I wonder if this is Japan having some input rather than First...
Japan???
I wonder if this is Japan having some input rather than First...
MTR Corporation is ChineseJapan???
Nearly: Hong KongMTR Corporation is Chinese
Yes, I agree with all that. Stagecoach had a very poor reputation at the time so it was a smart move.'The early days' being twenty years ago, of course. The SWT brand was smart, consistent and instantly recognisable for well over a decade, just as a strong brand should be. The early SWT livery was actually quite clever, I thought. A subtle but noticeable evolution of the existing NSE scheme, which introduced the Stagecoach brand whilst keeping the whole fleet reasonably well matched through the transition. Having done that, the way was then paved for further evolution of the brand into the eventual livery. The biggest alteration was the changing of the logo, but of course legend has it that was down to advice to get shot of the Stagecoach tagline.
Yes, I agree with all that. Stagecoach had a very poor reputation at the time so it was a smart move.
Nevertheless the brand is coming up for 20 years old and even if franchising didn't exist I would expect some sort of update by now. The SWT brand is /was strong and consistent, but starting to look dated and too brash.
After all, BR blue starting being replaced in ernest after about 20 years.
Class 483:
483001 - LT Red scrap
483002 - LT Red stored has Raptor where number would be
483003 - LT Red scrap
483004 - LT Red running
483005 - LT Red scrap
483006 - LT Red running
483007 - LT Red running
483008 - LT Red running
Future of these units is uncertain, but will most likely remain in LT Red.
Dates of when they where scrapped on Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_483#Fleet_details
Thanks, these details have been added to the list.According to Wiki
Wow. That is a beautiful livery. I personally quite like the SWR one, but that blows it out of the water.A friend of a friend of a friend has said this is what Stagecoach had proposed had they won the franchise.
A friend of a friend of a friend has said this is what Stagecoach had proposed had they won the franchise.
Could the red door symbolize first class or something? I didn't really like the blue livery either but it is a good evolution to me. Applied to the red one it would be brilliant.Hmm. I was a big fan of the existing SWT scheme, but I'm not certain that would have represented a particularly notable evolution of it if I'm honest.Yellow doors don't do it for me, and a red border around some but not others would certainly have looked odd. The 'outer suburban blue' was my least favourite of the three colours, and seemed the most prone to fade and look a tad scruffy.
Could the red door symbolize first class or something? I didn't really like the blue livery either but it is a good evolution to me. Applied to the red one it would be brilliant.
A friend of a friend of a friend has said this is what Stagecoach had proposed had they won the franchise.
I certainly wasn't suggesting that DfT "battleship grey" had any merit whatsoever!Branding is a matter of personal taste of course, and I'm sure had Stagecoach remained they may very well at some point have evolved the SWT brand further. I don't know about brash, I would certainly rather a livery with some life and artistic merit than the recent 'DfT grey' awfulness.
Again, whether the shiny grey vinyl of SWR is some sort of an improvement over SWT is of course highly subjective!
I agree. Often the simple liveries are the best. Like Network SouthEast.I certainly wasn't suggesting that DfT "battleship grey" had any merit whatsoever!
SWR livery looks overly complex to me. I don't like vinyl liveries and this one is so complex it has to be vinyl.
I certainly wasn't suggesting that DfT "battleship grey" had any merit whatsoever!
SWR livery looks overly complex to me. I don't like vinyl liveries and this one is so complex it has to be vinyl.
A friend of a friend of a friend has said this is what Stagecoach had proposed had they won the franchise.