Pendolino trains are lighting up Christmas across
Britain

During December alone, the trains will generate enough power
to light over two million sets of Christmas tree lights for the
entire month.

The 125mph Pendolino trains are saving energy and reducing
pollution as they return energy to the electrical feeder
stations every time they brake. The 53 tilting trains are
fitted with electronic control systems that cause the traction
motors to provide braking effort by generating electricity back
into the supply system. The generated electricity which is put
back into the supply system achieves an overall energy saving
of 17 percent.

The Pendolino  trains are now used over all of the West
Coast routes from London Euston to the West Midlands,
Liverpool, Manchester, Cumbria and Scotland.

Research by Virgin Trains and Alstom shows that, based on
data from Pendolino trains operating over the Manchester to
London route, the Pendolino fleet, which covers around 13
million miles a year, is generating around  55 million kWh
of power a year, which is returned to the National Grid. This
is enough to provide the electricity to power 13,750 homes for
a year.

On a typical London to Manchester journey, a Pendolino will
return around 750kWh of electricity to the power supply system
for re-use, and Virgin's drivers are trained in economic and
energy saving driving techniques.

Regenerative braking used on the Pendolino trains also
reduces the use of the friction brakes, dramatically reducing
brake-pad dust and pollution, to provide a double environmental
benefit.