's intended for West Yorkshire were repainted and appeared on 'Cross City Line' services in 1995. The last class 308 noted by the MIAC in the West Midlands in West Yorkshire PTE 'Metro' livery was No.308134 at Selly Oak on 20th April 1995.
Click here for an article on class 304 electric multiple units
Click here for an article on class 310 electric multiple units
Click here for an article on class 323 electric multiple units