Avanti West Coast – the operator of intercity services on the West Coast Main Line – has unveiled the first of the long-anticipated refurbishment of its Pendolino (Class 390) fleet.
First class seats
The refurbishment of the Pendolino fleet is part of a £117 million upgrade programme that should add further capacity to the trains, as well as an updated passenger experience.
Standard class seats, with power-at-seat
Initially, the Pendolino fleet was introduced in 2002 by Virgin Trains, which brought the tilting trains to the UK Rail network. The upgrade will transform the fleet with new seats, a revamped shop and better on-board customer information system
The first train has been released to traffic, operating from Manchester to London Euston on its maiden trip on Monday 25th April. It will visit other destinations such as Birmingham, the Lakes, Glasgow and Edinburgh during its normal course of work.
The £117m upgrade programme was two years in the making and involved experts in technology, customer information and ergonomics. Customer improvements include:
- 25,000 new, ergonomic Standard Class seats with “Laptop friendly” tables
- Conversion of one First Class carriage on each of the 35 eleven-carriage Pendolinos to provide more than 2,000 extra Standard Class seats
- The introduction of a new onboard shop
- Improved lighting and new interior carpets
- Greater use of technology with customer-friendly passenger information screens, including carriage capacity counts
- Additional luggage space in Standard Class
- Power points at every seat, as well as wireless charging at some seats
- New carpets throughout using sustainable British wool
- Refurbished toilets
- New First and Standard Premium seats
In Quotes
Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, Phil Whittingham, said:
“This investment has been one of the key promises to our customers and they will see a dramatic transformation of our well-loved fleet. The refurbished Pendolinos look and feel like new trains with state of the art technology as well as brand new seats that promise best-in-class comfort.”
Peter Broadley, Managing Director Services, Alstom said:
“We are delighted with the launch of the newly modernised Pendolino. Working closely with our partners at Avanti West Coast and Angel Trains, we have created something truly special for the customers travelling on the West Coast Mainline. Our team at Widnes have created something amazing and we are incredibly proud of the final product. We hope it secures the future of the Pendolinos on the West Coast for many years to come”.
Rail Minister Wendy Morton said:
“The iconic Pendolino is back and better than ever before. This refurbished version of the classic fleet is a fantastic example of our cutting-edge rail network and how our railways are leading the way in creating a cleaner, more environmentally friendly and modern transport system.”
Malcolm Brown, CEO of Angel Trains, said:
“We are delighted to see the first of our new refurbished Pendolino trains re-enter passenger service. As one of the UK’s most iconic fleets, this project demonstrates how, through sustainable methods, existing trains can be renovated to provide a top-tier passenger experience. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with our industry partners to deliver a fast, comfortable, and low carbon mode of transport for passengers on the West Coast Mainline.”
Many more to go
The remaining 55 trains are to receive the same treatment as part of the £117m programme with the second set due back in service early next month.
Rail manufacturer Alstom is undertaking the work at their new depot in Widnes in the North West, helping to secure 100 skilled jobs.
The upgrade programme will run until 2024 when the last of the 56 strong fleet is expected to leave Widnes.
Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, featuring in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.
Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates! You can follow me on Instagram too!
Also remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.
