Avanti West Coast has enlisted world-renowned manufacturer, Axminster Carpets, to install woollen carpets in its Pendolino trains, promising that these will transform the iconic tilting train’s appearance. The two-year contract to supply the carpets is worth over £1.5m, and has helped the Devon-based company to retain jobs and preserve weaving skills amongst its forty-strong workforce.

As it marks its own Sustainability Week, Avanti West Coast has highlighted the benefits of using wool. Woollen carpets are renewable and biodegradable, and naturally absorb humidity and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), improving air quality. Wool is an insulator, so also absorbs sound, helping to reduce noise. It retains heat and releases it slowly, helping to regulate onboard temperature and reduce heating costs.

Work on the Pendolino fleet upgrade is approaching the halfway mark, and Avanti West Coast has highlighted the importance of sustainability in the choice of the new Pendolino interior as part of its £117m refurbishment. With an expected lifespan of more than a decade and Axminster’s policy of sourcing UK materials, this contract is expected to greatly reduce the environmental impact compared to synthetic surfaces.

The fleet of 56 trains requires over 20,000 square metres of carpet, using the wool of more than 30,000 sheep. There will be over 5.6 million tufts of yarn in each carriage, each overseen by eye as part of the quality control. The total would be enough to cover 86 football pitches – or, laid end to end, over five and a half miles of carpet, the equivalent of 94 Big Bens.

In addition, the carpets in three carriages of each train have a bespoke design to help better identify the designated areas for passengers with restricted mobility (PRM).

Steve Wightwick, Head of Fleet Transition at Avanti West Coast, explained, “We wanted a flooring solution that was both sustainable and helped to improve our customers’ travelling experience.

“Wool is one of the most eco-friendly fibres available. It’s 100% sustainable and 100% renewable, with very little environmental impact throughout its production process. It is also durable and capable of standing up to the rigours of Pendolino operation, widely regarded as the hardest working fleet in the UK.”

Brandon Peat, Accessibility and Inclusion Manager at Avanti West Coast, added, “We spoke at length to our Accessibility Panel when drawing up the specification for the Pendolino’s refurbishment.”

“High up on their list was the need preserve the wheelchair spaces. Doing that in such a visual way with a bespoke design in the carpet has really made a difference, reducing the incidences of luggage being placed in those areas and the difficulties that presents to wheelchair users.”

Overseeing the operation is Axminster Carpet’s Production Director, Barry Searle, who said: “There’s nothing more we like than a challenge. It’s the first time we’ve built into a weave a bespoke PRM design. Its where art meets engineering and we’re pleased it’s had such a big impact.”

“And thanks to wool’s natural qualities, it will maintain its appearance and performance, to keep the Pendolino carriages looking pristine for longer, and minimise maintenance costs.”

Axminster Carpets provided the floor coverings for Pendolino fleet when new. Twenty years on the carpets have stood the test of time. the

Trainee Weaver Ethan Huxford, whose father and grandfather were also weavers, added, “It’s incredible to think that our carpets will be seen by millions of customers each year, clocking up over a quarter of a million miles each year on the West Coast Main Line,” enthused Ethan.