New Great Western Livery

[Ron Ron Ron]

I have yet to see a gWr (I think that's how it's done) 

 

It's all in capitals. So more like.... GWR.

 

 

Another video here.

HST Mk3's on the move here

 

 

 

 

 

.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Ron Ron Ron

[Ron Ron Ron]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/danwarman1/18766051102/

 

versus

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/danwarman1/20116712545/

 

 

.

[28XX]

How much more businesslike and purposeful the second one looks!  Like a well-cut Saville Row suit.  Shouts "We don't play trains, we get you to where you need to go!"

 

Full marks, take 2 house points First Group.

Edited August 14, 2015 by 28XX

[surfsup]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/danwarman1/20116712545/

 

 

.

Simple. Smart. Purposeful and Effective.

 

I'm still puzzled by the pointlessness of the Matt stripes - the 166s have 2 per car whereas the Night Rivera & HSTs have one, and even then they cannot seem to make their mind up as to which side to put them - the NR has them left end of the Mk3, while the HSTs are at the opposite end. I also don't understand this sudden desire to distance themselves from their parent group to drop down to a Go Ahead level of branding, which in my opinion make's the company look more of a mess.

 

Of course all this new branding will be less effective if the inside's are still in FGW colours - Those passengers can be quite wise these days to see through a change of name.

[Ron Ron Ron]

....Of course all this new branding will be less effective if the inside's are still in FGW colours.....

 

We've already seen the HST First Class interior.

There's a render of the proposed interior for the outer suburban sets in the GWR document below (page 22 in chapter covering the Brand).

 

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100786/first-great-western-unveils-refurbished-first-c

 

Promo Video

 

Our new Great Western Franchise - First Great Western

 

 

 

.

[Chy Mengrowyn Paul]

It's been well documented that the band will be covered by vinals and it's the DfT that has specified the scheme. Only lettering will change in future should operator change as per Scotrail. Interiors take much longer to change !

[Ron Ron Ron]

It's been well documented that the band will be covered by vinals and it's the DfT that has specified the scheme. Only lettering will change in future should operator change as per Scotrail. Interiors take much longer to change !

 

Saw this on the GWML forum, supposedly from a FGW person....

 

 

 

The recently re-tendered East Coast and TSGN franchises have the exact same 'Branding' clauses in the Franchise Agreements. 

Operators are free to brand and livery how they choose.

Corporate, non corporate, trade marked, non trade marked.

There are no penalties for doing so.

Reasonable costs can be agreed with a successor operator for removal. Or, more likely, an existing operator will remove anything not wanted by the successor before handover.

 

The overall green being used by First Group for GWR is their choice and has not been mandated by DfT.

Nor has it been mandated that First Group mustn't emblazoning the stock with corporate branding.

 

I'll say it again. GWR and Green is First Group's decision entirely.

**d all to do with DfT diktat.

 

 

I've read elsewhere that the DafT's alleged hand in dictating the livery, has become an urban myth and is of no substance.

 

 

 

Lots of imagary and photos here.

 

https://www.flickr.com/groups/gwr_railway/pool/

 

 

The light coloured band appears to not be having logos or vinyls on it, if that lot is correct?

 

.

[Chy Mengrowyn Paul]

As an engineering FGW employee also involved in the Night Riviera refurbishment, we were told around 2 years ago what and who was involved in the new scheme and if you see under my old account, notes have been posted on here during that whole time. There have been changes along the way and expect a few more.

 

Personally, it's a lost opportunity, dull and uninspiring on most stock and expect problems with the silver...... !

[eastwestdivide]

From those linked photos, it seems to me that the dark green appears dull in poor light photos and classy in good light photos.

Whereas the multicolour earlier liveries are pretty much fluorescent in-your-face look-at me shiny-shiny at all times.

[D1059]

From those linked photos, it seems to me that the dark green appears dull in poor light photos and classy in good light photos.

Whereas the multicolour earlier liveries are pretty much fluorescent in-your-face look-at me shiny-shiny at all times.

 

Yup, thats my opinion too - restrained and purposeful the green might be, but unless you have good light on the side don't bother taking a photo - and don't bother with any long range landscape shots in the countryside during the summer either

[steve fay]

I really like the green, nice and classy like the GNER blue & Caledonian sleeper loco's, It's nice to see some of the TOC's leaving the multi coloured swoops and swirls behind. I take it they will get the updated GWR shirtbutton on the sides in due course?

