Avanti West Coast has added extra seats and introduced new trains as part of its summer timetable change.
Launch of the intercity operator’s June timetable, which coincides with the industry timetable changes, now offers more connectivity in the West Midlands – with additional services between London and Birmingham on weekdays and Saturdays.
As part of the new timetable, Avanti West Coast have also introduced its new fleet of Hitachi trains. Named Evero, the 23-strong fleet consists of 10 seven-carriage electric trains (807) and 13 five-carriage bi-modes (805).
They will initially serve routes from London to the Midlands, Chester, North Wales and then in the North West. The Class 805 has 299 seats, 16 percent more than the Voyager trains which served this part of the network.
Switching between electric and diesel, the bi-mode versions will principally operate on the London to North Wales route while the electric trains will be focused between London, the West Midlands and Liverpool.
The £350m fleet will be maintained at Alstom’s Oxley depot in the West Midlands, and will work alongside the Pendolino trains, which have recently undergone the largest ever upgrade of its kind in the UK with an £117m investment.
