Hornby R40017

Avanti West Coast, Pendolino Motor First (MF) – Era 11

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 9 (1995 to 2004) Initial Privatisation
Era 11 (2016 to 2023) Current Era

Manufacturer description

During the 1970s, British Railways had pursued the concept of tilting train technology for the West Coast Main Line through the Class 370 Advanced Passenger Train concept, allowing for higher speeds to be taken through curves. By minimizing lateral forces on the passengers, the tendency to slide sideways was reduced, which in turn allowed passenger comfort levels to be maintained at higher speeds.


Even with the cancellation of the APT project, the idea of train tilt was still being considered in the 1980s for the InterCity 225 project, and again during the 1990s for the aborted InterCity 250 concept. In 1997, when Virgin Trains were awarded the franchise to operate the West Coast Main Line following the privatization of British Rail, it was on the proviso that new rolling stock was to be introduced, replacing the ageing Class 86/87/90 locomotives and Mark 2/3 coaches and so a £500 million order was placed with Alstom/Fiat Ferroviaria to construct fifty-four, eight-car tilting train sets, later increasing to nine, then eleven car sets.


The current Pendolino fleet of 52 sets comprises 31 eleven-car sets and 21 nine-car sets and all have been transferred to Avanti West Coast, the operating name for the new West Coast Partnership between FirstGroup plc and Trenitalia UK that took over the operation of the existing West Coast Main Line services on 8 December 2019, from Virgin Trains.

Catalogue listing

Brand:
Hornby
Product Code:
R40017
GTIN:
5055286680281
RRP:
£54.49
Release date:
June 2021

Model details

Colour
Cyan
Finish
Pristine
Gauge
OO
Livery
Black/Blue
Minimum radius curve
2nd Radius (438mm)
Motor
3 Pole Skew wound
Power pickup
Power Car only
Running number
69456

Prototype information

Coach type
Alstom Class 390 'Pendolino'
Operator
Avanti West Coast
TOPS classification
MF (Motor First)
Designer
Alstom
Built
2001 to 2012
Built by
Alstom (& Fiat Ferroviaria for tilting system) Washwood Heath, UK & Savigliano, Italy

Hornby website

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