View source for Bombardier Voyager

{{Short description|Diesel-electric multiple unit}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}
{{Infobox DMU
| name = Bombardier Voyager
| image = Trains 2 054.JPG
| caption = Classes 220 (left) and 221 (right) at Durham, showing different bogie designs
| interiorimage = BRC220 interior.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| interiorcaption = The interior of standard class on board a Class 220 operated by CrossCountry
| background = 
| manufacturer = [[Bombardier Transportation]]
| factory = [[Bruges]], [[Belgium]] and [[Horbury railway works]], [[Wakefield]]
| numberbuilt = 105 sets
| stocktype = 
| service = 2001–present
| yearconstruction = 2000–2005
| maxspeed = {{Convert|125|mph|abbr=on|sigfig=2}}
| brakes = [[Dynamic_braking#Rheostatic_braking|Rheostatic]] and [[Railway brake#Electropneumatic_brakes|electro-pneumatic]]
| engine = [[Cummins UK|Cummins]] QSK19 19-litre 6-cylinder turbo-[[Diesel engine|Diesel]]
| poweroutput = {{Convert|750|hp|abbr=on}} per car
| owner = {{ubl|Classes 220 & 221: [[Rock Rail]]|Class 222: [[Eversholt Rail Group]]<ref name="mrr23rf">{{cite book |editor1-last=Sherratt |editor1-first=Philip |title=Modern Railways: Review 2023 |date=2023 |publisher=Key Publishing |location=Stamford |isbn=978-1-80282-569-5 |pages=18–19 |chapter=ROSCO Fleets}}</ref>}}
| operator =[[CrossCountry]]<br>[[East Midlands Railway]]<br>[[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]]
| safety = [[Automatic Warning System#British Rail AWS|AWS]], [[Train Protection & Warning System|TPWS]]
| width = {{Convert|2.73|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| carlength = {{Convert|23.85|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}} end cars<br />{{Convert|22.82|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}} other
| carbody = Steel
| coupling = [[Dellner coupling|Dellner]] 12<ref name="sd001">{{cite book |title=System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 |date=22 June 2011 |id=SD001 |publisher=Rail Safety and Standards Board |publication-place =London |page=4 |url=http://www.rssb.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/rv_coupling_system_data/SD001.pdf |access-date=22 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401203135/http://www.rssb.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/rv_coupling_system_data/SD001.pdf |archive-date=1 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
}}

The '''Bombardier Voyager''' is a family of [[high speed train|high-speed]] 125 mph [[diesel-electric multiple unit]]s built in [[Belgium]] by [[Bombardier Transportation]], for service on the railway network of the United Kingdom. Construction of the Voyager family took place between 2000 and 2005, consisting of three classes - the {{brc|220}} ''Voyager'' (currently operated by [[CrossCountry]]), the {{brc|221}} ''Super Voyager'' (currently operated by CrossCountry and [[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]]) and the {{brc|222}} ''Meridian'' (currently operated by [[East Midlands Railway]]).

==Variants==
===Class 220===
{{Main article|British Rail Class 220|l1=Class 220 Voyager}}
[[File:Dawlish Warren MMB 07 South Devon Main Line 220032.jpg|thumb|left|A Class 220 in CrossCountry livery]]
The Class 220 ''Voyager'' DEMUs were built to operate [[Cross Country Route|Cross Country]] intercity services. [[Virgin CrossCountry]] received 34 four-car sets in 2000/01.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Virgin Voyagers enter public service |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |issue=1203| date=July 2001| page=8}}</ref> All passed with the CrossCountry franchise to [[Arriva CrossCountry]] in November 2007.<ref name=Rail575>{{cite magazine |title= Bio-fuel under review as Virgin confirms Voyager moves |magazine=[[Rail Magazine]] |issue=575| date=26 September 2007| page=16}}</ref>

===Class 221===
{{Main article|British Rail Class 221|l1=Class 221 Super Voyager}}
[[File:Virgin trains 221113 glasgow.jpg|left|thumb|Class 221 ''Super Voyager'' in [[Virgin Trains]] livery'']]
The Class 221 ''Super Voyager'' DEMUs were built as a tilting version of the Class 220. Although visually similar, they were fitted with a [[tilting train|tilting]] mechanism and heavier bogies. [[Virgin CrossCountry]] received 40 five-car and four four-car sets.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061016084211/http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/index.cfm?articleid=246 Virgin Voyager collection complete] Virgin Trains 21 October 2002</ref> All passed with the CrossCountry franchise to [[Arriva CrossCountry]] in November 2007.<ref name=Rail575/>

