Bombardier Voyager family facts for kids

The Voyager trains are a special group of really fast diesel trains used on the railway tracks in the United Kingdom. They were built by a company called Bombardier Transportation. These trains are some of the newest and most modern ones you'll see, and they travel on many important routes connecting big cities across Great Britain. Right now, there are three main types of Voyager trains, and four different train companies use them: First Hull Trains, East Midlands Trains, Virgin Trains, and CrossCountry.

What Makes Voyager Trains Special?

Voyager trains are known for being quick and comfortable. They are called "diesel electric multiple units" because they run on diesel fuel and have their own engines in each part of the train. This means they don't need a separate engine at the front to pull them along. This design helps them speed up and slow down quickly, which is great for routes with lots of stops.

Different Types of Voyager Trains

There are a few different kinds of Voyager trains, each with its own name:

• Class 220 Voyager: These were the first ones built. They are used by CrossCountry to connect many cities across the country.
• Class 221 Super Voyager: These trains are special because they can tilt! This means they can lean into curves on the track, allowing them to go faster around bends without making passengers uncomfortable. Virgin Trains used these for a long time, and now CrossCountry uses some of them too.
• Class 222 Meridian or Pioneer: These are the fastest of the Voyager family, designed to go up to 125 miles per hour (200 km/h). East Midlands Trains uses them for routes connecting London to cities like Sheffield and Nottingham.

Who Uses Voyager Trains?

Several train companies in the UK use Voyager trains for their services:

• CrossCountry: They use Class 220 and some Class 221 trains to run services all over Great Britain, from Scotland down to the south coast.
• East Midlands Trains: They use the speedy Class 222 Meridian trains for their main routes connecting London St Pancras to the East Midlands.
• Virgin Trains: In the past, Virgin Trains used Class 221 Super Voyager trains for their services on the West Coast Main Line.
• First Hull Trains: This company used Class 222 trains for their services between Hull and London King's Cross.

Images for kids

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  A Class 220 in CrossCountry livery

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  Class 221 Super Voyager

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  Class 222 Meridian