[YesTor]

I really like the green, nice and classy like the GNER blue & Caledonian sleeper loco's, It's nice to see some of the TOC's leaving the multi coloured swoops and swirls behind. I take it they will get the updated GWR shirtbutton on the sides in due course?

 

I couldn't agree more.  Viewing the photos and artist impressions on the above Flickr link and I believe this livery and overall image to be very well thought through.  The new style GWR logo and overall general image adds a modern twist to a traditional concept, ie. a definite sleek and stylish feel, yet retaining a nod to the GWR's history.  I think that First Great Western should be commended; and yes, its most certainly a welcome and refreshing change to some of the horrendous swooshes and swirls, that First Group have been particularly notorious for up until now.

[D854_Tiger]

Tend to agree.

 

I'm surprised more TOCs have not decided to plunder their past.

 

After all, the old big four were masters of marketing.

 

I also prefer that rail travel should not be marketed as if it were a bus company (even if it is), rail is the upmarket choice after all.

 

Maybe Northern might now want to consider their L&Y heritage or TPE their LNW one.

 

Bring back the glamour.

[WCML100]

Is it just me or does painting all these 166's into FGW plain blue livery (which i believe started at the beginning of the year) pretty pointless, when First knew they were going to rebrand their trains into the new green anyway? Am i missing something here.

 

And also although i dont mind the new green livery and think the silver doors are quite nice as well, it does not compare to the significance of the plain blue FGW livery which should have been rolled out on all of the TOC's stock. It would then also retain the companies branding which i think is essential in this current economic climate as branding and marketing is so valuable. The day to day commuter will probably also think that something has happened to first possibly leading them to think the have gone bust or have lost the franchise even. All of this not good for FGW. I think if they really want to make this change to the green livery, they should keep their 'first great western' logos and branding. Fyi if anyone didnt know i have read in a few places that the livery is to coincide with the upcoming GWR 185th anniversary (i think) correct me if im wrong! Which if it is correct i think is stupid, this should be done on something like a 150th, 175th or 200th anniversary.

[wombatofludham]

To be honest I doubt Joe and Joanna Normal give a flying duck (or other avian based logo) about the exterior colour of the train, whose corporate nonsense is branded on it, or whether the colours are "historic", "exhibit core values", "romantic" or "garish". 

 

Joe and Joanna Normal, the people for whom the railway is really run and not us enthusiasts who think it's our own theme park, are only concerned with the cost of the ticket they have to pay, whether the train runs on time or not, whether they have a seat or not, if the station is easy to get to and has parking, if they can get their tickets easily and access correct and accurate information, then possibly if it has nice facilities like a working non-smelly loo or a trolley-wally with nice coffee and biscuits on long distance or wi-fi for those morons who can't possibly be off-line on Twatter for more than thirty seconds.  For those unfamiliar with trains - which is the majority of the public - things like information and aids to help them navigate the system are also important.  Whether the company being subbed by the Government to run the franchise is First, Stagecoach, Virgin, National Express, German Railways, Netherlands Railways, Hong Kong Mass Transit or even DHL, Eddie Stobart or Wells Fargo will only be of interest to obsessives like shareholders, corporate branding consultants, enthusiasts and politicians, none of whom can be described as objective.

 

To be honest some airlines, London Transport and Scotrail have the right idea, LT's buses are all franchised but they are all red with a little operator's fleetname near the front, Scotrail has the corporate "Spotrail" brand with "operated by" on the doors and many airlines franchise out some routes under their umbrella brand but with "operated by" near the door (Stobart Air being a good example with flyBe and Aer Lingus both using their aircraft painted in the relevant livery, although it can cause some confusion when a flyBe Stobart Air ATR works an Aer Lingus service as happened recently out of Birmingham...) so really the DfT, who seem to want to micro-manage everything on the railways, should mandate a "British Rail" livery with "operated by" branding on all franchised routes, which at least would give some clarity to the reality which is the franchises have very little room for privatised initiative, or commercial freedom, so pretending they are in sole charge of their business by branding them as "Virgin" or whoever is a bit pointless.

[The Stationmaster]

One thing which can be critical is to differentiate between trains operated by different franchises.  Last week I saw an example of this where passengers for Birmingham on a Virgin West Coast service from Glasgow were advised to change at Wolverhampton in order to reach Birmingham 15 minutes earlier.  A chap who sat near us and making 'time saver' connection was gently told off by the Guard/Conductor for using a Virgin West Coast only ticket on an Arriva Cross Country train - but at least he wasn't charged for his error.

 

This is of course part of the weird jungle the franchised railway presents to ordinary people but at least differently marked trains might help in circumstances like that (as long as passengers understand the differences of course).

