British Rail Class 222

Bombardier Transportation

Industry	Rail vehicle manufacturing
Headquarters	Bruges , Belgium
Products	Class 222 Meridian trains

The British Rail Class 222 Meridian represents a series of high-speed passenger trains available in 5- or 7-car configurations and powered by diesel-electric multiple units, capable of . A total of twenty-seven trainsets were produced by Bombardier Transportation at their facility in Bruges, Belgium.

Belonging to the Bombardier Voyager family, the Class 222 shares a strong visual similarity with the and models utilized by CrossCountry and Grand Central. Nevertheless, it distinguishes itself through a unique interior design and a greater number of underfloor components, which enhances passenger capacity. Initially commissioned for Midland Mainline and Hull Trains, all units are currently operated by East Midlands Railway under the Meridian brand.

The present 5- and 7-car formations were adapted from earlier configurations of four- and nine-car sets to better align with operational demands.

Details

Each unit is equipped with a Cummins QSK19 diesel engine delivering at 1,800rpm. This engine drives a generator that supplies electricity to traction motors powering two axles per coach, allowing for an approximate range of between refuelling stops.

The Class 222 employs rheostatic braking, wherein the traction motors function as generators during braking, converting kinetic energy into electrical energy that is dissipated as heat through resistors mounted on each coach’s roof. This system reduces wear on traditional brake pads.

These trains run on B5000 lightweight bogies, which are identifiable by their exposed wheel surfaces and inboard axle bearings.

Fitted with Dellner couplers—similar to those on Class 220 and 221—the Class 222 units are unable to operate in multiple with these classes due to incompatible electrical connections.

All maintenance for the Class 222 fleet takes place at the dedicated depot located at Derby Etches Park, near Derby railway station.

Midland region

Since most routes served by East Midlands Railway lack electrification (with the exception of EMR Connect), diesel-powered trains such as the Class 222 form the backbone of its rolling stock.

On 31 May 2004, Midland Mainline introduced 23 Class 222 units under the Meridian name, replacing all and some High Speed Trains. These units provided improved acceleration compared to their predecessors. The initial procurement included four- and nine-car sets; Hull Trains operated four-car units designed with potential expansion to five cars in mind.

Seven nine-car Meridian sets were originally intended to enhance services between London St Pancras and Leeds. However, this plan was blocked by the Strategic Rail Authority, so these trains primarily served London–Nottingham routes along with some London–Sheffield services.

Midland Mainline initially overestimated demand for first-class accommodations; notably, four-car Meridians offered fewer standard seats than the three-car Turbostars they replaced. As a result, some first-class seating areas were reclassified as standard class.

By late 2006, Midland Mainline undertook reconfigurations involving removing carriages from nine-car formations and adding them to four-car sets.

Following the franchise consolidation in November 2007, East Midlands Trains took over operation of the entire Class 222 Meridian fleet.

In 2008, further adjustments led to most eight-car sets being shortened by one carriage while smaller sets were lengthened. This resulted in six seven-car sets (numbered 222001–222006) and seventeen five-car sets (222007–222023). Unit 222007 was uniquely configured as a five-car set containing both first- and standard-class coaches.

Seven-car formations are deployed on fast London St Pancras–Sheffield routes and now extend to London St Pancras–Leeds via Sheffield after High Speed Train services were withdrawn. Five-car sets mainly operate semi-fast services from London St Pancras to Sheffield, Nottingham, or Corby, as well as off-peak schedules. Four-car units provide supplementary services or operate independently.

Beginning December 2008, the quicker-accelerating Class 222 Meridians replaced HSTs on hourly London St Pancras–Sheffield services, cutting journey times by approximately twelve minutes. Meanwhile, hourly Nottingham services reverted to HST operation.

In February 2009, units numbered 222101 and 222102 transferred from Hull Trains to East Midlands Trains and were repainted accordingly; later repairs allowed units 222104 and subsequently 222103—out of service since early 2007 due to an accident—to join this transfer.

After the Department for Transport awarded the East Midlands franchise to Abellio in August 2019, ownership of the entire Class 222 fleet passed to new operator East Midlands Railway.

Hull operations

In May 2005, Hull Trains deployed Class 222 Pioneer units to succeed , cutting travel times between Hull and by as much as 20 minutes. The Pioneers showcased a distinct interior palette and offered fewer first-class seats compared to the Meridians. The original batch consisted of four units, each with four cars.

