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British Rail Class 220

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British Rail Class 220
Voyager
CrossCountry Class 220 in 2010
Standard Class interior
In service2001–present
ManufacturerBombardier Transportation
Built at
Family nameVoyager
Replaced
Constructed2000–2001
Number built34
Formation4 cars per unit
Fleet numbers220001–220034
Capacity174 standard class, 26 first class
OwnersBeacon Rail[1]
OperatorsCrossCountry
Specifications
Car body constructionSteel
Car length23.85 m (78 ft 3 in) (driving cars) or 22.82 m (74 ft 10 in) (intermediate cars)
Width2.73 m (8 ft 11 in)
Wheel diameter780–716 mm (30.7–28.2 in) (maximum–minimum)[2]
WheelbaseBogies: 2.250 m (7 ft 4.6 in)[3]
Maximum speed125 mph (200 km/h)
Weight185.6 t (182.7 long tons; 204.6 short tons) per unit
Traction systemOne per car, Alstom alternator, 750v asynchronous ONIX IGBT drive with AGATE traction control, asynchronous traction motors (2 per car)
Prime mover(s)4 × Cummins QSK19-R[4] (one per car)
Engine typeInline-6 turbo-diesel[5]
Displacement19 L (1,159 cu in) per engine[5]
Power output
  • 559 kW (750 hp) per engine at 1,800 rpm
  • 350 kW (470 hp) per traction motor[3]
TransmissionDiesel-electric
UIC classification1A′A1′+1A′A1′+1A′A1′+1A′A1′[3][6]
BogiesBombardier B5005[3]
Braking system(s)Rheostatic and electro-pneumatic
Safety system(s)AWS, TPWS
Coupling systemDellner 12[7]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 220 Voyager is a class of diesel-electric high-speed multiple unit passenger trains built in Belgium by Bombardier Transportation in 2000 and 2001. They were introduced in 2001 to replace the 20-year-old InterCity 125 and almost 40-year-old Class 47-hauled Mark 2 fleets operating on the Cross Country Route. They were initially operated by Virgin CrossCountry and since 2007 have been operated by CrossCountry.[8]

Technical details

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Classes 220 (left) and 221 (right) at Durham, showing the differing bogie designs

All coaches are equipped with a Cummins QSK19 diesel engine of 559 kW (750 hp) at 1,800 rpm. These power a generator which supplies current to motors driving two axles per coach,[9] with one axle per bogie powered.[2][10]

Voyagers have both air and rheostatic brakes. They are fitted with Dellner couplers, like the Class 222 operated by East Midlands Railway and the Class 390 Pendolino electric trains used by Avanti West Coast, meaning they can be coupled in rescue/recovery mode (air brake only) in the event of a failure. 220s and 221s can also be easily assisted by Dellner fitted Class 57s (Thunderbirds) in the event of a failure. By use of adaptor couplings a failed 220 or 221 can also be assisted by any air braked locomotive such as a Class 37, Class 47 or Class 66 or even an HST.

The Class 220s and closely related Class 222s have B5005 bogies,[3][2] which are distinctive as they are of inside-frame design and so the axles are supported by bearings behind the wheels, meaning the outside face of the wheel is visible. The related tilting Class 221 Super Voyager has outside-frame bogies and hence a more conventional appearance.

The Class 220s operate in four-coach sets with a carriage mass of between 45 and 48 tonnes and a total train weight of 185.6 tonnes, a top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h), and a maximum range of approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km) between each refuelling. Their route availability is very good being RA 2[9] - in part due to the lightweight bogie design.

Class 220 units are fitted with an AB Hoses variable rate sanding system.

All Voyagers are maintained at the dedicated Central Rivers TMD near Burton-on-Trent.

Accidents and incidents

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Units have sometimes been stopped by salt water, when storm-driven waves broke over the train at Dawlish in south Devon and inundated the resistor banks, causing the control software to shut down.[11] This problem was fixed by an upgrade to the control software.[12]

There were a number of exhaust fires on the Voyager class during 2005–2006 due to incorrect fitting of equipment during overhauls. Fires occurred at Starcross (Class 221), Newcastle, and on 19 January 2006 at Congleton.[13]

On 26 May 2006, a passenger was murdered aboard unit 220005 as it approached Oxenholme whilst working the Glasgow to Paignton service.[14]

On 14 March 2008, unit 220012, forming a service to Derby, had a roof fire at Banbury.[15][16] This fire was caused by a bird getting caught under one of the hot brake resistors on the roof of the train. Damage to the train was not serious and it was repaired and returned to service.

Formation and passenger facilities

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First Class interior

Class 220s operate in four-coach sets. These trains, unlike the older trains they replaced, feature electronic information displays on the exterior walls showing the train number, the departure time, the coach, the train's destination, and the next station. This is also a feature of the Class 221 and Class 222 trains (the Class 390 trains also have such electronic information displays, but in the doors). They are air-conditioned throughout, with powered doors. The coaches are fitted with power sockets for laptop computers and mobile phone charging. Toilet facilities for disabled people and storage facilities for bicycles are provided.

