Title: British Rail Class 221 - Wikipedia
Headings: British Rail Class 221
British Rail Class 221
Contents
Details
Formation and passenger facilities
Operations
CrossCountry
Avanti West Coast
Technical problems and incidents
Voyager names
Future
Fleet details
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Content: Class 221 units are fitted with automatic sanding systems. The Avanti West Coast operated units are fitted with a Vossloh fixed rate sander and the Arriva Cross Country operated units are fitted with AB Hoses and fittings variable rate sanding system. All Class 221 units are maintained at the dedicated Central Rivers TMD near Burton-on-Trent . Formation and passenger facilities
The first class interior on a CrossCountry Class 221
Bicycle compartments on a CrossCountry Class 221
The electronic information display board on Virgin Trains West Coast 221109. Here this board shows that the train is bound for Holyhead
As part of a franchise commitment to replace all of the Mark 2 and High Speed Train sets, Virgin CrossCountry ordered 40 five-carriage sets. In addition four four-carriage sets were ordered to replace High Speed Trains on Virgin Trains ' North Wales Coast Line services to Holyhead. However all entered service with Virgin CrossCountry. In November 2010, Virgin Trains reformed its three four-car sets into two five-car sets and a residual spare two-car set by inserting the two intermediate (non-driving) cars from 221144 into 221142 and 221143, giving 20 five-car sets (and two spare driving cars). This was aimed at providing more flexibility and consistency in operating Birmingham-Scotland and London-North Wales services. In 2017 a further reformation took place, allowing 221144 to be returned to traffic with CrossCountry, now operated by Arriva, involving the exchange of some vehicles between Virgin and CrossCountry and the reduction of two CrossCountry sets to four car formations.