With the removal of [[West Coast Main Line]] services from the CrossCountry franchise in December 2007, 16 were transferred to [[Virgin Trains West Coast]] for use on [[InterCity West Coast]] services.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= New Operator's Trains |magazine=[[Rail Magazine]] |issue=508| date=5 December 2007| page=65}}</ref> A further five moved from CrossCountry to Virgin Trains West Coast in December 2008. CrossCountry removed the tilting equipment from its Class 221s to improve reliability and lower cost of maintenance.<ref>{{cite magazine |last= Miles |first= Tony |title= CrossCountry stops tilting |magazine=[[Modern Railways]] |date=August 2008| page=71}}</ref>

On 8 December 2019, all of the West Coast sets passed to [[Avanti West Coast]], the new operator of the [[West Coast Partnership]] franchise.

Avanti West Coast sent two of their Class 221 Super Voyagers off lease in 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holden |first1=Michael |title=First two Avanti West Coast Voyager trains return to Beacon Rail |url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/06/first-two-avanti-west-coast-voyager-trains-return-to-beacon-rail.html |access-date=14 June 2022 |work=RailAdvent |date=14 June 2022}}</ref>

In 2023 [[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]] leased the above two sets to operate services between [[London King's Cross railway station|London Kings Cross]] and [[Bradford Interchange|Bradford]],<ref name="RailExpress326" /> with the first of these two units entering service in later that year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Our trains|url=https://www.grandcentralrail.com/travelling-with-gc/on-board/our-trains|access-date=25 August 2023|website=Grand Central}}</ref>

{{Clear left}}

===Class 222===
{{Main article|British Rail Class 222|l1=Class 222 Meridian}}
[[File:222009 at St Pancras.jpg|thumb|Class 222 ''Meridian'' in [[East Midlands Trains]] livery]]
The Class 222 ''Meridian'' DEMUs are broadly similar to the original ''Voyager'' units, but feature a number of reliability improvements and different internal layout.

The Class 222 was built in the light of experience gained with the 220 and 221 units; in particular, many more components were installed under the floor so as to increase space for passengers. Twenty-seven sets were built:
* [[Midland Mainline (train operating company)|Midland Mainline]] ordered 23 ''Meridians'', to replace 17 [[British Rail Class 170|Class 170 ''Turbostars'']] and provide stock for a later cancelled [[St Pancras railway station|London St Pancras]] to [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]] service.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Midland Mainline orders fleet of Meridian Class 222s |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |issue=1212| date=April 2002| page=4}}</ref> Originally configured as 16 four-car seven and nine-car sets, they were later re-formed into a combination of four, five and eight-car units.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= MML to reconfigure Meridian fleet |magazine=[[Today's Railways UK]] |issue=59| date=November 2006| page=60}}</ref> All were transferred to the new franchise holder [[East Midlands Trains]] (EMT) in November 2007. When EMT took over the franchise, it removed a car from six of its eight-car sets, to lengthen previously four-car units. The last remaining eight-car unit was reduced to five cars.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= EMT starts Medidian reconfiguration |magazine=[[Today's Railways UK]] |issue=77| date=May 2008| page=63}}</ref> All passed with the franchise to [[East Midlands Railway]] in 2019.
*[[Hull Trains]] obtained four 4-car Class 222/1 ''Pioneers'' in 2005 to replace four Class 170 ''Turbostars''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Hull Trains goes for Voyager-style units |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |issue=1219| date=November 2002| page=9}}</ref> These units are slightly different internally from the 222/0 ''Meridian'' trains. Following a maintenance incident and the long-term unavailability of one unit, First Hull Trains replaced its Class 222 fleet with a fleet of [[British Rail Class 180|Class 180 ''Adelantes'']] in 2009. The Class 222s were transferred to EMT for use with the rest of the Class 222 fleet.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= 222/1s for EMT |magazine=[[Today's Railways UK]] |issue=86| date=February 2009| page=57}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Class 222 |url=https://eversholtrail.co.uk/fleet/class-222/ |website=Eversholt Rail}}</ref>