They provide 26 seats in 2+1 formation in first class and 174 seats in 2+2 formation in standard class.

The formation of a four-car Class 220 is as follows:[4]

  • 604XX - Coach A - 26 seats - First class with disabled area, train manager office, first class catering area, and driving cab. Toilet.
  • 602XX - Coach C - 66 seats - Standard class. Toilet.
  • 607XX - Coach D - 66 seats - Standard class with large luggage area and reservable space for three bikes. No toilet.
  • 603XX - Coach F - 42 seats - Standard class with disabled area, catering base, and driving cab. Toilet.

There is no coach B on the four-car class 220; it exists on the five-car Class 221 and is usually a coach which holds no reservations. This aids short-term fleet changes, for example if a Class 220 is running in a diagram that usually has a Class 221, then the loss of a coach will not affect the reservation system, as they will all still be allocated.

CrossCountry has finished updating the interior layout of all its 220 and 221 sets. The interior renovation involved the removal of the shop from coach D and the conversion of the stowage area in coach F to a catering storage area where there is now a fridge, food storage, and a space for an on-board trolley to be stored. Bicycle storage has been moved to coach D where the shop was. It can now store three bicycles instead of four. The aim is to increase seating capacity, in line with its commitments to the franchise agreements, as well as to provide an at-seat trolley service for refreshments instead of a shop. Research had shown that the shop was not making as good a turnover as hoped because people prefer not to leave their seats to get refreshments; they feared either losing their seat or having their belongings stolen when away.

Operations

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Class 220 New Dawn in 2001
CrossCountry Class 220 near Dawlish in 2009
Main article: Cross Country Route

All units are owned by Beacon Rail, after they were purchased from Voyager Rail Leasing,[17] a consortium of Lloyds Banking Group and Angel Trains.[18] They are leased to the train operating companies; as of 2013, CrossCountry is the only operator of Class 220 units.

Virgin CrossCountry was the sole operator of Class 220 Voyager trains when they were introduced in 2001. When the Cross Country Route franchise was transferred to Arriva CrossCountry in November 2007, most of the Voyager fleet was transferred with it, and by the end of 2007 CrossCountry was the sole operator of Class 220 units.

Class 220 units often operate in multiple with Class 221 units, which are mechanically similar except for their bogies and have the same coupler type.

Fleet details

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Class Operator Number Year Built Cars per Set Unit No.
220 CrossCountry 34 2000–01 4 220001–034

Named units

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Some units have been named; these are as follows:

On 27 July 2021, 220016 was named Voyager 20 at Central Rivers to mark two decades of fleet use.[19]

On 19 August 2021, 220009 was named Hixon at Stafford railway station to commemorate the 11 lives lost and 45 injured in the Hixon rail crash of January 1968.[20]

220009 Hixon at Bristol Temple Meads

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sherratt, Philip, ed. (2023). "ROSCO Fleets". Modern Railways: Review 2023. Stamford: Key Publishing. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-1-80282-569-5.
  2. ^ a b c M-Size Bogies: B5000 for Coach and EMU Applications (PDF). Crespin: Bombardier Transport. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e References: High-Speed Trains and Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) (PDF). Heidenheim: Voith Turbo. May 2008. pp. 20–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b Diesel Multiple Units 2010. Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing. 2010. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-902336-75-6.
  5. ^ a b Every Track - QSK19 for Rail Applications (PDF) (09/08 ed.). Daventry: Cummins Ltd. Bulletin 4087201. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Cutting noise and smoothing the ride". Railway Gazette. London. 1 August 2000. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2010. In the Voyager application, every car has a Cummins underfloor engine and alternator supplying power to a pair of body-mounted traction motors. Each drives one inner axle through a cardan shaft and axle-mounted final drive gearbox. Thus all 272 bogies are identical
  7. ^ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  8. ^ "New Dawn for Virgin Trains" (Press release). Virgin Trains. 5 June 2001. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  9. ^ a b "Class 220 data". The Railway Centre. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Defying Convention - B5000 Bogies (PDF). Netphen: Bombardier Transportation. December 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Virgin Trains chaos 'over by Christmas'". BBC News. 20 November 2002.
  12. ^ "Voyager Train fleet "think smart" to operate past Devon sea storms" (Press release). Virgin Trains. 2 December 2002. Archived from the original on 16 October 2006.
  13. ^ "Virgin Trains Cross Country news April 2006" (PDF). Section 14 (Press release). p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2006.
  14. ^ Staff; agencies (10 November 2006). "Life sentence for train murder of student". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Train fire at Banbury". Banbury Guardian. 14 March 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  16. ^ "Train Fire is out". Oxford Mail. 14 March 2008.
  17. ^ "Beacon Rail buys Voyager DEMU fleet". Railway Gazette International. 24 July 2017.
  18. ^ Pritchard, Robert; Hall, Peter (2013). British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2013. Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing. pp. 245–6, 373. ISBN 978-1-909431-02-7.
  19. ^ "Alstom's Voyager Fleet celebrate 20 years of Inter-City service in UK". Premier Construction News. 30 July 2021. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Latest Namings". Rail Express. No. October 2021. p. 13.

Further reading

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