Great Western Livery

[59CosG95]

any new pictures of trains in their new paint?

166204 is the only unit wearing GWR green at present; howevwr, a few sleeper coaches and loco no. 57605 have received the new livery.

 

[jimm]

I wonder if the Class 165s and Class 166s will be keeping their First Class when they are allocated to the Bristol area, no First Class fares for that route currently exist, so maybe that's why the First Class isn't as present on the exterior?

a. The first class is "present on the exterior" of 166204 already, in the shape of a silver line above the compartment. I seem to recall a previous reference to there being stickers in the windows as well.

b. As I have said already back up the thread, it does not have its full markings, so a big number 1 may well be appearing on the bodysides in the next few weeks ready for the GWR launch day, so perhaps people could now stop going on about this until they actually see the set with the full markings applied...

c. It appears that from September the Class 165s will be running as standard class-only sets. FGW's customer panel was apparently told the news by email today. As a result, the 166s will supposedly be carefully diagrammed in future on services that are to retain first class, so Newburys, Reading-Gatwick and Cotswold Line - except the Cotswold halts train which has to be a two-car 165 due to short platforms - with the 165s concentrated on Thames Valley stoppers, branches and Oxford/Banbury semi-fasts. But given the propensity of 165s to turn up on already supposedly 166-only jobs on the Cotswold Line, I'll believe that when I see it.

New pocket timetable pdfs running from September are now online at the FGW website and the East 2 London-Reading-Oxford-Banbury stopping services one, to take but one example, has precious few figure 1s left at the top of its columns.
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166204 is the only unit wearing GWR green at present; howevwr, a few sleeper coaches and loco no. 57605 have received the new livery.

And that full rake of HST trailers
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any new pictures of trains in their new paint?

Go to various pages back up this thread and you will find links scattered about to some photos and videos.

 

[59CosG95]

And that full rake of HST trailers

Indeed-though neither head nor tail has been seen of LA15 since it went back to Plymouth. LA62 still at Kilmarnock if I recall.

 

[cactustwirly]

c. It appears that from September the Class 165s will be running as standard class-only sets. FGW's customer panel was apparently told the news by email today. As a result, the 166s will supposedly be carefully diagrammed in future on services that are to retain first class, so Newburys, Reading-Gatwick and Cotswold Line - except the Cotswold halts train which has to be a two-car 165 due to short platforms - with the 165s concentrated on Thames Valley stoppers, branches and Oxford/Banbury semi-fasts. But given the propensity of 165s to turn up on already supposedly 166-only jobs on the Cotswold Line, I'll believe that when I see it.

Whats the point? They have been 1st services already. Converting these to standard only is more hassle than its worth.

 

[ARoo21]

Indeed-though neither head nor tail has been seen of LA15 since it went back to Plymouth. LA62 still at Kilmarnock if I recall.

Probably waiting for it's press release come 1st September ?

57 603 is at Derby, awaiting repaint to GWR Green.

 

[superalbs]

Probably waiting for it's press release come 1st September ?

57 603 is at Derby, awaiting repaint to GWR Green.

GWR's launch is 20th of September.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whats the point? They have been 1st services already. Converting these to standard only is more hassle than its worth.

Is it? The trains are heavily overcrowded and First Class is barely enforced if at all. Perhaps it's just a refreshing piece of honesty.

TBH having first class on a Reading stopper is not all that different to having it on the Metropolitan Line. (Though DB S-Bahn services had it until 2000 ish!)

 

[ARoo21]

GWR's launch is 20th of September.

Thanks. Expect they will reveal a HST set then on this day?

 

[cactustwirly]

Is it? The trains are heavily overcrowded and First Class is barely enforced if at all. Perhaps it's just a refreshing piece of honesty.

TBH having first class on a Reading stopper is not all that different to having it on the Metropolitan Line. (Though DB S-Bahn services had it until 2000 ish!)

I know but there aren't enough 165s to cover it entirely, so like now it is covered with both 165s & 166s its about a 60/40 split.