== Bombardier Voyager variants ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Class
!Image
!Operator
!Type
!Number
!Carriages
!Built
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[British Rail Class 220|Class 220]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Dawlish Warren MMB 07 South Devon Main Line 220032.jpg|113x113px]]
| rowspan="5" |[[CrossCountry]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit|DEMU]]
|34
|4
|2000-01
|-
| colspan="4" |[[File:Class 220 CrossCountry Diagram.png|479x479px]]
|-
| rowspan="5" |[[British Rail Class 221|Class 221]]
| rowspan="3" |[[File:Pengam, Cardiff- 1M65 1726 Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly (20951890484).jpg|112x112px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Diesel multiple unit|DEMU]]
|4
|4
| rowspan="2" |2001-02
|-
|20
|5
|-
| colspan="4" |[[File:Class 221 CrossCountry Diagram.png|474x474px]]
|-
|[[File:Avanti Voyager departing Rugby 11.21.jpg|Avanti_Voyager_departing_Rugby_11.21|112x112px]]
|Stored<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Super Voyager Trains |url=https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/onboard/about-our-trains/railfans/super-voyager#maincontent |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk}}</ref>
| rowspan="4" |[[Diesel multiple unit|DEMU]]
|18
|5
|2001-02
|-
|[[File:Grand Central 221142 at London Kings Cross after working 1A63 1120 from Wakefield Kirkgate 271023 (53289980601).jpg|112x112px]]
|[[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]]
|2<ref name="RailExpress326">{{cite magazine |title=Class 221 Super Voyager |department=Units |magazine=Rail Express |issue=326 |date=July 2023 |page=21 |publisher=Mortons Media Group |place=Horncastle |issn=1362-234X}}</ref>
|5
|2001-02
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[British Rail Class 222|Class 222]]
| rowspan="3" |[[File:East Midlands Railway 221104 at St Pancras.jpg|113x113px]]
| rowspan="3" |[[East Midlands Railway]]
|23
|5
| rowspan="2" |2003-05
|-
|4
|7
|-
| colspan="4" |[[File:222 1 EMR Interim.png|476x476px]][[File:222-0 7 car EMR Interim Livery.png|653x653px]]
|}

=== Future ===


Avanti West Coast's [[British Rail Class 221|Class 221]] units will be replaced by the [[British Rail Class 805|Class 805]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-09|title=Avanti West Coast confirms new trains for Holyhead and Liverpool as Class 805s and 807s|url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/06/avanti-west-coast-confirms-new-trains-for-holyhead-and-liverpool-as-class-805s-and-807s.html|access-date=2021-02-09|website=RailAdvent|language=en-GB}}</ref> and [[British Rail Class 807|Class 807]], while all [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222]] units are scheduled to be replaced by the [[British Rail Class 810|Class 810]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=2020-10-27|title=Aurora brand for East Midlands Railway Class 810 inter-city fleet|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/aurora-brand-for-east-midlands-railway-class-810-inter-city-fleet/57657.article|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Railway Gazette International|language=en}}</ref> by 2024-2025.

==Technical problems and criticism==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2012}}
*The Class 220s and 221s have been criticised for being cramped as they are designed to be able to be converted to tilting operation, since when tilted they must still fit within the [[loading gauge]].
*Because there is one diesel engine per car, there is some underfloor noise when compared to the [[InterCity 125]] sets and locomotive hauled trains that the units in this family replaced.
*There is very little space to store heavy luggage or bicycles. Although CrossCountry has now removed the shops from its trains to increase capacity, the bicycle compartment can now only store three instead of the original four bicycles.
*CrossCountry services formed of Classes 220 and 221 frequently have to be stopped at [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter St Davids]] or [[Newton Abbot railway station|Newton Abbot]] when waves break over the [[South Devon Railway sea wall|Dawlish sea wall]], due to the roof mounted brake resistors.
*The trains are shorter than the trains they replaced, so even with increased service frequency, there was no change in capacity.