Starting in 2009, First Hull Trains standardized its fleet with units, transferring the Class 222 trains to East Midlands Trains during 2008/09, where they were rebranded under the Meridian name.

Upgrades

Between February 2011 and spring 2012, East Midlands Trains carried out a full refurbishment of its Class 222 fleet, renewing standard class with updated seat fabrics and carpets, while first class received new leather seating and a modernized colour scheme. In 2024, East Midlands Railway commenced another refurbishment phase concentrating on standard class seating enhancements.

Accidents

• On 10 June 2006, unit 222009 was taken out of service after a door was detected open while traveling near Desborough, Northamptonshire. The RAIB investigation revealed a manufacturing fault combined with software errors that permitted the door to unlock unnoticed until it fully opened, which activated an automatic brake application later overridden by the driver due to unclear signals. The train halted safely following a passenger’s alert about the open door.
• On 20 February 2010, unit 222005 experienced a derailment near East Langton, Leicestershire, when two wheels on a central coach left the rails at approximately . Although the train remained upright, debris caused damage to nearby vehicles. Restoration involved bogie replacements and temporary train reconfiguration. The derailment affected two miles of the Midland Main Line, prompting urgent repairs by Network Rail. The RAIB concluded that an axle fracture resulting from a seized bearing was responsible and recommended design reassessments along with enhanced oil sampling protocols for Class 222 final drives.
• On 20 April 2012, an engine fire ignited beneath a carriage at Nottingham station due to overheating caused by accumulated grime. Both the train and station were evacuated with no injuries reported.
• On 14 February 2016, unit 222005 collided with a conveyor boom obstructing the track at Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire. The front vehicle sustained significant damage; the driver was shaken but unharmed. Among the 85 passengers aboard, no injuries occurred; however, a fitter working on the boom suffered serious injuries. The RAIB determined that poorly maintained electrical components led to the boom’s unintended rotation into the train’s path.

Planned developments

All units are planned for return to Eversholt Rail Group once replaced by new trains on EMR Intercity routes.

In June 2025, Lumo revealed intentions to lease five six-car Class 222 sets for its upcoming London Euston to Stirling service launching in mid-2026. These units will subsequently be succeeded by new Class 810 trains at EMR.

Enterprise

In 2005, HSBC Rail acquired seven nine-car trains intended for Midland Mainline’s London-Leeds route; however, these remained unused after the Strategic Rail Authority blocked this corridor. HSBC Rail considered leasing them to Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann for the Enterprise Belfast-Dublin service. This plan required extensive modifications including shortening train length and converting from standard gauge to Irish gauge. Ultimately, these trains entered service with Midland Mainline, releasing High Speed Trains for other duties.

Grand Central

Originally, Grand Central intended to launch its open-access Sunderland service in 2006 utilizing five Class 222 trains; however, the start was postponed as the company explored alternative options. Ultimately, operations commenced in December 2007 employing three High Speed Trains.

Fleet details

Class	Operator	Quantity	Year of manufacture	Cars per trainset
222/0	East Midlands Railway	4	2003–2005	7
		19		5
222/1		4

Named units

A number of Meridian trains have been assigned names that highlight regional connections and corporate affiliations:

Unit number	Name	Date named	Named by	Remarks
222001	The Entrepreneurs Express	October 2011
222002	The Cutlers' Company	October 2011
222003	Tornado (name later removed)	March 2009	East Midlands Trains Managing Director Tim Shoveller	Honouring LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado
222004	Children's Hospital Sheffield (previously City of Sheffield)	February 2013 (as Children's Hospital Sheffield)
222006	The Carbon Cutter (formerly Leicester)	May 2011 (as The Carbon Cutter)
222008	Derby Etches Park	September 2009		Named after Derby Etches Park maintenance depot
222011	Sheffield City Battalion 1914-1918	November 2014
222015	175 Years of Derby's Railways 1839-2014	November 2014
222022	'‘Invest in Nottingham’’'	September 2011

Various other trainsets have undergone renaming or removal of names in line with evolving sponsorship arrangements and branding initiatives.

Further reading

• Traction Recognition, Colin J. Marsden, Ian Allan, 2nd edition, 2011, pp. 168–171