British Rail Class 390

British Rail Class 390
Pendolino
An Avanti West Coast Class 390 unit on the West Coast Main Line
The refurbished standard-class interior of a Class 390 unit
In service23 July 2002 – present
Manufacturer
Built at
Family namePendolino
Replaced
Constructed
Refurbished2021–2024[4]
Number built
  • 57
  • (22 × 390/0, 35 × 390/1)
Number in service56
Number scrapped1
Predecessor
Formation(See § Consist)
Fleet numbers(See § Fleet details)
Capacity
  • 390/0: 469 seats
  • (99 first-class, 370 standard)
  • 390/1 pre-refurb: 589 seats
  • (145 first-class, 444 standard)
  • 390/1 post-refurb: 607 seats
  • (99 first-class, 508 standard)
OwnersAngel Trains
Operators
Depots
Lines served
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium (friction stir welded)
Train length
  • 390/0: 217.5 m (713 ft 7 in)
  • 390/1: 265.3 m (870 ft 5 in)
Car length
  • DM cars: 25.1 m (82 ft 4 in)
  • Others: 23.9 m (78 ft 5 in)
Width2.73 m (8 ft 11 in)[5]
Height3.56 m (11 ft 8 in)[5]
DoorsSingle-leaf sliding plug
WheelbaseBogies: 2.70 m (8 ft 10 in)[6]
Maximum speed125 mph (200 km/h)
Weight
  • 390/0: 466 tonnes (459 long tons; 514 short tons)
  • 390/1: 567 tonnes (558 long tons; 625 short tons)
Traction systemAlstom Onix 800 IGBT[7]
Traction motors2 × Alstom 4 EJA 2852 per motor car (425 kW (570 hp) each)[6]
Power output
  • 390/0: 5,100 kW (6,840 hp)
  • 390/1: 5,950 kW (7,980 hp)
Electric system(s)25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collector(s)Pantograph
UIC classification(See § Consist)
BogiesFiat-SIG[5]
Braking system(s)Electro-pneumatic (disc) and rheostatic/regenerative[3]
Safety system(s)
Coupling systemDellner 12[3]
Multiple workingNot provided[5]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 390 Pendolino is a type of electric high-speed passenger train operated by Avanti West Coast in the United Kingdom, leased from Angel Trains.[3] They are electric multiple units using Fiat Ferroviaria's tilting train Pendolino technology and built by Alstom.

Fifty-three eight-car units were originally built between 2001 and 2005 for operation on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The trains of the original batch were the last to be assembled at Alstom's Washwood Heath plant, before its closure in 2005. The trains were subsequently extended to nine-cars in the mid-2000s. Some trains were lengthened further to eleven-cars in the 2010s, being renumbered as the subclass 390/1. An additional batch of four 11-car trains were built in Italy.

The Class 390 Pendolino has a design speed of 140 mph (225 km/h); however, limitations to track signalling systems restrict the trains to a maximum speed of 125 mph (200 km/h) in service. The fleet is maintained at Longsight TMD near Manchester Piccadilly station.

In 2021, a £117 million refurbishment programme to upgrade the fleet to as new condition began; this has included conversion of one first-class carriage to standard class to increase capacity, adding power plugs and new customer information screens.[10]

  1. ^ "Class 390 history". Railways Illustrated. No. October 2021. p. 7.
  2. ^ "Angel Trains and Alstom sign order for new Pendolino high speed tilting train sets and extra carriages to lengthen existing trains" (Press release). Angel Trains. 19 September 2009. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011..
  3. ^ a b c d "Class 390 - Virgin Trains West Coast". Angel Trains. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  4. ^ "Alstom completes AWC Pendolino refurbishment". News. Railways Illustrated. No. 258. August 2024. p. 14.
  5. ^ a b c d "Class 390 'Pendolino'". The Railway Centre. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 2 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ a b References: High-Speed Trains and Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) (PDF). Heidenheim: Voith Turbo. May 2008. pp. 18–19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  7. ^ Ford, Roger (October 1998). "Tilting trains hold the key to Virgin's ambitious franchise". Railway Gazette. Sutton: DVV Media International. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  8. ^ Bickell, David (10 September 2013). "Train protection and driver aids". Rail Engineer. Coalville: Rail Media. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  9. ^ Marsden, Colin J. (2011). Traction Recognition (Second ed.). Hersham, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 237. ISBN 9780711034945.
  10. ^ "Avanti West Coast and Alstom start £117m Pendolino upgrade project in Widnes". RailAdvent. 22 July 2021. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.