QRModeller Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Hi everyone. Just wondering, did Central Trains have their own nameboards for the stations they serviced and if they did, what did they look like? Matt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 F1p has a Central nameboard in his free station signs pack here: http://f1p.co.uk/download/v1.6.2-ModelSigns4U%20-%20AdobeAcrobat%20--%20RailwaySigns.pdf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
QRModeller Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Thanks Ragtag. Matt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 It could depend on area, don't recall seeing those pattern signs on the eastern side of Central. The 'top brass' seemed to regard anywhere east of Water Orton as some other franchise! Most of the station signs were the old RR signs, only recently replaced by EMT, with plain unbranded signage. When frachises change hands, as I understand it, the outgoing franchisee is responsible for 'de-branding' on pain of a penalty if not done. When I was at the Central training academy a couple of weeks before the franchise ended, everything that mentioned Central was being swept away, so much so that even the head office signage had gone! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I think they had the blue signs with the green stripe at Long Eaton. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
QRModeller Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Thanks for the info great central and Edwin_m. Just one other thing, of the signs that were blue with the green strip, did any of them have the Central Trains logo somewhere on it? Matt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I don't remember them having one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wherry Lines Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Lincoln Central retained RR style name boards until East Midlands Trains took over the franchise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekday Cross Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 The Robin Hood Line was possibly unique in having special signs all of its own Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 The 'top brass' seemed to regard anywhere east of Water Orton as some other franchise! It always seemed a very disjointed franchise - they gave the impression of vaguely knowing where Derby and Nottingham were, and anywhere else in the East Midlands might as well have been on the moon. Certainly all of the local stations between Nottingham and Grantham were still RR branded under Central. Going back to the OP - Central could only put their signs up at stations they managed, and a lot of the stations they served were managed by other train companies or Railtrack/Network Rail. In the East Midlands area Nottingham was Central (and has improved beyond recognition since they got the boot) as was Lincoln, but I seem to remember that Derby, Leicester, Loughborough, Grantham, Newark Northgate and (I think) Chesterfield were managed by their respective intercity operators. Central tended to manage the smaller intermediate stations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 To be fair to Central they did do some good things in the East Midlands particularly in the early days. IIRC they ordered more Turbostars than the franchise conditions dictated, which were good units for the Liverpool-Norwich and Nottingham-Cardiff. They put on several new services, as well as having a livery that was a lot more tasteful than most! Most of the new services and some of the older ones disappeared in the general collapse after 2001, probably the worst hit being Nuneaton to Leicester where four per hour have become two. Ironic really as Nuneaton was for a time the headquarters of the eastern half of Central... They were always let down by failing to get the little things right. Whenever a 150 turned up on a morning Nottingham to Birmingham, you could see the lawyer types heading for cases in Brum trying to balance their lever arch files on their knees and vowing to drive next time. Midland Mainline did indeed control most of the stations they called at between London and Sheffield, except Nottingham where only the travel centre was MML with the rest of the station being with Central. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
QRModeller Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. ... as well as having a livery that was a lot more tasteful than most! ... Totally agree , was and still is the best multiple unit livery IMO. Matt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Noticed this evening two green 153s coupled together leaving Nottingham - possibly the last survivors in the CT livery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Noticed this evening two green 153s coupled together leaving Nottingham - possibly the last survivors in the CT livery. I understand there are three, but not being a number collector (I am only concerned that they work) I'm not sure. I reckon that these may be the last ones through re-furb needing paint as well as the internal, fairly extensive, work NXEA also have, I think two 156's in Central livery, albeit with a NatEx stripe applied, doubt they'll get repainted now, perhaps go straight into Stagecoach East Anglia! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfsup Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 It could depend on area, don't recall seeing those pattern signs on the eastern side of Central. The 'top brass' seemed to regard anywhere east of Water Orton as some other franchise! Most of the station signs were the old RR signs, only recently replaced by EMT, with plain unbranded signage. When frachises change hands, as I understand it, the outgoing franchisee is responsible for 'de-branding' on pain of a penalty if not done. When I was at the Central training academy a couple of weeks before the franchise ended, everything that mentioned Central was being swept away, so much so that even the head office signage had gone! Looks like almost everything was removed then! As far as im aware, Worcester Forgate Street still has a Central Trains customer information sign by the lifts on the Birmingham bound platform... Though ill have to agree though - Centrals livery was pretty smart - think one of the best of Centrals liverys was the refusbished 150s & 156s - though in later years not so pretty - ala ex TPE 158s... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 The exTPE 158s only came to Central about a year before the franchise ended, part of another unit shuffle which saw Central livery 158s working anywhere from Newcastle to Penzance (and possibly further north). So any indication of ownerhip was only going to be a token. Must say I did like the NS purple and gold livery though, and the seats were very comfortable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Yes the TPE units were very comfortable in their original form and even when passed on to CT were better than some of their other 158s. Would that they still had power sockets as my laptop battery isn't enough for the Nottingham-Manchester journey I'm doing twice a week at present! However some of the exteriors were disgraceful - one had the varnish peeling off and at least one other had the original TPE livery with stickers for First Keolis blotted out and another layer of stickers for Central. It was a wonder it stayed within gauge! