The West Coast’s Mighty Steed

The BR Class 370 ‘APT-P’ was an InterCity Development train, uniquely designed to provide faster journey times on the West Coast Main Line by tilting around the significant number of curves which slow conventional trains down.

In 1979, a total of 6 rakes were built forming 3 sets for use between London and Glasgow, each set laid down around 8000hp which made them the most powerful domestic passenger train in the UK, and they could tilt up to 9 degrees around curves to maintain passenger comfort.

However, the tilting system was too good, mostly unnoticeable by those on board, which caused seasick-like symptoms in passengers when they looked out the window. Combined with other technical concerns, negative press and a lack of political will to drive APT onwards, the project was canned, and the tilting technology sold to Fiat Ferroviaria.

Fiat refined the tilting technology of APT by developing it alongside their own ETR 401, resulting in the creation of the Pendolino family. The high-speed Pendolinos first saw use in Italy, their home country, before eventually reaching other European territories throughout the early 1990s.

One other notable event of the 1990s was the privatisation of British Rail, in which passenger operations were split into franchises for private companies to bid on, with the winner operating that franchise for a given time. In 1997, the InterCity West Coast franchise was awarded to Virgin, whose plan was to deliver a 140mph-capable West Coast Main Line by 2005.

In order to achieve that, a new fleet of trains would be required to replace the limiting and ageing ex-British Rail fleet. To get the most out of the curved West Coast Main Line, Virgin placed an order with Fiat Ferroviaria (which was imminently incorporated into Alstom) for a fleet of brand new, high-speed, tilting Pendolinos, which were to be classified as the Class 390. Constructed at Washwood Heath in Birmingham, the Class 390 entered service in 2002.

53 units were ordered and built between 2001 and 2004 in 8 and 9-car formations, the 8-car sets however would be extended to 9 in 2004, and soon enough, capacity was increased even further; extra carriages were ordered to bring 31 sets up to 11-cars long, plus 4 entirely new 11-car sets were added to the fleet.

However, the required infrastructure upgrades for 140mph operation were not delivered by either Railtrack, or their successor Network Rail, and the top speed was capped at 125. Despite falling short of this goal, the introduction of the Pendolinos revolutionised regular inter-city travel on the West Coast Main Line, and their innovative nature provides a comfortable and reliable passenger service.