Talk:British Rail Class 390

New image for infobox?

An anonymous editor, 2A00:23C4:8C83:8001:45EA:5180:DBCE:7383, has replaced the image in the infobox which got me thinking, it should be updated to show the 390 in Avanti livery as the Virgin livery is no longer used. I'll have a look and see if there are any good photographs of the 390 in Avanti livery. NemesisAT (talk) 16:41, 4 July 2021 (UTC)

The following two images look good:

• File:Avanti West Coast Pendolino (2) 7.20.jpg
• File:Avanti West Coast Pendolino 7.20.jpg

The first one is my preference, I propose the image in the infobox is replaced with the first image above. NemesisAT (talk) 16:43, 4 July 2021 (UTC)

To be honest I like both of the photos they are both good choices for a new infobox photo. If I had to pick one however I would also pick the the same photo as you. Maurice Oly (talk) 21:04, 10 July 2021 (UTC)

Thanks, Maurice Oly. I've gone ahead and changed the image. Best wishes NemesisAT (talk) 21:24, 10 July 2021 (UTC)

• 1
  1
• 2
  2
• 3
  3
• 4
  4

There's been some new images uploaded, and I think any of them would make a better lead image then the present one. I personally think 4 is by far the best one. Any thoughts? (P.s. I took the two at the top, and I think the one chosen is technically quite poor, I uploaded it for posterity, and because there were few images of 390s in Avanti livery at the time) G-13114 (talk) 08:54, 9 June 2022 (UTC)

About time the image got changed. The livery shown is very outdated and quite wrong, it shows the middle coaches being empty white which hasnt been a thing for around half a decade. Finn315 (talk) 13:49, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

Source for 390039

How does anyone have a source for 390039 be refurbished? Tbrookes.23 (talk) 13:03, 30 December 2023 (UTC)

Railways Illustrated have a semi-regular column on which units have been refurbished - and I'm sure much of the railway press will also publish information in due course. Danners430 (talk) 14:13, 30 December 2023 (UTC)

Names in this article

See Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_UK_Railways#When_do_"Names"_sections_become_excessive? 10mmsocket (talk) 21:05, 6 August 2024 (UTC)

Length of units

"Fifty-three eight-car units were originally built between 2001 and 2004 for operation on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The trains of the original batch were the last to be assembled at Alstom's Washwood Heath plant, before its closure in 2005. The trains were subsequently extended to nine-cars in the mid-2000s."

I'm not sure this is quite right. I know that some units initially entered service as 8-car units, but I thought that after that, part way through the building of the remaining units, they changed to building them with 9 cars "anyway". 2A00:23EE:14C8:2227:FCB3:8832:DD3E:19BD (talk) 03:24, 22 September 2024 (UTC)

There's a discussion above, complete with a reference, that confirms this. 10mmsocket (talk) 08:10, 22 September 2024 (UTC)

New image with full livery (Again)

File:Avanti West Coast train arriving at Lancaster (crop), geograph 6606753 by Peter Trimming.jpg

Current image

Seems people are a bit indecisive here so I hope we can finally decide on a new photo that showcases the current livery as now the current one has not been a livery for all of a decade. Anyone got any photos to suggest? Finn315 (talk) 13:55, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

File:390 044 Searchlight Lane Down Slow with Euston-Edinburgh.jpg

Option 1

No, but I'm with @Danners430 that the infobox needs a clear image more than it needs a "correct" image. That said, I quite like this one. It clearly shows the train and there's nothing obscuring it such overhead or line side equipment. 10mmsocket (talk) 14:04, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

File:390rugeley.jpg

Option 2

100% agree that the infobox image needs to be clear and a good quality image over the exact correctness of a livery.

In terms of suggestions - File:390rugeley.jpg perhaps?

I personally think "File:390 044 Searchlight Lane Down Slow with Euston-Edinburgh.jpg" is a little too distant - there's a lot of green and not a huge amount of train! Turini2 (talk) 14:33, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

At the moment this is my favoured option tbh Danners430 (talk) 15:09, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

To follow up – I still like 2 the best, I think that showing half a train is fine. Turini2 (talk) 15:55, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

File:Avanti West Coast Pride Pendolino (Class 390) at Birmingham New Street.jpg

Option 3

I do quite like that one, but it is a bit zoomed out… what about this one? My only concern is inviting issues due to it being the pride livery (as awesome a cause and livery it is) Danners430 (talk) 14:34, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

Don't like the option 3 (Pride train) because so little of it is shown 10mmsocket (talk) 16:22, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

File:Avanti Class 390 Passing Liverpool South Parkway.jpg

Option 4

For completeness I've added captions with option numbers as well as the current and Finn315's proposed images. Danners430 (talk) 15:04, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

I'd go for option 4, shows the complete train in the normal livery. Current image and 2 and 3 only show half a train and 1 is, as pointed out, too much green and not enough train. Murgatroyd49 (talk) 15:37, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

I think the best option is likely option 2 or 4, obviously i’m a tad biased considering 4 is my own but that’s my thoughts :) Finn315 (talk) 15:39, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

(Replying to both Finn314 and @Murgatroyd49 here) my thought with option 4 is it’s not the best view of the side of the train, and it’s a bit overexposed (sorry Finn!)… and do we really need to see the full length of a train that’s (let’s be honest) nearly identical the full length? Danners430 (talk) 15:47, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

Option 2 is better than option 4 because the angle mens it shows more of the train. Option 4 also has too much reflection on the front vehicle and poor contrast around the windscreen, which can be seen much better in option 2. 10mmsocket (talk) 16:25, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

File:Class 390.png

Option 5

File:390 141 Avanti Pendolino unit.jpg

Option 6

File:390 141 Avanti Pendolino unit - 53150159179.jpg

Option 7

A few more options - of these I particularly like No. 7, as it’s well-proportioned and well lit. Danners430 (talk) 16:44, 8 June 2025 (UTC)