The British Rail Class 390 "Pendolino" electrical multiple units are tilting trains built by Alstom utilising Fiat tilt systems. Fifty-three 9-car units were built for Virgin Trains from 2001-2004, and were introduced on the West Coast Main Line. These trains were the last to be built at Alstom's Washwood Heath plant before its closure in 2005.

Description

In 1997, when Virgin Trains won the InterCity West Coast franchise, they were obligated to replace the ageing train fleet they inherited with new trains. The old fleet consisted of an assortment of Classes 86, 87 and 90 electric locomotives, which operated in push-pull mode with Mk.2 and Mk.3 coaching stock. Therefore, in order to replace these trains, Virgin placed an order with Alstom/Fiat for the construction of new tilting trains.

Tilting trains were nothing new for the West Coast Main Line. Twenty years previously, British Rail had developed the revolutionary, but ultimately unsuccessful Class 370 Advanced Passenger Train (APT). Despite their failure in revenue earning service, much of the technology was used in later designs of tilting train, so the Class 390 could be considered the de-facto successor to the APT.

The new trains were originally intended to run at 140 mph (225 km/h). However, the West Coast Mainline modernisation programme, which was an upgrade to the infrastructure to allow faster line speeds, ran overbudget. Consequently, plans were scaled back resulting in the maximum line speed now being restricted to only 125 mph (200 km/h). Since the construction of the fleet, hardware modifications have subsequently been performed to reflect this lower speed, so the trains are now physically limited to 125 mph (200 km/h) passenger running. This equals the maximum speed of 125 mph (200 km/h) for the APT in passenger service, although one APT set reached 162 mph (261 km/h) in tests.

Fifty-three units were built, numbered 390001-390053. Each unit is formed of nine vehicles, however the first 34 sets were built as 8-car units, with the ninth vehicle built later and retro-fitted into the unit during 2004. The unit formation is described in the table below, with vehicles listed in the order they are formed in the unit.

The train includes priority seating for wheelchair users, a small shop and a buffet counter.

Current operations

The fleet was introduced onto passenger services from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly in mid-2002 to coincide with the opening of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Over the next few months they began to monopolise the Manchester services, and were soon introduced onto other routes to Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton and Preston. By the late-2003 the last of the elderly Class 86 locomotives had been withdrawn due to the introduction of the Pendolinos.

2004 saw their sphere of operation expand further. The units started to operate services to Glasgow Central, and by the end of summer, in theory at least all services north of Preston were worked by Class 390 units. This allowed the final Class 90 locomotives to be withdrawn, and inroads were made into the main Class 87 fleet. It was expected that all locomotive hauled trains would have been replaced by the end of 2004, but the Pendolinos suffered from several technical problems, thus giving the Class 87s a stay of execution. By January 2005, only eight locomotives remained, however, used on peak London Euston-Birmingham New Street services. It is expected they will be retained for a few months whilst the Pendolinos undergo modifications to increase reliability.

Another development in 2004 was the clearing of the units for the North Wales Coast Line to Holyhead. Although this line is not electrified, Virgin's fleet of Class 57/3 diesel locomotives have special coupling adaptors to allow them to haul the electric units. Therefore, services to Holyhead work under electric power to Crewe, where a Class 57 is attached to the front to haul to train onwards.

Virgin Trains have named their entire fleet of unit. Most carry promotional names such as "Virgin Valiant", "Virgin Crusader" or "Virgin King". However, some have received traditional names such "City of London" or "City of Manchester". Names are carried on the MFO (696xx) vehicle.

External links

• Rail Technology - Tilting Train Technology -United Kingdom
• Virgin Cuts Speed of Pendolino
• Pendolino
• Virgin Trains
• Pendolino Tour - Virgin Trains