Class 390 Pendolino on the West Coast Main Line in 2022
Overview
Franchise(s)
West Coast Partnership
Main region(s)
Greater London
North West England
Scotland
South East England
West Midlands
Other region(s)
East Midlands
East of England
Wales
Fleet size
18 Class 221 Super Voyagers
56 Class 390 Pendolinos
Stations called at
46
Stations operated
16
Parent company
FirstGroup (70%) Trenitalia (30%)
Reporting mark
VT
Dates of operation
8 December 2019 (2019-12-08)–18 October 2026 (2026-10-18)[1][2]
Predecessor
Virgin Trains
Other
Website
www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Route map
Avanti West Coast is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup (70%) and Trenitalia (30%) that operates the West Coast Partnership.
During November 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced the InterCity West Coast franchise would be replaced by the West Coast Partnership (WCP). In August 2019, the DfT awarded the WCP franchise to the First Trenitalia consortium. On 8 December 2019, Avanti West Coast took over operations from the prior operating company Virgin Trains, which had run the franchise since 1997. Originally, the franchise was initially scheduled to run until March 2030, and had also been set to operate the initial High Speed 2 services from 2026, before project delays moved its expected completion.[3] However, during December 2020, it was announced that First Trenitalia and the DfT had agreed to terminate the WCP franchise at the earlier date of 31 March 2026 as part of the abolition of the franchise system;[4] later revisions resulting from COVID-19 and poor performance shortened the contract expiry to October 2023 before being extended to October 2026.[1]
Avanti West Coast provide the principal long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland. Its services connect six of the largest cities in the UK: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, which have a combined metropolitan population of over 18 million. At the start of the franchise, the rolling stock used for these services consisted of 56 Class 390 Pendolino high speed electric multiple units and 20 Class 221 Super Voyager diesel-electric multiple units; in 2019, it was announced that the Super Voyagers would be replaced by newly built Class 805 bi-mode multiple units and Class 807 electric multiple units. Originally, Avanti West Coast was set to operate the pending high speed train fleet intended for use on High Speed 2, although the contract is set to end prior to the completion of this new railway as of 2023[update].
^ abCite error: The named reference nrc23 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"West Coast partnership 2023: national rail contract" (PDF). Department for Transport. gov.uk. 21 March 2024. p. 76 | Specified Additional Rolling Stock. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
^"Avanti West Coast prepares for launch on December 8". International Railway Journal. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
^"Two franchises abolished for good, as First and DfT agree terms | Railnews | Today's news for Tomorrow's railway". www.railnews.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
and Class 221 Super Voyagers with tilting mechanisms operated by AvantiWestCoast travel at that speed. Non-tilting trains are limited to 110 mph (177 km/h)...
125 mph (200 km/h). The trains are divided between three operators, AvantiWestCoast (18 sets), CrossCountry (24 sets) and Grand Central (2 sets). CrossCountry...
Pendolino is a type of electric high-speed passenger train operated by AvantiWestCoast in the United Kingdom, leased from Angel Trains. They are electric...
August 2019, it was announced that the Inter-City WestCoast franchise had been awarded to AvantiWestCoast, thus confirming that Virgin Trains would cease...
operator AvantiWestCoast. Based on the Hitachi A-train design, a total of 10 seven-car units will be produced. In December 2019, AvantiWestCoast placed...
station in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England on the Birmingham Loop of the WestCoast Main Line. It is served by AvantiWestCoast, CrossCountry, Transport...
Centre. The station is managed by AvantiWestCoast and is also served by CrossCountry, Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains. It has five platforms...
manufacturer Avanti Communications, a satellite broadband provider Avanti Corporation, an electronic design automation company AvantiWestCoast, a British...
The InterCity WestCoast franchise was superseded on 8 December 2019 by the WestCoast Partnership, currently operated by AvantiWestCoast. As of March 2017[update]...
Trenitalia WestCoast Rail Limited, comprising two distinct parts, AvantiWestCoast which runs the current services on the WCML, and WestCoast Partnership...
Oregon WestCoast Express, a commuter railway in British Columbia WestCoast Main Line, one of the main rail corridors in the United Kingdom AvantiWest Coast...
the WestCoast Main Line about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of London. The station is served by AvantiWestCoast intercity services, and by West Midlands...
main line connection point for Kendal and Windermere, is managed by AvantiWestCoast and owned by Network Rail. The station was constructed as part of...
Manchester Piccadilly and occasionally AvantiWestCoast northbound services to Manchester Piccadilly and AvantiWestCoast southbound services to London Euston...
Services are provided by Transport for Wales and AvantiWestCoast. WestCoast Main Line (InterCity WestCoast): Aside from stops at Winsford, Hartford and...
Wales. The line is not currently electrified, so AvantiWestCoast, the current operator of the WestCoast Partnership franchise, currently uses Class 221...
Furness in Cumbria, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by AvantiWestCoast. The station was built by the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway, and...
Rock Rail and other organisations, including South Western Railway, AvantiWestCoast, and East Midlands Railway; the company has come to comprise roughly...
On Sundays, three Avanti trains call at Lockerbie, providing services to Glasgow Central, London Euston and Crewe. AvantiWestCoast services are provided...
Intercity EMUs and BMUs for service on First Group and Trenitalia's AvantiWestCoast franchise Spot-hire companies provide short-term leasing of rolling...
CrossCountry), the Class 221 Super Voyager (currently operated by AvantiWestCoast, CrossCountry and Grand Central) and the Class 222 Meridian (currently...
Global Information