Also a declassified 165 will eventually make its way onto a Bedwyn/North Downs line service, what do you do to the first class passengers?

I know its overcrowded, but declassification will only free up a small amount of seats.

we've only got to wait 2 years until they are replaced by 365s & 387s

 

[Deepgreen]

I know but there aren't enough 165s to cover it entirely, so like now it is covered with both 165s & 166s its about a 60/40 split.

Also a declassified 165 will eventually make its way onto a Bedwyn/North Downs line service, what do you do to the first class passengers?

I know its overcrowded, but declassification will only free up a small amount of seats.

we've only got to wait 2 years until they are replaced by 365s & 387s

First isn't enforced on the NDL either, and FGW's labelling consistency is almost as bad as Southern's on the 377/6s and 377/7s.

Will a small fleet of 166s remain at Reading for the NDL in 2018, or will a different stock be used - if so, any clues?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I know but there aren't enough 165s to cover it entirely, so like now it is covered with both 165s & 166s its about a 60/40 split.

Also a declassified 165 will eventually make its way onto a Bedwyn/North Downs line service, what do you do to the first class passengers?

If First Class is advertised but not provided, you refund the fare difference, don't you? I assume there is a formula for doing that for season tickets.

I know its overcrowded, but declassification will only free up a small amount of seats.

It's not so much seats as standing space on Thames Valley commuter services - removing First Class will probably allow another 20-30 to board who would otherwise be standing on the platform.

 

[jimm]

Will a small fleet of 166s remain at Reading for the NDL in 2018, or will a different stock be used - if so, any clues?

Something like nine 166s and nine two-car 165s will remain at Reading depot to work the Gatwick service, the Marlow branch, and on Oxford-Banbury and Newbury-Bedwyn shuttles and the odd job on the Cotswold Line between Oxford and Worcester.

There was discussion about the future rolling stock allocations in course of this lengthy thread about the next FGW franchise.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=113684&highlight=165+bristol

 

[Goldfish62]

Is it? The trains are heavily overcrowded and First Class is barely enforced if at all. Perhaps it's just a refreshing piece of honesty.

TBH having first class on a Reading stopper is not all that different to having it on the Metropolitan Line. (Though DB S-Bahn services had it until 2000 ish!)

Hannover S-Bahn still has 1st Class!
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I know but there aren't enough 165s to cover it entirely, so like now it is covered with both 165s & 166s its about a 60/40 split.

Also a declassified 165 will eventually make its way onto a Bedwyn/North Downs line service, what do you do to the first class passengers?

I know its overcrowded, but declassification will only free up a small amount of seats.

we've only got to wait 2 years until they are replaced by 365s & 387s

SWT regularly put 455s on the Reading line, which is advertised with 1st Class. Sometimes it gets an advance mention, usually it doesn't. Rarely do guards apologise for it and only once have I heard a guard mention about vouchers for 1st Class ticket holders.

 

[superalbs]

Is 166205 back in green yet?

 

[43025 Exeter]

Is 166205 back in green yet?

166205 is in GWR green and returns on the 5V65 09:23 Wolverton - Reading tomorrow according to RTT.

 

[Lewis]

A Class 166 in the new green livery has been passing Appleford Level Crossing this week. First noticed it on Wednesday, at first I thought it was black.

 

[ARoo21]

A Class 166 in the new green livery has been passing Appleford Level Crossing this week. First noticed it on Wednesday, at first I thought it was black.

166 204.


166 205 also now in GWR livery, was sat on Reading TrainCare Depot yesterday.

 

[cactustwirly]

I think that 165s will be cascaded first, as they haven't received any repaints/DDA mods. Also in September they will exclusively work Thames Valley local services, which will be the first to be replaced by electric trains.

 

[superalbs]

The first HST set is having new upholstery added to the seats, with the First thing in the back of the seats also being removed. No info on a power car to suit the set.

 

[JN114]

The first HST set is having new upholstery added to the seats, with the First thing in the back of the seats also being removed. No info on a power car to suit the set.

Didn't you know? They're replacing the London end powercar with a retractioned 442 and the country end powercar with a 67...

