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date 19 September 2001 source Virgin Trains type Press release
Four Voyager trains have been named in three days as over half of the 34-strong Class 220 fleet has been delivered to Virgin Trains.
Unit 220017 was named Bombardier Voyager at Central Rivers depot yesterday to mark the official opening of the £30 million maintenance facility.
Guests for Central Rivers travelled on the first Voyager train to operate over the West Coast Main Line, formed of units 220009 and 220025. The special train covered the 116¼ miles between London Euston and Lichfield Trent Valley Low Level in 82 minutes, at a start to stop average speed of 85mph.
Units 220009/25 were both named at a staff day at Central Rivers on Sunday September 16th. 220009 was named Gatwick Voyager and 220025 Virgin Voyager. The following day 220023 was named Mancunian Voyager at Manchester Piccadilly.
Monday September 17th saw Voyagers take over the 0708 Manchester-Brighton and 1418 Brighton-Manchester services from Class 47s and Mk 2 coaching stock. Formed of units 220001 Maiden Voyager and 220016 Midland Voyager, the first departure from Manchester arrived in Brighton four minutes early.
The next locomotive-hauled working to convert to Voyager - around the end of September - will be the 0809 Manchester-Bournemouth and 1418 Bournemouth-Manchester. In the following weeks it is planned to introduce Voyagers on the 0647 Preston-Blackpool; 0735 Blackpool-Portsmouth; and 1440 Portsmouth-Blackpool.
2001-05-06 Voyager technical specifications (Virgin Trains)