Rolling stock › In serviceData updated
Class 390 Pendolino
Alstom's tilting electric train for the West Coast Main Line, which first carried passengers in July 2002. Avanti runs 56, as nine- and eleven-car trains, all refurbished by 2024.
Scale
Class 390 Pendolino · indicative drawing GB Trains · gbtrains.uk/stock/390/ · CC BY 4.0
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Liveries
Special liveries 4
- 390119 'Progress' Pride Largest Pride flag on a British train, all 11 cars, Aug 2020.
- 390121 COP26 'Ride Against Climate Change' 11 cars, Nov 2021.
- 390151 poppy cab-end wraps 'Unknown Soldier' Remembrance, Nov 2025, cab ends only.
- 390200 'Railway 200' 390016, renumbered 390200 and named 'Railway 200' in February 2025, with the Railway 200 logo on its cab ends; the logo and name are not drawn (the site's branding rule).
Former liveries 5
Virgin Trains originalRan as Virgin Trains West CoastFormer2002 to 2017/2019Not drawn yet
Flowing SilkRan as Virgin Trains West Coast (then Avanti)FormerSep 2017 (390010 first) to Aug 2019Not drawn yet
Alstom/Virgin co-branded (390104)Ran as Virgin TrainsFormerSep 2010 to unknownNot drawn yet
Superman Returns / Monkey adverts (a 9-car unit)Ran as Virgin TrainsFormer2006 to 2007Not drawn yet
'Traindeer' / 'Penguilino' Christmas cab vinylsRan as Virgin TrainsFormerDec 2014 / Dec 2015 to Jan followingNot drawn yet
- Type
- Tilting electric multiple unit
- Builder
- Alstom
- Built
- 2001–2004 and 2010–2012
- In service
- since 2002
- Operators
- Avanti West Coast
- Formation
- 9 or 11 cars: a 9-car train is 712 ft (217 m) long, an 11-car train 869 ft (265 m). Driving cars are 82 ft 3 in (25.06 m) long over the gangway and 80 ft 9 in (24.60 m) over the body, the others 78 ft 5 in (23.90 m) and 75 ft 6 in (23.00 m). A 9-car train leaves out cars 5 and 6, a TSO and an MSO (Angel Trains; RAIB 20/2008, Table 2). Car 4, built as first class, is now standard class
- Trains in fleet
- 56
- Fleets
- Avanti West Coast: 56
- Top speed
- 125 mph (201 km/h); designed for 140 mph (225 km/h)
- Power
- 25 kV AC overhead; 5.1 MW (9-car) or 5.95 MW (11-car) at the rail, from 12 or 14 motored axles (Alstom ONIX 800 motors of 430 kW) · how it works
- Tilting
- Yes · how tilting trains take curves faster
- Bogies
- Fiat-SIG tilting bogies (Pendolino)
- Train length
- 869 ft (265.00 m)
- Car width
- 8 ft 11 in (2.73 m)
- Train weight (tare)
- 466 t (9-car); 567 t (11-car)
- Profile
- main-line
- Total capacity
- 9-car: 99 first class and 362 standard seats; 11-car: 99 first class and 508 standard
- Status
- In service with Avanti West Coast: 21 nine-car and 35 eleven-car trains. Avanti's services pass into public ownership on 7 March 2027 (DfT, 28 September 2026).
Car types
| Code | Car | Length | Doors per side |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMRFO | Driving motor, first class, with a kitchen (car 1) | 82 ft 3 in25.06 m | 2 single |
| MFO | Motor, first class (car 2) | 78 ft 5 in23.90 m | 2 single |
| PTFO | Pantograph trailer, first class (car 3) | 78 ft 5 in23.90 m | 2 single |
| MSO (car 4) | Motor, standard class, converted from first class (car 4) | 78 ft 5 in23.90 m | 2 single |
| TSO | Trailer, standard class | 78 ft 5 in23.90 m | 2 single |
| MSO | Motor, standard class | 78 ft 5 in23.90 m | 2 single |
| PTSRMB | Pantograph trailer, standard class, with the shop | 78 ft 5 in23.90 m | 2 single |
| DMSO | Driving motor, standard class | 82 ft 3 in25.06 m | 2 single |
Sources
How we source figures → · Spotted a mistake? Tell us → (opens in a new tab)
Show the 33 sources from kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons, Avanti West Coast and 19 more
- Our Pendolino trains Avanti West Coast, published 6 May 2024, updated 10 June 2026fleet of 21 nine-car and 35 eleven-car trains; seats, 99 first class on either length (cars 1 to 3); 712 ft (217 m) and 869 ft (265 m); 125 mph (201 km/h); built 2001–2004 and 2010–2012; tilt; refurbishment; car lengths, 80 ft 9 in (24.60 m; cab) and 75 ft 6 in (23.00 m) bodies, 82 ft 3 in and 78 ft 5 in (25.06 and 23.90 m) over the gangways; tare 466 t (9-car) and 567 t (11-car); power at the rail 5.1 and 5.95 MW, from 12 and 14 motored axles
- Report 20/2008: derailment at Grayrigg, 23 February 2007 (version 5) Rail Accident Investigation Branch, October 2008, revised July 2011, pp. 21–22built by Alstom; first passenger service July 2002; designed for 140 mph (225 km/h); tilt; 25 kV AC; the order of a nine-car train's coaches (Table 2: an eleven-car train's cars 5 and 6 left out)
- Alstom and Avanti West Coast sign Pendolino refurbishment deal Railnews, 8 January 2020refurbishment and maintenance of all 56
