Avanti West Coast facts for kids

Avanti West Coast is a train company in Britain. It is owned by two companies: FirstGroup and Trenitalia. Avanti West Coast runs long-distance passenger trains. These trains connect major cities like London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.

The company started running trains on December 8, 2019. It took over from another company called Virgin Trains. Avanti West Coast was originally planned to run until 2030. However, due to some challenges, its contract is now set to end in October 2026.

Avanti West Coast uses the West Coast Main Line. This is a very important railway line in the UK. The company helps millions of people travel between different parts of the country.

About Avanti West Coast

How Avanti West Coast Started

In 2016, the government decided to change how train services were run on the InterCity West Coast line. They created a new plan called the West Coast Partnership (WCP). This new plan included future high-speed train services.

Companies that wanted to run these trains needed to show they had experience. Three groups were chosen to bid for the contract. One of these groups was called First Trenitalia. This group included FirstGroup and Trenitalia.

In August 2019, the government chose the First Trenitalia group. Avanti West Coast began its services on December 8, 2019. This was an exciting new chapter for train travel on the West Coast Main Line.

Changes and Challenges

Like many companies, Avanti West Coast faced challenges. In 2020, fewer people traveled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had to reduce its train services. They also introduced new cleaning rules to keep passengers safe.

Sometimes, trains were cancelled because there weren't enough staff. By 2022, Avanti West Coast started to run more trains again. They promised to bring back full service to all areas.

There were also some disagreements with workers. In 2022, there were national railway strikes in the UK. This meant some workers chose not to work because of disagreements over pay and working conditions. Avanti West Coast services were affected by these strikes.

In August 2022, Avanti West Coast reduced its timetable again. This caused frustration for many passengers. The company's CEO resigned in September 2022. The government asked Avanti West Coast to make "drastic improvements" to its service.

Despite these challenges, Avanti West Coast continued to operate. In September 2023, the government extended their contract. This means Avanti West Coast will continue to run trains until at least October 2026.

Train Services

Avanti West Coast runs many services every day. They connect major cities and towns across the UK. The company aims to make train travel easy and convenient.

In 2021, Avanti West Coast introduced smartcard tickets. These are like special cards that you can use instead of paper tickets. They are more convenient and better for the environment.

Popular Routes

Avanti West Coast trains travel on several important routes. Here are some of their main weekday routes:

• London to North West and Scotland: These trains go from London Euston to places like Blackpool North, Glasgow Central, and Edinburgh Waverley. They often stop in cities like Birmingham New Street, Crewe, and Preston.
• London to West Midlands: Trains run frequently between London Euston and Birmingham New Street. They stop at places like Coventry and Birmingham International.
• London to Chester and North Wales: Services from London Euston go to Chester. Some of these trains continue all the way to Holyhead in Wales. They stop at towns along the North Wales coast.
• London to Liverpool: Trains connect London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street. Key stops include Milton Keynes Central and Crewe.
• London to Manchester: Avanti West Coast runs trains from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly. These trains might go via Stoke-on-Trent or Crewe.

Types of Trains

Avanti West Coast uses different types of trains. When the company started, it inherited trains from Virgin Trains. These included the Pendolino and Super Voyager trains.

Current Trains

The Pendolino trains are very famous. They can tilt when going around curves. This allows them to travel faster. Between 2021 and 2024, all 56 Pendolino trains were updated and refurbished.

In 2024, Avanti West Coast introduced new trains. These new trains replaced the older Super Voyager trains. The new trains are part of the Hitachi A-train family.

• Class 805 Evero: These are called bi-mode trains. This means they can use electricity or diesel fuel. They are used on routes to Chester and North Wales.
• Class 807 Evero: These are electric trains. They run on electricity from overhead lines. They are used on routes to Birmingham New Street, Blackpool North, and Liverpool Lime Street.

These new trains are modern and comfortable. They have a top speed of 125 miles per hour (200 km/h).

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Built	Notes
			mph	km/h
390	A Pendolino train on the West Coast Main Line.	EMU	125	200	21	9	2001–2004	Pendolino (from the Italian word Pendolo) refers to tilting trains. Retained and refurbished.
					31	11	2001–2004	Retained and refurbished.
					4		2010–2012
805	An Evero Class 805 train at Wrexham General.	BMU			13	5	2021–2024	Entered service in June 2024
807	An Evero Class 807 train at Milton Keynes Central.	EMU			10	7	2021–2024	Entered service in October 2024

Past Trains

Avanti West Coast used to operate Super Voyager trains (Class 221). These were diesel-electric trains. They were gradually replaced by the new Class 805 and 807 Evero trains. The last Super Voyagers were withdrawn from service in December 2024.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Built
			mph	km/h
221	A Class 221 Super Voyager train.	DEMU	125	200	20	5	2001–2002