A complete repaint of APT-P into full InterCity livery, to the official painting diagrams, was unveiled at 1pm on Sunday 16th June 2002. Paints to the original BR Specifications have been supplied by T&R Williamson Ltd of Ripon.
The transformation was carried out by two L&NWR employees, working only at weekends and evenings as over-time, whilst volunteers from The Railway Age have landscaped the area in front of the APT and mounted an exhibition on-board.
For more details see the Virgin Trains Press Release from 8 April 2002 and our collection of News Cuttings about the repaint.
Completed repaint by Paul & Steve 15 June 2002.
Virgin's new Pendolino went to "meet the family" at Crewe today when 390006 Mission Possible drew up alongside the newly-painted, first generation Advanced Passenger Train (APT), now a resident at The Railway Age.
Over the past few weeks the APT has been refurbished under a sponsorship deal between Virgin Trains and Pete Waterman's London & North Western Railway Company, which has carried out the restoration work on Britain's first tilting train.
The APT has been exhibited at The Railway Age museum, Crewe since 1988 and can be viewed from passing trains on the West Coast Main Line. The exterior condition of the train had seriously deteriorated and, with media interest in the APT gaining momentum during last year's inaugural run of the Pendolino, there was a need to restore the train to its former glory.
Pete Waterman said: "I was delighted that Virgin Trains recognised the contribution the APT made in developing the tilting train concept. The APT was an important development in our history and the partnership between Virgin Trains and London & North Western Company has provided a very visible reminder of the link between the APT and the Pendolino."
Chris Green, Chief Executive of Virgin Trains said: "This is an historic week for the West Coast. The APT - the father of tilting trains has been restored to its original glory. The first Pendolino has started test running between Manchester, Crewe and Stafford: and it has now found time to meet the family at Crewe for an historic photograph with the restored APT."
Pendolino 390006 Mission Possible was the first train to be accepted by Virgin Trains on Friday 14 June and this is its first official duty.
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