Govia get Thameslink Franchise

[jon0844]

It writes what it thinks its readers want to read.

 

[infobleep]

Your right. It does. I guess despite actually liking the Evening Standard as a whole, I mustn't be a typical reader.

 

[fusionblue]

I laughed when i read it not because i'm not a typical reader to agree with what they're saying but they didn't mention the loop or the sevenoaks line where "people take a slower service to get a seat" doesn't apply - and standing room only is a matter of course by the time it reaches Tulse Hill (maybe?) or Bromley.

 

[Abpj17]

I laughed when i read it not because i'm not a typical reader to agree with what they're saying but they didn't mention the loop or the sevenoaks line where "people take a slower service to get a seat" doesn't apply - and standing room only is a matter of course by the time it reaches Tulse Hill (maybe?) or Bromley.

And of course on the TL line, the calling patterns don't overlap much so the slow services for stations north of luton would involve changing between St Albans and Luton (with an invariable 15 mins gap just to really extend that commuting time )

 

[387star]

Are Thameslink not bothering to brand any trains in till the new trains come on board?

 

[Class377/5]

Are Thameslink not bothering to brand any trains in till the new trains come on board?

The new trains are getting the grey/white with blue doors as GTR have confirmed this.

Basic reasoning is as its a management contract not a franchise, Govia would have to pay for the rebranding out of its 3% profit margin and its worked out its not worth it financially for them so they aren't bothering.

 

[infobleep]

The new trains are getting the grey/white with blue doors as GTR have confirmed this.

Basic reasoning is as its a management contract not a franchise, Govia would have to pay for the rebranding out of its 3% profit margin and its worked out its not worth it financially for them so they aren't bothering.

So in the past did governments waste money on paying for rebranding of trains when they could have done what Govia are doing now? May be there wasn't standard colours back then to fall back on to.

 

[Class377/5]

So in the past did governments waste money on paying for rebranding of trains when they could have done what Govia are doing now? May be there wasn't standard colours back then to fall back on to.

No. The TSGN is different as its not a franchise at all. Everything has to be signed off by the DfT. The DfT won't sign off spending money letting Govia promote its image and it seems Govia has worked out its not worth the cost either.

Only time a Government has spent money on a livery is ScotRail, arguably the best way to do livery.

 

[Abpj17]

And to be fair, while the performance of the service remains low, there isn't much positive PR to come from branding the trains...

 

[The Box Photter]

So what are Govia doing to earn their 3% commission?

Are we destined to ride around in a hotch-potch of trains that will get progressively scruffier in purple, green, grey, patched up liveries until the great day when the 700s arrive?

Seems like they're a bit embarrassed to be associated with the whole dung-pile.

 

[jon0844]

Might as well do that.

Given the 700s are coming, plus a new fleet to replace the 313s, and the 317 and 321s are going, as well as a load of 365s.. and the 387s are coming soon - why do anything at all? Some of these things are a few years away, sure, but there's no NEED to change anything unless the trains need any repair work.

I wouldn't say they're embarrassed as signs and posters are up everywhere. Even the temporary uniforms are very clear. The software has been updated on the 317s (now FAR more functional than they ever were, giving details of train splits and even warning when reaching the last station that will accept Oyster PAYG etc) and many other more subtle changes.

 

[physics34]

Yep it's not financially viable to repaint trains for the sake of it.

This is understandable to be honest. Just look t the mayhem of liveries on greater Anglia.

Whoever receives these grey 319s when displaced, will they be forced to not repaint them??

 

[ModernRailways]

Yep it's not financially viable to repaint trains for the sake of it.

This is understandable to be honest. Just look t the mayhem of liveries on greater Anglia.

Whoever receives these grey 319s when displaced, will they be forced to not repaint them??

AGA are starting to paint all theirs now though. Plus, there franchise was only supposed to be for a short time because Nat Ex bailed out.

They won't be forced to repaint them, but they will. Especially as they will be given a refresh, if not a refurbishment when they move on properly.

