Overview | |||
---|---|---|---|
Franchise(s) | West Coast Partnership 8 Dec 2019 – 31 March 2026 | ||
Main region(s) | |||
Fleet size | |||
Stations called at | 46 | ||
Stations operated | 16 | ||
Parent company | FirstGroup (70%) Trenitalia (30%) | ||
Reporting mark | VT | ||
Predecessor | Virgin Trains | ||
Other | |||
Website | www | ||
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Avanti West Coast is a train operating company in the United Kingdom owned by FirstGroup (70%) and Trenitalia (30%) that began operating the West Coast Partnership franchise on 8 December 2019. It replaced Virgin Trains, which had operated the InterCity West Coast franchise between 1997 and 2019. The franchise was initially scheduled to run until March 2030, operating High Speed 2 services from 2026.[1] However, in December 2020, it was announced that it will be terminated on 31 March 2026 as part of the abolition of the franchise system.[2]
The franchise covers long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland, connecting six of the UK's largest cities: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, which have a combined metropolitan population of over 18 million.
In November 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that the InterCity West Coast franchise would be superseded by the West Coast Partnership (WCP), which would include operating High Speed 2 (HS2) services from 2026.[3]
The DfT required that bidders have experience in high-speed trains and infrastructure, hence all partnered with an existing high-speed operator.[4][5] In June 2017, the DfT announced that three consortia had been shortlisted to bid for the franchise:[6][7]
In December 2018 Renfe Operadora joined the MTR-led bid.[8] In April 2019, the Stagecoach-led bid was disqualified after it proposed significant changes to the commercial terms.[9]
In August 2019 the DfT awarded the franchise to the First Trenitalia consortium with Avanti West Coast to commence operations on 8 December 2019.[10][11] The Competition and Markets Authority launched a merger inquiry into the award of the franchise following a referral from the European Commission.[12][13]
Avanti West Coast currently operates the same services as Virgin Trains did on the West Coast Main Line.
Over the course of the franchise several timetable changes are expected to be made.[14]
Unlike London North Western Railway and London Overground, Oyster or Contactless payment card are not valid on Avanti West Coast services between London Euston and Watford Junction, as Avanti services are pick-up only northbound and set-down only southbound at Watford Junction.
As of September 2021, the intercity routes are shown below:
London - West Midlands | |||
---|---|---|---|
Route | tph | Calling at | Stock |
London Euston to Birmingham New Street[a] | 1 |
|
|
London Euston to Birmingham New Street | 1 | ||
Birmingham - North West and Scotland | |||
Route | tpd | Calling at | Stock |
Birmingham New Street to Blackpool North | 1/2 |
|
|
Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh | 1/2 | ||
London Euston to Shrewsbury | 1 |
|
221 |
London - Manchester | |||
Route | tph | Calling at | Stock |
London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly via Stoke-on-Trent | 1 |
|
390 |
London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe | 1 |
| |
London - Chester and North Wales | |||
Route | tph | Calling at | Stock |
Crewe to Holyhead | - |
|
221 |
London - Liverpool | |||
Route | tph | Calling at | Stock |
London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street | 1 |
|
390 |
London - North West and Scotland | |||
Route | tph | Calling at | Stock |
London Euston to Glasgow Central | 1 |
|
390 |
London Euston to Lancaster | 1 | (Weekdays Only) (Saturdays Only) | |
London Euston to Blackpool North/Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central via Birmingham New Street | 1 |
|
|
London - Crewe | |||
Route | tpd | Calling at | Stock |
London Euston to Crewe via Trent Valley Line | 1 | 390 | |
London Euston to Crewe via Birmingham New Street | 2 |
Future services include:
Further information: List of named passenger trains of the United Kingdom |
Avanti West Coast operates a named passenger train:
Name | Origin | Destination | Other details |
---|---|---|---|
Royal Scot | Glasgow Central | London Euston |
Uniquely among domestic train companies within the UK, Avanti West Coast operates three classes of service.
Avanti West Coast commenced operations having inherited the existing Super Voyager and Pendolino fleets from Virgin Trains.
Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Carriages | Number | Built | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | |||||||
221 Super Voyager | DEMU | 125 | 200 | 5 | 18 | 2001–2002 | Set numbers 221101-118 Refurbished and overhauled. Scheduled to be replaced from 2023 by Class 805 and 807s.[18] | |
390/0 & 390/1 Pendolino | EMU | 140 | 225 | 9 | 21 | 2001–2004 | Pendolino (from the Italian word Pendolo) refers to tilting trains. To be retained long-term and refurbished throughout.[19] | |
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140 | 225 | 11 | 31 | 2001–2004 | ||||
4 | 2010–2012 | |||||||
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All 20 of the Class 221 Super Voyager units will be replaced by 23 new trains from the Hitachi A-train family with maintenance taking place at Alstom's Oxley TRSMD depot in Wolverhampton.[20][21] These trains are to be divided into thirteen Class 805 bi-mode multiple units and ten Class 807 electric multiple units.[22] Although the units will have the same top speed, they will not tilt like the Class 390 Pendolinos nor the Class 221 "Super Voyager" units they will replace. The Class 805 units are to be used for services to Shrewsbury, Chester, Gobowen and North Wales and the Class 807 units are to be used for services to Birmingham New Street, Blackpool North and Liverpool Lime Street (alongside the Pendolinos).[19][23]
Avanti West Coast plans to operate at least 54 new trains for High Speed 2 services, these trains will be built by Hitachi Rail and Alstom in the UK and are expected to enter service between 2029-2033.[24]
Family | Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Carriages | Routes operated | Entering service | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||||
Hitachi AT300 | 805 | Bi-mode multiple unit | 125 | 200 | 13 | 5 | Due 2023 | ||
807 | Electric multiple unit | 125 | 200 | 10 | 7 | ||||
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Alstom/Hitachi | TBA | Electric multiple unit | 225 | 360 | 54[25] | 8 | 2029-2033 |