Pendolino: Avanti West Coast refurbished trains return to service

The second train to be overhauled will return to service in early May

One of the country's fastest domestic trains is returning to service as part of a £117m fleet refurbishment, a rail operator has announced.

Avanti West Coast said it was revamping all 56 Pendolinos, which were first introduced on the West Coast Main Line by Virgin Trains in 2002.

They will serve routes between London, Manchester, Glasgow, Preston, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Birmingham.

Rail minister Wendy Morton said they were "back and better than ever".

Avanti West Coast said the Pendolinos, which are capable of running at up to 125mph (200km/h), would be upgraded with improved lighting, toilets and carpets.

Managing director Phil Whittingham said they would "look and feel like new trains", with more comfortable seats, a redesigned shop and better on-board information.

The 35 trains with 11 carriages will also see one first-class carriage converted to standard class.

'Fantastic example'

Mr Whittingham said investment in the trains was "one of the key promises to our customers".

"They will see a dramatic transformation of our well-loved fleet," he said.

"The refurbished Pendolinos look and feel like new trains, with state-of-the-art technology as well as brand new seats that promise best-in-class comfort."

The first train made its debut on the 05:05 service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston earlier

The trains have a tilting mechanism that allows them to go faster around curves and makes travel more comfortable

Rail minister Wendy Morton said the refurbishment was "a fantastic example of our cutting-edge rail network and how our railways are leading the way in creating a cleaner, more environmentally friendly and modern transport system".

"The iconic Pendolino is back and better than ever before," she added.

The fleet refurbishment is being carried out at manufacturer Alstom's new depot in Widnes, Cheshire.

The first train made its debut on the 05:05 service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston earlier.

The second refurbished train is set to return in early May and the project is due to be completed by 2024.

The trains, which were introduced by Virgin Trains, have clocked up more than 272 million miles

The electric trains, which transformed long-distance rail travel when they were introduced in July 2002, have a tilting mechanism that allows them to go faster around curves and makes travel more comfortable for passengers.

The fleet has clocked up more than 272 million miles.

Avanti West Coast's other diesel-powered Voyager fleet is being replaced by new electric and hybrid trains from 2023.

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