 

[swt_passenger]

It writes what it thinks its readers want to read.

The 'Sub-standard' has been pushing its stupid 'seat for every passenger' agenda for years. They just don't get the fact that even with an infinite number of trains, each with infinite capacity, the typical London inner suburban commuter would just assume that everyone else should move to a different service to get a seat, but not himself...

I wonder why they never run a similar article demanding seats for everyone on the tube?

 

[jon0844]

I guess they acknowledge that the tube (or a London bus) could never offer seats for all. But somewhere their brains haven't clicked that trains coming into London at peak times are for all intents and purposes just like tube trains.

Covering longer distances, but possibly with a similar amount of stops and a similar service frequency. One difference being that there are possibly different routes, so even if your next train isn't for 10 or 15 minutes in that peak time, it doesn't mean there's room to fit another train in.

You'd think it wasn't that hard to work out, so I have to assume they HAVE worked it out and are fully aware - but know that such a stupid campaign will make people like the ES for 'speaking out for them' and thus keep picking up the paper, which keeps advertisers happy.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Friday must have been a quiet news day for the Standard....

Do not think that external livery is of great significance for the commuter - provided it is clean and not covered in graffiti - "service" is what counts. think of the 313's in WAGN days in battleship grey livery !

 

[Skimble19]

Must admit I find it a bit odd that no logos have been added to the refreshed 365s... The ones in FCC livery I can understand (there would be no point!) but why not the refreshed ones? Surely it wouldn't cost *that* much that they're not going to bother putting logos on until 2021?!

 

[jon0844]

I am surprised too. They must be coming soon.

 

[physics34]

377212 FCC liveried unit now has the Thameslink logos affixed

 

[Class377/5]

377212 FCC liveried unit now has the Thameslink logos affixed

That mean Southern is branding units Thameslink not GTR.

 

[physics34]

That mean Southern is branding units Thameslink not GTR.

Yeh was at Selhurst. Will check later to see if the other 2 speech bubble units have them too.

 

[Skimble19]

Why would Southern brand GTR units with Thameslink logos?

 

[Muzer]

Why would Southern brand GTR units with Thameslink logos?

Because GTR are using Thameslink as a brand...?

 

[Class377/5]

Why would Southern brand GTR units with Thameslink logos?

Don't know but seems Govia are doing things this way.

 

[physics34]

Don't know but seems Govia are doing things this way.

Here it is.... and it is all three of the 377/2s originally with FCC

 

[Skimble19]

Actually fits the FCC livery quite well... Thanks for the photos

Because GTR are using Thameslink as a brand...?

Funnily enough I have noticed that (although the Train Manager on the Southeastern High Speed service I was on the other day hadnt, despite having seen my GTR staff pass! )

The question i was asking was why Southern were doing the work rather than GTR, not why they were using Thameslink logos..

 

[Class377]

Am I alone in thinking the logo is a little small? I know it can't be expanded much because it would go onto the windows (not that that's stopped them with the speech bubbles) but it feels like an afterthought rather than a proper branding.

 

[FlippyFF]

Actually fits the FCC livery quite well... Thanks for the photos


Funnily enough I have noticed that (although the Train Manager on the Southeastern High Speed service I was on the other day hadnt, despite having seen my GTR staff pass! )

The question i was asking was why Southern were doing the work rather than GTR, not why they were using Thameslink logos..

Don't these three units 'belong' to Southern and are maintained at Selhurst?

 

[jon0844]

Govia isn't putting its own name or logo anywhere and it seems any mention of GTR is only on things like addresses or the small print of posters.

 

[Class377/5]

Don't these three units 'belong' to Southern and are maintained at Selhurst?

Yes but they've also put the only ones on a 319 I believe.

Govia isn't putting its own name or logo anywhere and it seems any mention of GTR is only on things like addresses or the small print of posters.

GTR is the company name not the branding. For example Southern is only a brand name of New Southern Railway company. Same applies to GTR.