Metropol

Perhaps there is a proper refurbishment effort going on? A couple I know of look very very tatty.

Whataday wrote:I'm sure the stand in the photograph is one that was introduced under the old branding. In fact there is an identical stand at my local Tesco which still has the old branding. Also, I notice "LIFE CHANGING" on the writing surface. Isn't that slogan from a few years back?

Would it be that economical to change the writing surface, the colour of a significant portion of the stand, some of the decals, and bring it up to brand new condition?

A couple from around the City today.

one of two branches of Costa to Go



the 'to go' part of the logo looks like it was designed in Aldus Pagemaker circa 1992

also an M&S with the last-but-one logo on their fascia, and a brand new foodhall sign inside

A full train is now back at Reading in GWR Green (which, if you're interested, is Hex 0A493E or RGB 10-73-62 (which is not a million miles away from BR Blue, RGB 11-69-89)

Class 166 at Reading

Same unit in daylight on the WCML

Woops double posted

Alexia wrote:A full train is now back at Reading in GWR Green (which, if you're interested, is Hex 0A493E or RGB 10-73-62 (which is not a million miles away from BR Blue, RGB 11-69-89)

Class 166 at Reading

Same unit in daylight on the WCML

Quite pretty! Would be good to see a full HST done out. Incidentally, have there been any changes to vocab guidelines in the run up to the rebrand in that FGW should no longer be referred to?

It may be nothing but all week I've heard various different guards on local routes using generic announcements - it's no longer the 'First Great Western service to Barnstaple' but has become 'the Barnstaple line service', along with 'the service to exmouth' etc etc...it Just seems like they've been advised to start phasing it out.

EDIT - Seemed even more marked today...when going through connections at EXD from 'the Barnstaple line service' (FGW) the guard mentioned the '18:03 Service to London Paddington' (also FGW) but the '18:12 Crosscountry Service to Paignton' and the '18:25 South West Trains service to London Waterloo' before thanking me for travelling on 'this service'.

No new vocab guidelines or tannoy scripts. Nothing you've described is officially proscribed or perscribed - tannoy annos, so long as they are accurate and get the message across, are fluid. I would suggest though that at places like Exeter, Reading, Cardiff etc where multiple TOCs serve the same destinations, that mentioning the TOC is advisable and good practice in order to prevent people getting the wrong train. At Bristol TM, there are two services to Exeter within 10 minutes of each other, but getting the :44 XC is infinitely quicker and preferable to getting the FGW stopper at :53.

Fair enough, It was just that I've not heard a single guard say 'First Great Western' on a local unit all week, which I don't recall occurring before.

cwathen wrote:Fair enough, It was just that I've not heard a single guard say 'First Great Western' on a local unit all week, which I don't recall occurring before.

Probably some passive-aggressive rebellion against their overlords in Swindon. They are ex-Wessex / ex-Wales&West staff, after all.

Alexia wrote:

cwathen wrote:Fair enough, It was just that I've not heard a single guard say 'First Great Western' on a local unit all week, which I don't recall occurring before.

Probably some passive-aggressive rebellion against their overlords in Swindon. They are ex-Wessex / ex-Wales&West staff, after all.

I did wonder that - but then as of next month FGW will have operated those routes for longer than W&W/Wessex put together, that's a long time to rebel.

First sneak peak of an HST

https://www.flickr.com/photos/126796638 ... Uy8-wpxmkA