Guest 34008Padstow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 just a quick question regarding cornish railways. i know it was set up in the 80s but when did it officialy start and finish. who decided on the wizzy logo and when did the newer lizard logo appear. thanks in advance Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I'm told it never officially started, and it finished when officialdom found out and ordered the logo's removed.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 34008Padstow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 so im assuming the wizzy logo was a one off as ive only ever seen 207 with them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Per Jane's Railway Year for 1984, Cornish Railways was established in July 1983 under the stewardship of Truro-based "Rusty" Eplett. I remember him coming to talk about the Cornish Railways experiment to our University Railway Society in 1985 - it was just before the introduction of the 142 Skipper units and we were trying to get him to confirm the rumours that they would be delivered in a special GW-style livery for Cornish Railways. Very entertaining he was too. I can't recall that there was ever an official end date - as a local WR initiative, I think that it was swept away along with the WR itself by the onward march of Sectorisation. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 10, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2010 I'm told it never officially started, and it finished when officialdom found out and ordered the logo's removed.... Close The 'official' start of the Cornish Railways brand name came - I'm fairly sure, with the re-signing of Bodmin Road station when the 'crossed flags' logo was first used. from there things took off in a rather uncontrolled (or rather 'centrally uncontrolled') first with the 'crossed flags' logo appearing on at least one St Blazey Class 37 then with the other marketing symbol appearing then to the final stage - which I think was completely unofficial. As the start of it was very much down to one man and although what happened subsequently was largely inspired by him it all got rather political with fear of upsetting the Cornish on one hand having to be balanced against trying to deal with a personality cult on the other (and yes, it really was very much more like a personality cult rather than just a marketing image, but he was a great bloke ). In the end it was solved by organisational change and removing a completely separate management organisation for Cornwall thus ending what Glorious NSE rightly identified as something which had become entirely unofficial. But dating that is difficult alas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 34008Padstow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 cheers david & SM. is wizzy just a depot logo to identify it as a BZ loco Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 is wizzy just a depot logo to identify it as a BZ loco As Rusty Eplett explained it to us, he was given a mandate by WR management to create a local identity and brand, both for external marketing purposes and to raise staff morale in Cornwall. I think that he organised a local public competition to create a mascot, with Wizzy as the winner, and this was used on local publicity materials as well as being wrapped around the red BR logos on the sides of BZ's "William Cookworthy". So from what I recall, it was more than just a depot logo. Stationmaster's comments completely match my recollection of Mr Eplett - he was clearly a charismatic leader filled with boundless energy and enthusiasm for the railways of Cornwall, and it doesn't surprise me at all that he was prepared to try out new things - as a eager 19 year old student, I thought he was a top bloke! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 34008Padstow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 thanks for the feedback david Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 10, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2010 As Rusty Eplett explained it to us, he was given a mandate by WR management to create a local identity and brand, both for external marketing purposes and to raise staff morale in Cornwall. I think that he organised a local public competition to create a mascot, with Wizzy as the winner, and this was used on local publicity materials as well as being wrapped around the red BR logos on the sides of BZ's "William Cookworthy". So from what I recall, it was more than just a depot logo. Stationmaster's comments completely match my recollection of Mr Eplett - he was clearly a charismatic leader filled with boundless energy and enthusiasm for the railways of Cornwall, and it doesn't surprise me at all that he was prepared to try out new things - as a eager 19 year old student, I thought he was a top bloke! David You're on the ball with the story of the origin of Wizzy I think David. Rusty was an amazing character to save the very least - he had all of us operating sorts convinced that he was a master marketeer and all the marketing sorts convinced that he was a first class operator But whatever he was he was 1000% Cornish and 1000% an enthusiast for the railway in Cornwall and he did an enormous amount to promote it in various ways culminating in 'Cornish Railways'. But alas it was the cult of personality and his strong streak of independence which in some ways brought about its end. Mind you his story you the 142s weren't delivered in a special livery for Cornwall but for the WR, along with the name 'Skippers' (which had first been suggested in a report produced by a group of management trainees). Rusty also happened to be no mean sailor having both his own Troy Class boat and being for quite a while the Commodore of Fowey's (lesser) Yacht Club; when he retired from BR he spent a lot of time delivering/ferrying yachts of various sizes along the south coast and across the Channel, often in weather which kept many amateur sailors indoors. A great shame that he didn't enjoy a very long retirement . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 34008Padstow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 cheers guys Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Ta for the correction Mike (or rather 'centrally uncontrolled') That's a great phrase...must use that again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekEm8 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 By all accounts the wizzy logo was only applied to three BZ 37's 37181,37207 Plymouth 010984 37185 BZ 020984 note buffers different from above) (sorry end of film problem) But the nose end logo was only applied to 207 37207 Plymouth 010984 But the name (if not the logo) carried on 37196 Landore open day 21 09 85 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 34008Padstow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 excellent pics Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekEm8 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Forgot to add this one to the previous post, shows the Cornish Rail logo better. 37207,38181 Plymouth 01 09 84 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 34008Padstow Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 many thanks derek Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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