In all seriousness, if my sources are to be believed 187 & 188 should be undergoing paint treatment shortly.

 

[irish_rail]

Saw one of the green mk3 HST coaches in Lipson sidings (Laira depot) this morning with white stripe and white GWR branding. Looked pretty smart actually! Looked far better (even in poor light) than the plain green unbranded ones.
Sorry no pics because I was driving!

 

[BestWestern]

How wonderfully this pointless new brand will be portrayed once the green sets have been split and redistributed across the rest of the fleet...

 

[59CosG95]

How wonderfully this pointless new brand will be portrayed once the green sets have been split and redistributed across the rest of the fleet...

I hope FGW will have learned their lesson sooner or later...

 

[laseandre]

I hope FGW will have learned their lesson sooner or later...

That lesson being "ooh, we've painted one set of carriages better make sure they always stay together!"?

Rolling stock maintenance doesn't work that way - the individual carriages will need different attention and the rakes are reformed quite often - just because they've painted one it won't necessarily stay together just because it looks pretty...:roll:

 

[Bletchleyite]

How wonderfully this pointless new brand will be portrayed once the green sets have been split and redistributed across the rest of the fleet...

Will look just like the Caledonian Sleeper which presently has one green antlered coach in an otherwise blue formation.

 

[CosherB]

How wonderfully this pointless new brand will be portrayed once the green sets have been split and redistributed across the rest of the fleet...

We'd better get universal BR blue and grey back then!

 

[KT530]

One thing I did notice on 166204 was the matt green section shows up the diesel flecks/splashes much more than the gloss paintwork

 

[Peter Mugridge]

That lesson being "ooh, we've painted one set of carriages better make sure they always stay together!"?

Rolling stock maintenance doesn't work that way - the individual carriages will need different attention and the rakes are reformed quite often - just because they've painted one it won't necessarily stay together just because it looks pretty...:roll:

They did manage it once before in the early 1980s for about a year when one HST set on the then Western Region received "executive livery" which later became adopted as InterCity livery.

However, that they kept it together was at the cost of the very factors you mention in your second paragraph thus completely validating what you say; it had to be given a dedicated diagram which sort of restricted it to specific trains between Paddington and Temple Meads and the rake had a much lower utilisation than the rest of the fleet.

It probably didn't help matters that the power cars had to be kept with the trailers as much as possible either! I am not sure if they had just two power cars in the livery or if they had a third as a floating spare; if they did that won't have helped things for the rest of the fleet...

I hazard a guess that the fleet management breathed a huge sign of relief when the livery was adopted as a standard.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

They did manage it once before in the early 1980s for about a year when one HST set on the then Western Region received "executive livery" which later became adopted as InterCity livery.

However, that they kept it together was at the cost of the very factors you mention in your second paragraph thus completely validating what you say; it had to be given a dedicated diagram which sort of restricted it to specific trains between Paddington and Temple Meads and the rake had a much lower utilisation than the rest of the fleet.

It probably didn't help matters that the power cars had to be kept with the trailers as much as possible either! I am not sure if they had just two power cars in the livery or if they had a third as a floating spare; if they did that won't have helped things for the rest of the fleet...

I hazard a guess that the fleet management breathed a huge sign of relief when the livery was adopted as a standard.

Though at that time, weren't HST sets treated as DEMU units, being grouped as class 253/254?

 

[sprinterguy]

Though at that time, weren't HST sets treated as DEMU units, being grouped as class 253/254?

Even in BR blue & grey days the power cars were swapped between sets, giving rise to hastily amended set numberings, and photographic evidence suggests that even on the blue and grey livery the HST sets were beginning to lose their nose end set numbers from 1983 onwards.

The set numbers were revived on earlier repaints of the Executive livery, which includes the inaugural repainted sets on the Western region. To answer Peter's question, two complete sets and one spare power car were reliveried in September 1983 for the launch of Intercity Executive; 253028 (power cars 43125 and 126) was the very first, followed closely by 43129/130 and 43151 was the spare.