| owner = Beacon Rail

| operator = CrossCountry

| safety = AWS, TPWS

| gauge =

| coupling = Dellner 12

| multipleworking = Within class, and with

| uicclass = 1A′A1′+1A′A1′+1A′A1′+1A′A1′

| replaced =

| wheelbase = Bogies: and since 2007 have been operated by CrossCountry.

Technical details

thumb|left|Classes 220 (left) and 221 (right) at , showing the differing bogie designs

All coaches are equipped with a Cummins QSK19 diesel engine of at 1,800rpm. These power a generator which supplies current to motors driving two axles per coach, with one axle per bogie powered.

Voyagers have both air and rheostatic brakes. They are fitted with Dellner couplers, like the Class 222 operated by East Midlands Railway and the Class 390 Pendolino electric trains used by Avanti 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 fitted Class 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 related Class 222s have B5005 bogies, a consortium of Lloyds Banking Group and Angel Trains, in 2017. They are leased to the train operating companies; , CrossCountry is the only operator of Class 220 units.

Virgin CrossCountry was the sole operator of Class 220 Voyager trains when they were introduced in 2001. When the Cross 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.

Class 220 units often operate in multiple with units, which are mechanically similar except for their bogies and have the same coupler type.

In 2024, CrossCountry announced that it had contracted Alstom to undertake refurbishment of the Class 220 and Class 221 fleets, with the first refurbished unit being unveiled in February 2026.

Fleet details

{| class="wikitable"

!Class

!Operator

!Number

!Year built

!Cars per Set

!Unit No.

|-

|220

|CrossCountry

|align=center|34

|align=center|2000–2001

|align=center|4

|220001–034

|-

|}

Named units

Under Virgin Cross Country, all units were named, however most have since been denamed. Their naming goes as follows:

  • 220001 Maiden Voyager, it was later re-named Somerset Voyager.
  • 220002 Forth Voyager. thumb|upright|220009 Hixon at [[Bristol Temple Meads]]
  • 220010 Ribble Voyager.
  • 220017 Bombardier Voyager. This problem was fixed by an upgrade to the control software.

There were a number of exhaust fires on the Voyager class during 2005–2006 due to incorrect fitting of equipment during overhauls. Fires occurred at Starcross (Class 221), Newcastle, and on 19 January 2006 at Congleton.

See also

  • List of high-speed trains

References

Further reading

  • Diesel Electric Multiple Unit, Class 220 "Voyager" - United Kingdom Bombardier Transportation