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wherry Lines Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 http://dysgraphyk.madasafish.com/156/class156_liv-ct.htm - this webpage contains info on the livery variations of CT's cl.156's. I thought they are all the same. Apparently not.....! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Foden Posted August 21, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 21, 2011 I have fond memories of CT, having used them for my once student commute in the early days of the franchise between Hinckley & Leicester. I always found the services quite punctual (network circumstances permitting) and staff helpful. Naturally the biggest reason for the nostalgia and rose tinted spectacles was the variety of stock and routes. In one week I could travel on all available classes of diesel multiple units the company had to offer, 150/153/156/158 and ofcourse the new 170s. Compared to now ofcourse, when the only variation in passenger workings is the number of cars in the unit, broken up rarely by a diverted voyager. Good times Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Naturally the biggest reason for the nostalgia and rose tinted spectacles was the variety of stock and routes. In one week I could travel on all available classes of diesel multiple units the company had to offer, 150/153/156/158 and ofcourse the new 170s Their rostering of units to services always seemed a bit random (perhaps it actually was completely random). One day you'd get a shiny new 3 car class 170, the next a single car 153. Not fun when a single 153 appeared on a Friday evening Skegness service in the summer. (Not good, since the inhabitants of the less pleasant parts of Nottingham seem to think that the Friday rush hour is the best time to take their screaming kids to Skegness for a weeks holiday. And then complain loudly about the train being busy) They also seemed to make quite a bit of use of the spot hire class 170s (did they belong to Porterbrook?) as well as inheriting the ex Midland Main Line class 170s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekday Cross Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I think at one stage the 170s, 158s and possibly the 156s were used indiscriminately - I seem to remember reading something about that being their policy. The livery was certainly distinctive, though they took a very long while to start painting and far longer to paint everything, in complete contrast to their successors. The 156s were painted by CT in Regional Railways "Express" livery with Central Trains branding, some lasting until about 2003-4(?) and the 153s only got a paint job about 2 years before the franchise ended if I remember correctly. Despite their smart new exteriors, the 153s still smelled of extreme decay inside - not refurbished since built, I presume. Did they not start sub-leasing units out to other franchises at one stage, even though they were a bit short themselves, because they could earn more money that way? I have memories of much confusion on a number of occasions as trains were switched from one duty to another at a moments notice - often after they had loaded up with passengers. I also remember well train displays away from the main centres not reflecting cancellations, leaving us all waiting for ghost trains that never arrived. I complained once and was told that the person who updated the train displays for my local line had no way of knowing when a train was cancelled! I asked how I could find out if a train was not running and was told if I rang such and such a number, they could ask the person who knew, as he worked at a desk in the same office. Pricelessl! I miss the livery, but am glad they don't run the trains any more. My current operator uses units with a very drab blue livery now - plus the occasional 158 painted to resemble an ice cream cart. They seem to have a better idea of how to run trains though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Few Central Trains images here, including units on hire to Wessex: http://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailwayPics-2/Central-Trains Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I think when some of their services were taken off (see my post above) they must have had units to spare, which were leased out to other TOCs. I recall a jouney from Todmorden to Nottingham where the first leg across to Leeds was a 158 in Central livery (operated by Northern) and the last one from Sheffield to Nottingham was a 158 in TPE livery (operated by Central). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekday Cross Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I think when some of their services were taken off (see my post above) they must have had units to spare, which were leased out to other TOCs. I recall a jouney from Todmorden to Nottingham where the first leg across to Leeds was a 158 in Central livery (operated by Northern) and the last one from Sheffield to Nottingham was a 158 in TPE livery (operated by Central). My fading memory is of slightly earlier in their history - I seem to remember they got their knuckles rapped and told how to run a train service properly by the powers that be - including the installation of standby units at Birmingham and Nottingham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Did they not start sub-leasing units out to other franchises at one stage, even though they were a bit short themselves, because they could earn more money that way? I have memories of much confusion on a number of occasions as trains were switched from one duty to another at a moments notice - often after they had loaded up with passengers. I also remember well train displays away from the main centres not reflecting cancellations, leaving us all waiting for ghost trains that never arrived. I complained once and was told that the person who updated the train displays for my local line had no way of knowing when a train was cancelled! I asked how I could find out if a train was not running and was told if I rang such and such a number, they could ask the person who knew, as he worked at a desk in the same office. Pricelessl! I miss the livery, but am glad they don't run the trains any more. My current operator uses units with a very drab blue livery now - plus the occasional 158 painted to resemble an ice cream cart. They seem to have a better idea of how to run trains though. They did indeed hire units out at times, 156403 went to Scotland for a while in the last year of the franchise if I recall correctly. There was a time when they hired units in as well, they used Anglia 170s for a while on Norwich-Liverpools, must have caused a heck of a confusion at Norwich, two similar trains in adjacent platforms, one going to London Liverpool St, the other to Liverpool Lime St! People still can't work it out when the trains are totally different! Units still get switched around now, not so much though, often to do with faults or where the unit will end it's day, may be required for exam or something. The drab blue with occasional ice cream cart, that'll be EMT then? Either Robin Hood or Leicester-Lincoln line I presume? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.