==Accidents and incidents==
*In 2006, a Class 222 unit had to be taken out of service due to a door opening in Northamptonshire on a London-Sheffield service, while the train was at speed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/RAIB_Desborough2006.pdf|title=RAIB Report into incident}}</ref>
*On 26 May 2006, a passenger was murdered on board 220005 as the train pulled into [[Oxenholme Lake District railway station|Oxenholme]] whilst working the Glasgow to Paignton service.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/nov/10/ukcrime|title=Life sentence for train murder of student|last1=Staff|date=2006-11-10|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-01-11|last2=agencies|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
*On 14 March 2008, a fire broke out on a Voyager at {{rws|Banbury}}. About 100 passengers were evacuated from the train.<ref name=OM2122245>{{cite web |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2122245.train_fire_is_out/ |title=Train fire is out |first=Matt |last=Wilkinson |publisher=Newsquest |work=Oxford Mail |date=14 March 2008 |access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
*On 20 April 2012, a Class 222 unit caught fire at {{rws|Nottingham}}. The fire was caused by a buildup of grime which was heated by the movement of the train's wheels.<ref name=BBC17784280>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-17784280 |title=Nottingham railway station disrupted after engine fire |publisher=BBC News Online |date=20 April 2012 |access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
*On 18 July 2018, a Voyager unit caught fire shortly after leaving {{rws|Derby}} whilst operating a service to {{rws|Glasgow Central}}. All 175 passengers were evacuated.<ref name=BBC44875788>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-44875788 |title=Train evacuated near Derby after fire beneath carriage |work=BBC News |date=18 July 2018 |access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
*On 26 September 2019, an electrical explosion occurred in a vestibule on Voyager unit 221132 (coach 60982). Fortunately this was on an [[Glossary of rail transport terms#E|ECS]] move and occurred between the [[Central Rivers TMD|Central Rivers depot]] and {{rws|Birmingham New Street}} and was discovered when the driver changed ends.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-50014885|title=Train's 'electrical explosion' probed|date=2019-10-11|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-03-04|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-digest-012020-central-rivers/central-rivers-equipment-explosion-on-an-empty-passenger-train-26-september-2019|title=Central Rivers Equipment explosion on an empty passenger train, 26 September 2019|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-03-04}}</ref>

==Proposed conversion to electrical operation==
In 2010 Bombardier proposed the conversion of several ''Voyager'' multiple units into hybrid electric and diesel vehicles capable of taking power from an overhead pantograph ([[Electro-diesel_multiple_unit|electro-diesels EDMUs]]). The proposal was named ''Project Thor''.<ref>{{cite web|
url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmtran/writev/economy/te89.htm| title=Transport and the economy: Memorandum from Bombardier Transportation UK Limited (TE 89)| publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]| quote=Project Thor, being developed with a number of UK private sector partners, would see 500 existing diesel multiple unit vehicles converted to bi-mode diesel / electric capability, allowing them to operate as electric trains where there is already electrification infrastructure in place, continuing their journey in diesel mode where the wires end.| date=10 November 2010| access-date=2011-03-04 }}</ref>

In October 2010 it was speculated that 21 additional pantograph vehicles would be manufactured at [[Derby Litchurch Lane Works]], and 21 sets converted, at a cost of approximately £300million,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://rail-news.com/2010/10/06/bombardiers-electrification-plan-presented-to-ministers/| title=Bombardier's electrification plan presented to ministers| work =RailNews | location = Stevenage | date=6 October 2010 | access-date=2010-12-12 }}</ref> however in 2011 the plant did not have the facilities to manufacture steel carriages,<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-14947244| title  =Bombardier: Doubts over Derby factory's CrossCountry hopes| date = 16 Sep 2011|publisher = [[BBC News]]| work = www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> though it was expected that much of the work would take place in the UK, and provide work for the Derby plant.<ref>{{citation| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-14870787| title = Cross Country contract may save Derby Bombardier jobs| date=11 September 2011| work= www.bbc.co.uk| publisher = [[BBC News]]}}</ref> In December 2011 a proposal to electrify 30-35 sets for the CrossCountry franchise, referred to as "eVoyager", was considered by the [[Department for Transport]].<ref>{{citation|url= https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/general/2011/12/23-evoyager-project-costs-still-seen.html| title = eVoyager project costs still seen as too high by DfT| date = 23 December 2011| work = www.railnews.co.uk|publisher=  Railnews Limited}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Bombardier Voyager}}
{{British Rail DMU}}
{{High-speed rail}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bombardier Voyager}}
[[Category:British Rail diesel multiple units]]
[[Category:Passenger trains running at least at 200 km/h in commercial operations]]
[[Category:Train-related introductions in 2001]]