The Virgin Trains Pendolino - A history of the class 390 | Part 1: The origins of the Pendolino

Hello & welcome to episode one of the remaster of my Class 390 series. In this 3 part mini-series I will talk through the history of the class 390s. In today's episode (episode one), I will go through the reasons behind the class 390's construction, its technical details, as well as its safety and reliability cases.
In further episodes I will talk through the construction and introduction of the Pendolinos, and how they've fared in service since their introduction in 2002.
This series has been remastered and updated from my former 'Tilting Triumph' series.

Thanks to my First Class, Business Zone & Standard class members!
Or donate via my YouTube 'Thanks' feature by the comment section!
All your support is brilliant and hugely appreciated!

A huge thanks to those who have allowed me to use their footage for todays video - whom without this video would not be possible to make;

Any content featured in this video has been accredited to the correct author, where possible, with permission. However, I may sometimes mistakenly miscredit content (or label it as 'unknown' if I can't find the author), so please let me know if I have got credits wrong for authors of content featured in this video.

Any views mentioned in this video are of my opinion and my opinion only. I am impartial and will never be swayed by a company to not tell the truth, however will sometimes speak from my own viewpoint. I always attempt to use sources that are from sites that I personally trust; BBC, Sky News etc. and I will always attempt to portray the whole picture of the subject in my videos. If you feel I haven't, or if I've mistakenly missed something - do let me know in the comments, on my Discord or my Twitter/Instagram & I'll be sure to look into it! Thanks for watching!


SECOND CHANNEL:

[Vanmanyo]

A huge thanks to those who have allowed me to use their footage for todays video - whom without this video would not be possible to make;

[qtrainprod]

Always a good day when Vanmanyonaise drops a banger video

[FranekTransport]

The Pendolinos in my opinion, are the best UK express train ever, amazing video mate!👍

[EuroDC]

Fantastic looking trains, very well built and absolutely revolutionary for their time and it still amuses me when I feel the tilt kicking in.

Just not a big fan of the interiors though, they feel very gloomy and cramped, partly due to the tiny windows, and the seating layout feels they've just put seats wherever they'd fit rather than placed them with the aim of creating a good layout for passengers.

[iMeyrick]

Wow - this video is incredible. I have worked with the 390 fleet as an Operations Controller, I love them. This video was a great watch. Subbed for part 2!

[TomCro]

Excellent video mate, thank you. I've long found the 390s to be among the most dependable, comfortable units within the UK.... just add droplight windows you can stick yer head out of, and I'd be the happiest of clams! Looking forward to your subsequent episodes.

[jasperjenkin]

Watching this on a pendo from Glasgow to London lol

[RWL]

I believe that the accessibility/disability features had been requirements since 1998, as that was when the RVAR came into effect for new builds.

That's why even late 90s classes of unit (like 170 and 175) have had the modern standard of wheelchair space, "big toilet" with vacuum flush and controlled emission tanks, "door openable" sounders and passenger information systems etc. from new.

Whereas, those things didn't have to be retrofitted to pre-1998 trains until the end of 2019 / beginning of 2020 when the PRM-TSI came into effect.

[Clivestravelandtrains]

An excellent and well-researched presentation, thank you. Living in Glasgow I have enjoyed many a journey on the Pendolinos, it's a pity the current operator is ruining the good work put in by Virgin to improve the service. North of Preston, it's now a shambles for a number of reasons.

[jimbo]

Very good video, did we not sell the APT tech to the Italians, and then bought it back from them in the form of the pendolino. Still love the pendolino. They are still almost space age by comparison, and the fact that Avanti are refreshing the interiors.. as a former network South East commuter, I love the old NSE colour scheme you are using for your memberships.

[randomguy-tgok]

The more I hear about the 390s, the more I have to wonder what Virgin must have been smoking to procure _these_ things. Not necessarily over-engineered, but really, really, really good, and much better than they really needed to be.

And perhaps the first trains in the long, _long_ list of "trains in the UK that are rated to do 140mph wherever infrastructure allows". That's kinda sad.

[Anonymoususer_]

Would have been ideal for the East Coast Main Line to have the Class 390 Pendolinos. I like how they do tilt around corners at high speed.

[Andrewjg_]

Imagine if Pendolinos were to be used on the East Coast Main Line running from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley, Newcastle, Leeds and York.

That’s what I would imagine to see them on the East Coast Main Line. At least Avanti West Coast are keeping the Class 390s and most of them have already been refurbished.

[RWL]

People did have mobile phones in the early 2000s, but they were just very basic ones that could only do calls and SMS texts. Therefore, your point still stands that people didn't have access to streaming services.

[isaactimmins]

A interesting introduction but one small correction Old Dalby isn't Derbyshire 13:49 it's north Leicestershire south Nottinghamshire,

[EdgyNumber]

Pendolinos will soon be no more. Newer versions of the IET will be used once HS2 comes online, 110 speed limit on the WCML.

[atomicfalloutminis]

They're still running under Avanti West Coast

[andybray]

Strangely still stuck at 125mph, they’ll end up being in retirement when wcml gets properly upgraded.

[neiltaylor]

Interesting how hitachi did not use a tilting system on there class 800 trains 🚂

[AFCManUk]

Brilliant video, , , , but now the word 'Tilt' has lost all meaning to me :D