[brianusa]

I fly home and usually head westwards.  Luckily I remember the GWR so FGW sounds close so off I go reasonably successfully.  Once I ended up in Weston SM instead of Plymouth due to two trains on the same platform at Reading!  But I have no idea how to get to Leeds or Northampton or anywhere like that as the LMS or LNER which more or less told you which direction they were going, are now replaced by First This or First That give little indication of their routes. Even the livery is no help so I'm for making things simple.

 

Brian.

[lmsforever]

Abello are painting their stock in a plain colour with red doors so maybe this will be the trend for the future saves a lot of money as well saw the new colours last nov and it looks good ,I like the new GWR colours .​

[phil-b259]

Abello are painting their stock in a plain colour with red doors so maybe this will be the trend for the future saves a lot of money as well saw the new colours last nov and it looks good

 

This is a DfT inspired move and as with the Great Northern routes out of Kings Cross and Thameslink 319 fleet refurbishment is down to the practicalities of having trains passing through overhaul while the future of the Franchise is undecided.

 

In the case of the Grater Anglia Franchise currently run by Albino - it is up for renewal, the 3 shortlisted bidders were announced back in June of this year and the DfT press release state the new franchise will commence in October 2016. As such I fully expect that the current 'simplified' livery will give way to something more 'complicated / hideous / attractive / dynamic........' by 2017.

[Banger Blue]

Is it just me or does painting all these 166's into FGW plain blue livery (which i believe started at the beginning of the year) pretty pointless, when First knew they were going to rebrand their trains into the new green anyway? Am i missing something here.

And also although i dont mind the new green livery and think the silver doors are quite nice as well, it does not compare to the significance of the plain blue FGW livery which should have been rolled out on all of the TOC's stock. It would then also retain the companies branding which i think is essential in this current economic climate as branding and marketing is so valuable. The day to day commuter will probably also think that something has happened to first possibly leading them to think the have gone bust or have lost the franchise even. All of this not good for FGW. I think if they really want to make this change to the green livery, they should keep their 'first great western' logos and branding. Fyi if anyone didnt know i have read in a few places that the livery is to coincide with the upcoming GWR 185th anniversary (i think) correct me if im wrong! Which if it is correct i think is stupid, this should be done on something like a 150th, 175th or 200th anniversary.

Nothing to do with any anniversary, September 20th is the start date of the "new" Franchise that was the result of the last Direct Award from DFT. As from that date it will be the Great Western Railway (still operated by First and there will be something to that effect on the side of the trains only in quite small writing).

[Banger Blue]

Although 166204 is the first Turbo to go Green, the internals are still as per the rest of the fleet.

 

166205 which is currently at Wolverton on C6 is the next to go Green (it should already be done), this will then become the first Turbo to get the GWR interior makeover.

[Talltim]

In the case of the Grater Anglia Franchise currently run by Albino

Presumably they are going for all-over white with the tail lights on.

[roundhouse]

One thing which can be critical is to differentiate between trains operated by different franchises.  Last week I saw an example of this where passengers for Birmingham on a Virgin West Coast service from Glasgow were advised to change at Wolverhampton in order to reach Birmingham 15 minutes earlier.  A chap who sat near us and making 'time saver' connection was gently told off by the Guard/Conductor for using a Virgin West Coast only ticket on an Arriva Cross Country train - but at least he wasn't charged for his error.

 

This is of course part of the weird jungle the franchised railway presents to ordinary people but at least differently marked trains might help in circumstances like that (as long as passengers understand the differences of course).

Way back in the 80's for a while I had to commute to and from Gunnersbury.

 

People often got confused between a BR and an Underground trains despite one being silver and the other being blue and grey, so add into the mix of all these different operators and the general public understandably get confused and even more so when an operator changes livery (or change in franchisee)

[Reorte]

To be honest I doubt Joe and Joanna Normal give a flying duck (or other avian based logo) about the exterior colour of the train, whose corporate nonsense is branded on it, or whether the colours are "historic", "exhibit core values", "romantic" or "garish".

Image is very important to just about any business so I fairly strongly disagree with that.

[WCML100]

Nothing to do with any anniversary, September 20th is the start date of the "new" Franchise that was the result of the last Direct Award from DFT. As from that date it will be the Great Western Railway (still operated by First and there will be something to that effect on the side of the trains only in quite small writing).

 

I know the september change is not to do with the anniversary. But what i stated was that the change is in aid of the anniversary (i mentioned 'upcoming'), which i believe is in 2018.