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. Many of Aura Light’s high-performance T8 Ultimate Long Life tube luminaires were also installed to provide sustainable and high-quality lighting to the first class and economy carriages, luggage shelves and toilet stalls.

The installation of the lighting is part of the company’s plan to achieve a yearly 2.5% reduction in CO₂ emissions until 2017.

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. (All photos courtesy of Virgin Trains)

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 poor colour temperature of 2700k. As a result, 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. The high-performance, fluorescent lamp also holds the world’s longest service life as well as an extremely low failure rate, proving a successful long-term efficient lighting solution.

Many of Aura Light’s high-performance T8 Ultimate Long Life tube luminaires were also installed to provide sustainable and high-quality lighting to the first class and economy carriages, luggage shelves and toilet stalls.

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.

The installation of the Aura Light lighting is part of the Virgin Train’s plan to achieve a yearly 2.5% reduction in CO₂ emissions until 2017.

Aura Light has many years of experience in manufacturing and supplying sustainable lighting solutions to wide variety of customers and helping them to reduce the costs, energy consumption and environmental impact of their lighting schemes. Aura Light products include a range of LED and high-performance fluorescent luminaires for industrial areas, outdoor lighting and commercial projects. The company is widely associated with producing long lifetime, high quality lighting solutions which can produce energy savings of up to 80%.

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.