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By Chris Penn from Avanti West Coast

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6 min read | 21 March 2024


Avanti West Coast’s operates two types of rolling stock, the Pendolino and the Super Voyager. There are 76 trains in total, a number of which are named, helping to maintain the railway tradition of acknowledging cities on the West Coast route and those who have influenced the communities we serve.

Here’s the story behind the names our trains are proud to carry.
Lady Godiva

Our Pendolino trains

The Class 390, or as we all know it, the Pendo. Our iconic tilting train: the workhorse of the West Coast Main Line that has been connecting London with the West Midlands, the North West and Scotland for over 20 years.

With over 300 million miles under its belt, 33 of the 56 strong fleet currently carry a name.

Celebrating the cities we serve

Some of our Pendolino fleet are named after a city on the West Coast Main Line. All 12 proudly display the city’s coat of arms alongside the name plate which you will find next to the door on Coach G.

Number

Name

390005

City of Wolverhampton

390011

City of Lichfield

390114

City of Manchester

390128

City of Preston

390129

City of Stoke on Trent*

390130

City of Edinburgh

390131

City of Liverpool

390132

City of Birmingham

390134

City of Carlisle

390135

City of Lancaster

390136

City of Coventry

390138

City of London


* Pendolino 390129 also carries the name ‘Brett’ on its cab ends, in memory of a much-loved colleague, who sadly lost his battle with cancer.
City of Glasgow was carried by 390133, the train involved in the incident at Grayrigg in 2007, the name stood down as a mark of respect.

Climate Change Opportunity

A West Coast Celebration

The next 21 names reflect in different ways the vibrancy and diversity of the communities we serve.

390001 - Bee Together

390002 - Stephen Sutton

390006 - Rethink Mental Illness

390008 - Charles Rennie Mackintosh

390009 - Treaty of Union

390010 - Cumbrian Spirit

390013 - Blackpool Belle

390039 - Lady Godiva

390044 - Royal Scot

390045 - Birmingham Pride

390103 - Asquith Xavier

390104 - Alstom Pendolino

390115 - Crewe All Change

390117 - Blue Peter

390119 - Progress

390121 - Opportunity

390122 - Penny the Pendolino

390148 - Flying Scouseman

390155 - Railway Benefit Fund

390156 - Pride and Prosperity

390157 - Chad Varah


Asquith Xavier
Our Super Voyager Trains

Like the ‘Pendo’, our Class 221s have been a stalwart on the West Coast Main Line, a true allrounder given its ability to run to destinations such as North Wales and Shropshire that currently are not electrified.

Just two of the diesel trains, which are due to be replaced by brand new Hitachi trains in 2024, carry names.

221101 - Squadron

221116 - Dinas Bangor/ City of Bangor


Pride Train Progress

Share your spark

If you have a great idea for a name, one that helps celebrates links with the communities we serve along the West Coast Main Line, we would love to hear from you. Just drop us an email at press.desk@avantiwestcoast.co.uk. We do get a lot of requests. We would love to say ‘yes’ to them all, but clearly that is not possible. So really sell the idea to us.


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