On Tuesday, 28th April 2026, I had the opportunity to experience one of the newly refurbished Class 220 trains operated by Cross Country. The refurbishment began earlier this year with Alstom in Derby. I attended the Greatest Gathering event back in August 2025, which I must say was an exciting and wonderful experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. However, it was truly exciting to finally see the Voyager fleet, which has long been outdated and still featured the Virgin Trains red and blue interiors from the days of Virgin!

My first impressions of the interior of the Class 220 were quite positive. There are plug sockets at every seat, and on the tables, you’ll find both USB C and USB A sockets, allowing you to charge multiple devices like mobile phones and laptops. This upgrade brings the trains to a more modern standard compared to the previous layout and design, where only the tables had sockets and the seats did not. I also quite like the seat maquette; although it is rather plain, it’s nice to see a refurbished Class 220 after years of stagnation.

I boarded the 220028 at Macclesfield station on the line from Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Piccadilly, which I am looking forward to visiting in the near future. The ride between Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly was quite smooth and felt much more comfortable than previous versions of the Class 220. The 221s are also scheduled to be refurbished, but the Avanti fleet will be last, as they had an overhaul when they were under Avanti West Coast on the Holyhead lines to London Euston.

One thing I love about the new interior is its colour coding, with blue and very bright pink on either side of the aisle, depicting the left and right sides of the train interior. It also matches the train’s exterior, with the livery being a strawberry pink with cream overtones in the X (logo) on the front and rear. Initially, I wasn’t so sure about the livery, but after seeing it in person, I now quite like it. As I mentioned before, it’s really nice that Alstom in Derby is finally refurbishing the Class 220 and 221 Voyager trains, as they are much needed.

I also appreciate that the toilets on the train have been repainted and refurbished, which should hopefully extend their lifespan compared to the past. The trains themselves are currently undergoing what I would describe as a mid-life refresh. They are about 20 years old, having launched in the early 2000s alongside the Pendolinos with Virgin Trains, which debuted in 2004. They have recently been refurbished by Avanti West Coast and now feature modern facilities, including plug sockets at every seat and wireless charging pads on the tables, which is a nice touch.

I do enjoy riding on new trains and refurbished units. I get excited by the new moquettes, tech, and the fresh design compared to the old, bland, and outdated Virgin interiors. It also feels much brighter with LED lighting for energy saving. However, I am looking forward to a more in-depth review of these units next time I travel on them. I hope to take a longer journey, perhaps to Bristol, in the future. My first impressions are that I quite liked them.

Finally, I would love to hear if you’ve ridden on one of the newly refurbished Class 220 Units and what your thoughts are on the refurbishment. I’m hoping to travel on the Class 170 Cross Country units eventually, as I haven’t yet ridden on them or experienced their refurbishment. If you’ve been on one, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and feedback. It feels great to be back writing about new and refurbished trains and just talking about my hobby! Hopefully, we’ll see each other down the line soon…