Coat of paint (Was:CrossCountry HST and Rebranding)

[Dave]

Dreadful!
It was never meant to be a secret Badger

I can imagine the designer sitting down thinking "Lets have some blue, stick on some pink and blue neon trails, et voila!"
Just think it's a bit "samey" but striking nevertheless.

Probably in case fgw want them back! Or pending further deployment with other first companies. Get them up in scotland!

[Ameecher]

Or because Hull trains have had the neon treatment to their website for a long while now...

[JamieLei]

Vinyls really are a great thing, and you'd never get this kind of design with paint. The Anglia paint livery was as boring as hell - probably reflects the communities they served

[Ameecher]

A lot of stuff with vinyls is because of paint warranty, ie, they're not allowed to touch it so they just cover it up with cling film, or if it's a temporary livery.

[welshdragon]

I miss our green Hull Trains, there's even a bus painted in the livery!

But what the 'eck are they thinking about dynamic lines Hull Trains staff will need completely new uniforms and a lot of their branding has the green on too.

[Dave]

I miss our green Hull Trains, there's even a bus painted in the livery!

But what the 'eck are they thinking about dynamic lines Hull Trains staff will need completely new uniforms and a lot of their branding has the green on too.

For a company like first the cost is probably pocket change.

[Kevo00]

Well, uniforms don't usually change in a hurry, just as the trains don't change in a hurry. Well over a year of National Express East Coast now and still many, if not most staff are still wearing GNER uniforms with a National Express badge sown on.

The actual loss of brand recognition is probably a higher cost than the cost of rebranding though.

[Dave]

Well, uniforms don't usually change in a hurry, just as the trains don't change in a hurry. Well over a year of National Express East Coast now and still many, if not most staff are still wearing GNER uniforms with a National Express badge sown on.

The actual loss of brand recognition is probably a higher cost than the cost of rebranding though.

Which of course will be offset by the fact that Hull Trains is, as and probably always will be a First venture anyway.

It probably doesn't eliminate the issue of brand recognition, but it surely mitigates it?

[Kevo00]

Well of course long run brand recognition for First increases, but any specific recognition Hull Trains had with its passengers would be reduced. I really don't understand why transport companies go down the corporate branding route - people tend to identify better with local/regional brands than national ones as they can become part of local identity. Imagine if all the bus operators in London were allowed to adopt their company colours...

[JamieLei]

They were at one point in the 70s I believe when London Buses were deregulated and didn't have to be red, and it was proper confusing.

I'm all up for regional uniform brands. Sadly National Express seem intent on applying the same livery on all their operations, from Train, Bus, Coach and the now-failed Airport-Van-thing that they heavily promoted. It's been 15 months in and half the fleet in the West Midlands is still in the old livery. Lothian Buses in Edinburgh makes a big deal over the fact they're a local bus firm and not First/Stagecoach/NX, which is handy because they compete with the first 2 on some routes!

I'm just wondering how long before the brands begin to go international and we start seeing Singaporean bus liveries on the Scottish CityLink... (Admittedly it is smart, but wouldn't be very local)

[Ameecher]

First kind of got lumbered with Hull trains as a result of buying out GB Railways when trying to bid for the Greater Anglian franchise. First were originally eliminated by GB Railways (a.k.a. Anglia) were still in the running so they bought them up with the hope of still getting the franchise but that went tits up too and they ended up with an open access operator, a freight operator and no greater anglia franchise!

[Kevo00]

And then NatEx allegedly renamed the Greater Anglia franchise 'One' just to rub it in!

[JamieLei]

Possibly the worst name for a franchise ever! - It also didn't help when they announced the "16:50 'One' Service to Clacton" or wherever

I posted this a little over a year ago, but for nostalgia:

[Kevo00]

Lol. Suddenly I've found a little respect for Christian Wolmar. Clearly they should have managed the rebrand carefully, and stuck with the sub-brands idea, or maybe called the whole lot One Anglia.

The old Anglia branding was very clever, because it clearly set out to recall the old Anglia ITV company with its famous Knight logo. Though they didn't use the knight, there is an interesting similarity between the lettering used in both logos! Although the two are not exactly identical, imagine if the TV one were updated...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQwvMh4qXqs

Talking of Anglia, I'm thinking of taking a pootle up the GEML soon as I'm getting bored with my trips on the LTS. Anyone suggest a good NXEA destination thats maybe about 60 - 90 mins out of Liverpool St, costs less than £15 to get to (I've got a railcard) and perhaps has some good coastal walks and a good chip shop or a Wetherspoons?

[Ameecher]

Er, no. Not really, the seaside resorts of Essex can't be reached for that sort of money iirc and everywhere else that can be reached for that isn't near the sea!

Lowestoft is a fair old trek but if you have a railcard you can get there direct from the 'street for £3.95 each way, but it is 2h45m ish.

Could go to Norwich for the same price in just under 2 hours and sample the delights of "a fine city" as is much cited on city signage!

[Dave]

Colchester it is then!

[andel]

Come to Clacton for a holiday... stay 'cos your car got nicked!

We have a Weatherspoons and an Andel

[Kevo00]

I did once consider going to Lowestoft for an FA Vase match, but was amazed when I put it into National Rail Enquries and found it was as much as 2hrs 45 out! Though £3.95 sounds like an exceptional deal, is that due to a computer error or something?

Norwich is a possible I guess, are there any good museums or anything. The only tourist attraction I'm really aware of in East Anglia is the Longstanton Spice Museum.

[andel]

I did once consider going to Lowestoft for an FA Vase match, but was amazed when I put it into National Rail Enquries and found it was as much as 2hrs 45 out! Though £3.95 sounds like an exceptional deal, is that due to a computer error or something?

Norwich is a possible I guess, are there any good museums or anything. The only tourist attraction I'm really aware of in East Anglia is the Longstanton Spice Museum.

Clacton is 90 mins, £15 ish and is by the sea... what more could you ask for...

[Ameecher]

I did once consider going to Lowestoft for an FA Vase match, but was amazed when I put it into National Rail Enquries and found it was as much as 2hrs 45 out! Though £3.95 sounds like an exceptional deal, is that due to a computer error or something?

Norwich is a possible I guess, are there any good museums or anything. The only tourist attraction I'm really aware of in East Anglia is the Longstanton Spice Museum.

Nope not a computer error, NatEx for a while now have been offering £6, £12 and £18 APs from anywhere north of Ipswich to London but for some reason it works out that 1/3 off £6 is £3.95. Quite often it's cheaper to go 1st class than standard with these tickets but if you don't book far enough in advance the £6 ones go pretty quick.