- Table 6314: rolling stock vehicles by traction type and operator Office of Rail and Road, 20 November 2025574 electric vehicles with Avanti, 2022 to 2024 (21 x 9 + 35 x 11)
- Class 390 Angel Trainswidth; 9- and 11-car formations, the cars a 9-car leaves out (5 and 6) bracketed; 56 trains, 21 nine-car and 35 eleven-car; Alstom ONIX 800 traction motors of 430 kW, 12 on a 9-car and 14 on an 11-car
- 390039 Burnfoot 260724.jpg: 390 039 near Burnfoot (photograph, CC BY 2.0) kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, 26 July 2024the indicative drawing: cab outline, car 1 to 3 doors, windows, bogies, livery and heights (measured off the photograph); the doors' two panes re-checked at the car 1/2 join; car 3's '1' roundels re-placed
- 390 006 Mill Meece 180124.jpg: 390 006 at Mill Meece (photograph, CC BY 2.0) kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, 18 January 2024the indicative drawing: doors, windows and livery of cars 4, 5 and 8 to 11 (measured off the photograph; the side not drawn); car 4's livery zones re-measured from each car end
- 390 152 Mill Meece 180124.jpg: 390 152 at Mill Meece (photograph, CC BY 2.0) kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, 18 January 2024the indicative drawing: the livery zones of cars 4, 5 and 6, their windows and doors, measured from each car end (the side not drawn, where each orange flash sits at the opposite edge)
- 390127 Wandel 260724.jpg: 390 127 at Wandel (photograph, CC BY 2.0) kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, 26 July 2024the indicative drawing: the 11-car train's car order and livery, cars 6 and 7 (seen far off); car 8's teal, orange swoosh and windows, car 9's white/teal edge, orange and nine windows, car 7's orange and car 11's windows and orange, measured (a 1-D projective fit through five car joins)
- 390 156 Avanti Pendolino unit.jpg: 390 156 at Crewe (photograph, CC BY 2.0) kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, 29 August 2023the indicative drawing: car 2's windows; 8 ft 10 in (2.70 m) wheelbase stencilled on the bogie; the bogies' layout (the leading bogie, three-quarter view); the windows' corners (about 70 mm) and the window bands' ends (about 90 mm); the door behind the cab, with its upper window only; the step panels under the doors
- 391005 City of Wolverhamton.jpg: 390 005 at Crewe (photograph, CC BY 2.0) kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, 29 August 2023the indicative drawing: door proportions (checked)
- 390049 Greenholme.jpg: 390 049 at Greenholme (photograph, CC BY 4.0) Steve Knight, via Wikimedia Commons, 30 May 2026the indicative drawing: underframe fairings (measured off the photograph)
- Class 390 'Pendolino' (recognition and technical data), archived 14 October 2007 The Railway Centre, December 2001height 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m), used for the indicative drawing; bogie type (Fiat/SIG tilting); first-class seats per car as built, 18, 37, 44 and 46 (cars 1 to 3 make Avanti's 99, so car 4 is no longer first class)
- Avanti Class 390 1.png: an eleven-car Class 390 in Avanti West Coast livery (side diagram, CC BY-SA 4.0); the Virgin versions ('Virgin Class 390 1 1st Livery.png', '2nd Livery') draw the same underframe WestRail642fan, via Wikimedia Commons, 4 December 2019the indicative drawing: layout of the underframe equipment (the black skirt, its grilles, joints and lip, and the end skirts)
- References: High-Speed Trains and Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) Voith Turbo, May 2008, p. 18the bogies: made by Alstom in Switzerland and Italy, 8 ft 10 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase (drawing); traction motors in the body driving one axle of each motor bogie through a cardan shaft and Voith final drive
- Major milestone for overhaul of bogies belonging to AWC's Pendolino fleet Railvolution (photographs: Avanti West Coast), 2024the bogies: brake discs on the axles, the final drive on the driven axle, outside axleboxes (photographs, layout only)
- Avanti West Coast 390151 at Stafford railway station: 390 151's cab and first door, close up (photograph, CC0) TheFrog001, via Wikimedia Commons, 16 January 2022the indicative drawing: the door behind the cab, teal (livery only)
- Avanti Livery 390156 at Preston 1Z17.jpg: 390 156's cab end (photograph, CC BY-SA 4.0) Joshua Free, via Wikimedia Commons, 9 December 2019the indicative drawing: the door behind the cab, teal (livery only)
- 390 011 City of Lichfield Avanti Pendolino unit.jpg: 390 011 at Crewe (photograph, CC BY 2.0) kitmasterbloke, via Wikimedia Commons, 29 August 2023the indicative drawing: the doors' colours at each car join (livery only)
