Virgin Trains Go High-Tech With LED

Virgin Trains, one of the UK’s largest train operators, has specified Aura Light to provide energy efficient lighting for its Pendolino trains.

Each train within the fleet has been installed with Aura Light’s A-LED spotlights in white and blue, a bespoke product designed specifically for the requirements put forward by Virgin Trains. The installation of the lighting is part of the company’s plan to achieve a yearly 2.5% reduction in CO₂ emissions until 2017.

Greg Newport, Customer Systems Manager at Virgin Trains, commented “With Aura Light’s highly energy efficient LED lighting we came to the conclusion that they could provide us with the tools we need in order to achieve these reductions.”

He continued, “Not only has the new lighting improved the energy efficiency of the Pendolino trains, but the other overall lighting is a vast improvement compared to the standard of the previous lighting.”

The lighting supplied by Aura Light replaced several 20W low voltage halogen and standard fluorescent lamps, each with a colour temperature of 2700k. These traditional lamps did not offer sufficient levels of lighting to the carriages and luggage areas and proved extremely expensive to use across the entire fleet of trains.

By replacing the low-efficiency traditional lamps, Virgin Trains has not only decreased its energy costs but will also reduce maintenance costs by 75% due to an impressive light life of up to 80,000 hours with the Aura T8 Ultimate Long Life luminaire.

Used to light the main aisles of the carriages and toilets stalls, the T8 Ultimate Long Life lighting in 4000k distributes a high-quality bright light to offer improved lighting levels across the trains. Accompanied by Aura Light’s 2.6W A-LED1 downlights, and 0.8W A-LED2 blue spotlights, the overall energy output of the new lighting scheme is significantly reduced which will ultimately generate considerable monetary and carbon emission savings.

The A-LED lamps were specially designed for the lighting scheme and are used throughout the first class and economy carriages to provide a downlight for the aisles and spotlights for the luggage compartments. With a colour temperature of 4000k, the aisle downlights match the light levels of the fluorescent lighting to complement the high quality of light distributed throughout the carriages. The A-LED 2 luminaires have been designed to emit a blue light to illuminate the designated luggage shelves at the end of each carriage, with a low energy output of just 0.8W to ensure that they do not compromise the overall sustainability of the lighting scheme.

Further information is available from Aura Light on 01952 250800 by emailing: simon.taylor@aura-light.co.uk or by visiting the company’s website at www.aura-light.co.uk

16 Oct