Public Transport in your particular part of the region
Digging up an old post, but is it actually going to be in the franchise spec that the franchise has to be run as GWR with the branding that's just been introduced? Unless I'm mistaken, this isn't like Scotrail (where the livery was designed and specified outside of the franchisee) but this is just something First Group have done off their own back ('encouraged' or not) and they have designed this look themselves? I know it is now 'preferred' to have generic brands but if it is not enshrined to be kept in that way, then presumably if First eventually lost the franchise and a company like Virgin or Stagecoach took it on then they could (and probably would if they could based on previous form) just ditch GWR and we could end up with 'Greater Western Trains' or yet another 'Virgin Trains' in corporate colours despite all that is being said about GWR being here to stay?Alexia wrote:Continuation of the company (management, staff, trains etc) but discontinuation of FirstGroup branding, colours etc. The Greater Western Franchise, whoever runs it, will now be known as GWR (operated by....)
Anyhoo, finally got to travel on the (I think there's still only 1?) 'GWRd' HST yesterday. Very pretty, particularly like the way the logo on the powercars is actually a proper nameplate and not just a vinyl stuck on. Regardless of how correct the green is, it all looks very classy and upmarket compared to dynamic lines or barbie. The interior is quite nice too (even if the fabric on the seats feels a little bit coarser than before) - the pictures don't actually do justice to how nice it looks. Slight cock-up with the 'close the window' sticker though!
A couple of pictures:
Lots of people have said the same thing about the ECML franchise. From the end of DOR it *has* to be branded East Coast, optionally pre or post-pended operator name, with a white + people stripe livery - hence Virgin Trains East Coast.
Now, in the light of it being rebranded to just Vurgin Trains, they're saying that franchises can rebrand it, but only at their own cost, it can't come from subsidies. So basically exactly the same situation as before...
Now, in the light of it being rebranded to just Vurgin Trains, they're saying that franchises can rebrand it, but only at their own cost, it can't come from subsidies. So basically exactly the same situation as before...
The shiney new automated announcements on 150219 apparently don't like the GPS aerial getting wet...today this was working the 17:46 Exeter Central--Paignton, been on this unit a few times recently and they've always worked fine...until today when the train got hit by a wave at Dawlish and then having been fine up to that point it suddenly started apologising for delays in the Winnersh area (which is in Berkshire), then it didn't know when it had got to Teignmouth, Newton Abbot or Torre, giving no announcements there, before coming back to life to announce that we would shortly be arriving at Newton Abbot long after it had already left it, and then finally corrected itself at Torquay.
As I said before, I really hope that when they roll this out on a larger scale they realise that the PA equipment itself also has to be upgraded, it is completely inaudible when the engines are working hard, which they will do a lot on the kind of diagrams the 150s are deployed on.
As I said before, I really hope that when they roll this out on a larger scale they realise that the PA equipment itself also has to be upgraded, it is completely inaudible when the engines are working hard, which they will do a lot on the kind of diagrams the 150s are deployed on.
PIS in chatting shit shock.
South West Trains having a little jibe at GWR in their most recent radio ad...announcing they are rebranding as 'SWT' to better reflect what the customer needs before mocking it and saying 'actually no, we're just changing things that matter'.
Irony of course being that the 159s are in the process of getting a new livery so similar to the old one that I don't know why they bothered changing it...that and they still haven't realised the stupidity of their decision to move the 08.26 from EXD back to 08.23 2 years ago which cut off the only connecting service to Exeter Central from the up Crosscountry mainline service which commuters from west of Exeter are most likely to be on (although on another tangent it is somewhat insane that GWR don't provide a shuttle service up there during peak time which would negate the need for SWT to carry those passengers, but do provide one just after 9AM when it isn't required).
The daily spectacle of close to 100 people flooring it over the foot bridge at potential risk of injury to themselves and others only to have the dispatcher shut the doors in front of them 'because it's not a connecting service innit' is getting just a little bit old now - I would have thought that fixing things like that is one of the 'things that matter'
Irony of course being that the 159s are in the process of getting a new livery so similar to the old one that I don't know why they bothered changing it...that and they still haven't realised the stupidity of their decision to move the 08.26 from EXD back to 08.23 2 years ago which cut off the only connecting service to Exeter Central from the up Crosscountry mainline service which commuters from west of Exeter are most likely to be on (although on another tangent it is somewhat insane that GWR don't provide a shuttle service up there during peak time which would negate the need for SWT to carry those passengers, but do provide one just after 9AM when it isn't required).
The daily spectacle of close to 100 people flooring it over the foot bridge at potential risk of injury to themselves and others only to have the dispatcher shut the doors in front of them 'because it's not a connecting service innit' is getting just a little bit old now - I would have thought that fixing things like that is one of the 'things that matter'
SWT probably want / have the rights to the revenue from it.cwathen wrote:although on another tangent it is somewhat insane that GWR don't provide a shuttle service up there during peak time which would negate the need for SWT to carry those passengers, but do provide one just after 9AM when it isn't required
Usual bluster with a very thinly veiled sense of entitlement.
I've explained that repainting trains is normally driven by requirement rather than marketing desire. Given that a new coat of paint needed to happen, why not vary things up a bit? You could argue Central were wasting their time in the 90s having up to 50 idents at any one time available to use given many were similar. Doesn't harm, does it?
If you feel strongly about a timing I'd advise you to contact the TOC and ask why it is that way. There is probably a reason, and it is probably the case that changing it to suit your needs would have adverse effects on more people; if not on that train's diagram then another which would have to be repathed to accommodate it. If not, they'll have your feedback and enough of that will make a difference when the timetable is next recast.
Ranting on Metropol will not be on their radar.
I've explained that repainting trains is normally driven by requirement rather than marketing desire. Given that a new coat of paint needed to happen, why not vary things up a bit? You could argue Central were wasting their time in the 90s having up to 50 idents at any one time available to use given many were similar. Doesn't harm, does it?
If you feel strongly about a timing I'd advise you to contact the TOC and ask why it is that way. There is probably a reason, and it is probably the case that changing it to suit your needs would have adverse effects on more people; if not on that train's diagram then another which would have to be repathed to accommodate it. If not, they'll have your feedback and enough of that will make a difference when the timetable is next recast.
Ranting on Metropol will not be on their radar.