AWC says goodbye to the Super Voyager

Avanti West Coast has bid farewell to its Class 221 Super Voyager tilting train after 22 years’ service on the West Coast Main Line. Introduced in 2002, the fleet amassed over 109 million miles whilst serving routes from London to the West Midlands, North Wales, Blackpool and Scotland. Sets 221 105 and 106 had the honour of working the last train on Saturday 14 December 2024 - the 18:16 from London Euston to Birmingham New Street. Both trains then made their way to Alstom’s Central Rivers depot in Burton-upon-Trent - where the fleet has been maintained since its first day on the west coast.

The change coincided with the introduction of Avanti West Coast’s enhanced December timetable, which has seen the rollout of the Evero fleet - with the new trains due to run around a third of all services. Stacy Thundercliffe, Head of Fleet and Engineering at Avanti West Coast, said: “The Class 221 Super Voyagers have played a key part in the transformation of long-distance services on the West Coast Main Line. A true workhorse, ably cared for by the team at Central Rivers depot. We owe both the train and Alstom our thanks and now look forward to the next exciting chapter for rolling stock on the west coast route with the introduction of our Evero fleet.”