- At Congleton railway station 2023 21: a Pendolino's car join, close up (photograph, CC BY-SA 4.0) Mike Peel, via Wikimedia Commons, 11 May 2023the indicative drawing: white doors at the join of cars 2 and 3; each door's upper window and lower pane, measured near square-on and scaled by the drawn door; the dark step panels under it
- Class390-loweredpanto.jpg: a 390's pantograph folded, at Liverpool Lime Street (photograph, CC BY-SA 4.0) Wikimedia Commons (Thryduulf), 7 April 2006the drawing's pantographs: folded, the length, the head over the hinge end, the folded top over the roof and the insulators (photograph, layout only)
- Passing Pendolinos at Rugeley WCML.jpg: a 390 from slightly above (photograph, CC BY 2.0) Wikimedia Commons (kitmasterbloke), 25 July 2014the drawing's pantographs: car 3's roof fittings at its car-2 end (photograph, layout only)
- Watford Junction railway station MMB 30 390026.jpg: a 390's pantograph raised, side on (photograph, CC BY-SA 3.0) Wikimedia Commons (mattbuck), 7 September 2010the drawing's pantographs: raised side on, the hinge at the car-end side and the knee towards the middle, the frame on ribbed insulators near the end door (photograph, layout only)
- Manchester Piccadilly station MMB 59 390054.jpg: PTF 69554 and its neighbour, the pantograph raised (photograph, CC BY-SA 3.0) Wikimedia Commons (mattbuck), 28 July 2011the drawing's pantographs: car 3 (PTF 69554) carries one at its end next to car 2 (raised; photograph, layout only)
- 390128 at Scout Green - July 2016 - geograph.org.uk - 5019464.jpg: an eleven-car 390 near side on (photograph, CC BY-SA 2.0) Wikimedia Commons (The Carlisle Kid, via geograph.org.uk), 2 July 2016the drawing's pantographs: car 3's roof fittings at its car-2 end (photograph, layout only)
- £117m Pendolino refurbishment programme completed Rail, 11 July 2024all 56 trains (574 vehicles) refurbished by July 2024, 390020 the last; one first-class coach of each eleven-car train converted to standard class (car 4)
- Transport Secretary to nationalise Avanti West Coast services at first opportunity Department for Transport, 28 September 2026Avanti West Coast's services nationalised from 7 March 2027
- British Rail Class 390 Wikipedia, read 13 October 2026the livery's name, who ran it and its years (no colours taken)
- Avanti west coast class 390 pendolino train pack 390119 progress era 11 r30081 Hornby (product page), read 13 October 2026the livery, its unit and its dates
- Product hornby r30444 avanti west coast class 390 390121 4 car train pack cop26 livery railwaymodels.uk, read 13 October 2026the livery, its unit and its dates
- 383044.article globalrailwayreview.com, read 13 October 2026the livery, its unit and its dates
- Avanti West Coast onboard to celebrate Railway 200 Avanti West Coast, 5 February 2025the unit, its new number, name and cab-end logos, February 2025
- A Guide to Overhead Electrification (132787-ALB-GUN-EOH-000001, rev 10) Network Rail (prepared by Alan Baxter), February 2015, p. 39the contact wire in the In operation drawing: 15 ft 5 in (4.7 m) above rail, Network Rail's normal height
unverified
- The drawing: indicative, measured off photographs and scaled to Avanti's body lengths (80 ft 9 in and 75 ft 6 in (24.60 and 23.00 m)); heights to about 0.1 m, doors and windows to 8 in to 1 ft 8 in (0.2-0.5 m), the doors' panes to about 50 mm (one near square-on photograph, re-checked on a second)
- The drawing's cab crown, 1 ft 5 in (0.42 m) above the roof behind it, is measured off one photograph
- The drawing's cars 4 to 6 and 8: their livery measured far off, to about 1 ft 8 in (0.5 m) on 390127 (the side drawn: car 8) and 2 ft 4 in (0.7 m) on 390152 and 390006 (the other side: cars 4 to 6); car 6 drawn as car 8 and car 5 as car 7, as photographs of both sides show them; car 4's windows not seen from the side drawn
- The drawing's colours: sampled from photographs, not from a paint specification
- The drawing's bogies: the Fiat-SIG tilting bogie laid out from two photographs (layout only; no dimensioned drawing of the bogie was found); motor and trailer bogies drawn alike; no life-guard drawn, as neither photograph shows one clear of the cab's skirt
- The wheels: 3 ft 0 in (920 mm; Alstom's figure as quoted by Wikipedia; the catalogue it cites couldn't be fetched)
- The drawing's pantographs: placed from photographs (layout only), to about 0.3 m along the car and 0.1 m in height; car 9's is taken as car 3's mirror (the photographs show car 3's from either end of the train); the make (Brecknell Willis) only from how Commons files the photographs
- The years of the former liveries come from Wikipedia's class article and the other sources listed, and haven't been checked against a second source.
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