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Sights & Sounds Class 390 Pendolino

Sights & Sounds Class 390 Pendolino Sights and sounds of the tilting Class 390 Pendolino's on the West Coast Main Line. The Class 390 Pendolino uses Italian tilting suspension systems developed by Fiat Ferroviaria to allow it to operate at higher speeds on curved track. The technology behind tilting trains started in the 1960s by a group of British Rail engineers in Derby. After the second world war many countries had to rebuild their railway networks which were heavily bombed. These countries poured billions into constructing new straight high speed rail lines. Japan leading the way with the Shinkansen or Bullet Train. On the other hand, Britain's rail network survived largely unscathed and therefore British Rail didn't get a blank canvas to build new rail lines. British Rail, which at the time was one of the most outdated rail networks in the world decided to develop an alternative. Researchers at the Railway Technical Center in Derby developed an active tilting suspension test rig known as the Advanced Passenger Train Power-0-Power or APT-POP. Its tilting suspension used hydraulic rams to lean the coaches into corners in the same fashion as a motorbike. In 1970, it's design would lead to the APT-E (the 'E' standing for Experimental) which would be able to run up to speeds of 156mph using four Rover-built Leyland 2S/350 gas turbine engines powering GEC traction motors. Satisfied by the results, British Rail then moved on to designing a prototype passenger carrying version known as APT-P. The APT-P or Class 370 was specifically designed for the curved West Coast Main Line between London and Glasgow. Unlike APT-E, APT-P utilised a pantograph running on 25kV overhead electrification and featured electric power cars sandwiched in the middle of its formation. The APT-P was launched on a series of trial runs in 1981 where it set a new speed record between Glasgow and London, a record that still stands today. Sadly however, the hydraulic tilt system was plagued with technical problems and made some passengers motion sick. The APT-P also broke down on a press trial run at Crewe. British Rail was forced to withdraw the APT from service until it could sort out the issues. However when the train returned to service in 1984, it's reputation was so badly dented that British Rail decided to quietly cancel the project. The APT's death left the West Coast Main Line with some of the oldest and slowest services in Britain. British Rail suffered heavily and lost billions in developing the APT. In 1987, the design patents for the APT were sold to Italy where they were modified and developed into the successful ETR-450 Pendolino. In 1997, following privatisation, Virgin Group won the contract to operate the West Coast Main Line. Virgin Trains, as part of their franchise agreements, needed new trains to replace the aging rolling stock it inherited from British Rail. Virgin Trains worked to return tilting trains to the UK. Alstom and Fiat Ferroviaria were contacted to build the new trains known as the Class 390 Pendolino. The new Class 390 was formed of '9' coaches which each utilised a swinging pendulum instead of hydraulic rams. The name Pendolino meaning pendulum in Italian. The first Class 390's entered service in 2002, bringing 125mph to the West Coast Main Line for the first time. Prior to this the WCML operated at 110mph. The Pendolino was quiet, clean and airy. Over fifty Class 390's were built and revolutionised travel between London and the North. Between 2011 and 2012, thirty one Pendolino's were extended to '11' cars and four entirely new units were built to increase capacity. In 2019, after twenty two years, Virgin Trains lost the West Coast franchise and was succeded by the First Group and Trenitalia operated Avanti West Coast. As part of the Class 390's mid life refresh, Avanti completely overhauled the Pendolino fleet, fitting them with new lighting, seats, onboard shop, etc. Today Avanti West Coast operates the Pendolino between London Euston, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, etc and has no plans to replace them. The Class 390 has become an icon of the West Coast Main Line and is hopefully not going anywhere any time soon. Railway World DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REUPLOAD