UK: Avanti West Coast reports that Phase 1 of its Pendolino relivery programme has been completed, with 51 of the 56 sets now featuring the Avanti West Coast branding on their leading vehicles.
Of the other five, trains 155 and 156 were fully wrapped in the new livery prior to the franchise launch in December 2019, sets 042 and 122 currently feature a special coronavirus face covering design and 119 is carrying the Pride livery.
Phase 2 has now started and, will see the 51 trains as well as units 042 and 122 receiving a full wrap. This work is taking place at Alstom’s Edge Hill facility in Liverpool as the trains receive a K exam.
Work on the £127m internal refurbishment programme for the fleet, which the operator believes to be the biggest such programme ever undertaken in the UK, is due to commence shortly. This will focus on onboard facilities, with passengers benefitting from more comfortable seating, improvements to the shop, revamped toilets, better lighting, new interiors, the installation of at-seat chargers and improved wi-fi.
The trains will also be reconfigured to support the roll-out of a standard premium offering which will be pitched between first class and standard accommodation.
SuperVoyager fleet
Work to apply AWC livery to the 20-strong Class 221 SuperVoyager fleet has also started, with 221 115 the first set to be completed at the former Bombardier Transportation depot at Central Rivers, now managed by Alstom.
The units are to be replaced from 2022 by 13 five-car bi-mode Class 805 and 10 seven-car Class 807 electric units manufactured by Hitachi, and so the new livery is simpler with the existing silver bodysides retained and only the red Virgin branding on the end vehicles and roofs covered up.
This work builds on the completion of the internal refurbishment of all sets which was carried out by Bombardier at Ilford.
