| British Rail Class 220Voyager | |
|---|---|
.jpg) CrossCountry Class 220 in 2010 | |
 Standard Class interior | |
| In service | 21 May 2001–present[1] |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier Transportation |
| Built at | |
| Family name | Voyager |
| Replaced | |
| Constructed | 2000–2001 |
| Number built | 34 |
| Formation | 4 cars per unit |
| Fleet numbers | 220001–220034 |
| Capacity | 174 standard class, 26 first class |
| Owners | Beacon Rail[2] |
| Operators | CrossCountry |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel |
| Car length | 23.85 m (78 ft 3 in) (driving cars) or 22.82 m (74 ft 10 in) (intermediate cars) |
| Width | 2.73 m (8 ft 11 in) |
| Wheel diameter | 780–716 mm (30.7–28.2 in)(maximum–minimum)[3] |
| Wheelbase | Bogies: 2.250 m (7 ft 4.6 in)[4] |
| Maximum speed | 125 mph (200 km/h) |
| Weight | 185.6 t (182.7long tons; 204.6short tons) per unit |
| Traction system | One 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[5](one per car) |
| Engine type | Inline-6turbo-diesel[6] |
| Displacement | 19 L (1,159 cu in) per engine[6] |
| Power output | |
| Transmission | Diesel-electric |
| UIC classification | 1A′A1′+1A′A1′+1A′A1′+1A′A1′[4][7] |
| Bogies | Bombardier B5005[4] |
| Braking system(s) | Rheostatic and electro-pneumatic |
| Safety system(s) | AWS,TPWS |
| Coupling system | Dellner 12[8] |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
TheBritish Rail Class 220Voyager is a class ofdiesel-electrichigh-speedmultiple unit passenger trains built inBelgium byBombardier Transportation in 2000 and 2001. They were introduced in 2001 to replace the 20-year-oldInterCity 125 and almost 40-year-oldClass 47-hauledMark 2 fleets operating on theCross Country Route. They were initially operated byVirgin CrossCountry and since 2007 have been operated byCrossCountry.[9]
Allcoaches are equipped with aCummins QSK19diesel engine of 559 kW (750 hp) at 1,800 rpm. These power agenerator which suppliescurrent to motors driving two axles per coach,[10] with one axle per bogie powered.[3][11]
Voyagers have both air andrheostatic brakes. They are fitted withDellner couplers, like theClass 222 operated byEast Midlands Railway and theClass 390Pendolino electric trains used byAvanti 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 fittedClass 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.
The Class 220s and closely relatedClass 222s have B5005bogies,[3][4] which are distinctive as they are of inside-frame design and so the axles are supported bybearings behind the wheels, meaning the outside face of the wheel is visible. The related tiltingClass 221Super Voyager has outside-framebogies 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. Theirroute availability is very good being RA 2[10] - in part due to the lightweight bogie design.
Class 220 units are fitted with an AB Hoses variable rate sanding system.[citation needed]
AllVoyagers are maintained at the dedicatedCentral Rivers TMD nearBurton-on-Trent.[citation needed]
All units are owned byBeacon Rail, after they were purchased from Voyager Rail Leasing,[12] a consortium ofLloyds Banking Group andAngel Trains.[13] They are leased to thetrain operating companies; as of 2013[update],CrossCountry is the only operator of Class 220 units.[citation needed]
Virgin CrossCountry was the sole operator of Class 220Voyager trains when they were introduced in 2001. When theCross 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.[citation needed]
Class 220 units often operate in multiple withClass 221 units, which are mechanically similar except for their bogies and have the same coupler type.[citation needed]
| Class | Operator | Number | Year built | Cars per Set | Unit No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 220 | CrossCountry | 34 | 2000–2001 | 4 | 220001–034 |
UnderVirgin Cross Country, all units were named, however most have since been denamed. Their naming goes as follows:
Units have sometimes been stopped by salt water, when storm-driven waves broke over the train atDawlish in south Devon and inundated the resistor banks, causing the control software to shut down.[17] This problem was fixed by an upgrade to the control software.[18]
There were a number of exhaust fires on theVoyager class during 2005–2006 due to incorrect fitting of equipment during overhauls. Fires occurred atStarcross (Class 221), Newcastle, and on 19 January 2006 atCongleton.[19]
On 14 March 2008, unit 220012, forming a service toDerby, had a roof fire atBanbury.[20][21] 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.[citation needed]
Voyager's first complete train was completed in Belgium in autumn 2000, and arrived in Britain in January 2001 for testing. On May 21 of the same year, a first unplanned service, open to the public, was operated from Birmingham to Reading. The official launch of Voyagers took place on June 5, 2001 by Sir Richard Branson.
In the Voyager application, every car has aCummins 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
