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West Coast Partnership: Awarded to First Trenitalia

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HowardGWR

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Extraordinary that we have people corresponding here (presumably railway supporters) who are unaware of the TUPE process and have no idea that, in this case, all the staff including up to managerial level, were transferred. The marketing impact of the old TOC is a wonder to behold.
 
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swt_passenger

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Extraordinary that we have people corresponding here (presumably railway supporters) who are unaware of the TUPE process and have no idea that, in this case, all the staff including up to managerial level, were transferred. The marketing impact of the old TOC is a wonder to behold.
Over the years I’ve seen people explain that the TU in TUPE stands for trade union; I suspect a few people still believe it’s just for the “workers”...
 

theironroad

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I, unfortunately, had my last two trips on Virgin last Monday. MAN - EUS and return. Up on the 07.01, superb staff nice breakfast and a 119 minute journey. Down on the 19.20 where two lovely ladies served about 100 1st class passengers with 2 drinks runs, a food run and a tea/coffee with a smile and a laugh and a joke. TMs on both trips friendly, happy and engaging.

I for one will miss them and am, I am sorry to say, fearful that the great service we have enjoyed for 20 years will not be maintained, and I like the advertising as well. So if you don't like them get a bus.

BTW> I'm 63, so hardley a hipster.

Do you think all the Virgin staff have been fired with the franchise?

It's not a new franchise with new staff with 0% experience, the same drivers will be driving and same on board staff doing their thing.
 

KC1

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Rickety old trains? Where did you pull that one from?

Had you read my earlier message, there are plenty of old, tired worn out stock that creeks it’s way from one station to another, ie, Great Anglia to Norwich, the onboard ambience is terrible, yes I know they are replacing their trains but I’m talking about the bland corporate image but if the choice was that over Virgin would win every time. No prizes for guessing which you would prefer.
 

Mathew S

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Extraordinary that we have people corresponding here (presumably railway supporters) who are unaware of the TUPE process and have no idea that, in this case, all the staff including up to managerial level, were transferred. The marketing impact of the old TOC is a wonder to behold.
Certainly for me, whilst I completely understand that everyone gets TUPEd to the new operator, there is still a concern that things will change. A new brand can bring a change of emphasis, new rules, etc. What I, and I think others, are saying is that we hope that the new franchise doesn't get in the way of the staff, the service, and the sense of fun that have been so outstanding for so long.
 

GrimShady

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Enthusiasts want to travel by train. Normal folk generally don’t. So eye catching advertising that makes train travel look fun and something positive catches their attention.

Certain people i.e. the leisure market as you'll already be using the train if you need to get to work. No one is going to ditch the car because of talking toilets.

You dont seem to understand that these days most TOCs aim for an airline experience on their trains? Their is a reason why we have ended up with poor seats with less comfort?

Actually I'm painfully aware of that fact.....painfully.

I think virgin deserve credit for a unique approach to advertising unlike other TOCs which comes off as more cringey

i hope Avanti use the same unique style of advertising and not bland modern rubbish i have seen elsewhere

Oh it's certainly unique, which other TOCs would you be speaking of out of interest when it comes to cringey, I can't think of anyone as bad?
 

GrimShady

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Had you read my earlier message, there are plenty of old, tired worn out stock that creeks it’s way from one station to another, ie, Great Anglia to Norwich, the onboard ambience is terrible, yes I know they are replacing their trains but I’m talking about the bland corporate image but if the choice was that over Virgin would win every time. No prizes for guessing which you would prefer.

I did read your previous post.....again what has any of that got to do with Virgins advertising and how does that have any relevance as to which stock I like?

You're projecting.
 

GrimShady

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I, unfortunately, had my last two trips on Virgin last Monday. MAN - EUS and return. Up on the 07.01, superb staff nice breakfast and a 119 minute journey. Down on the 19.20 where two lovely ladies served about 100 1st class passengers with 2 drinks runs, a food run and a tea/coffee with a smile and a laugh and a joke. TMs on both trips friendly, happy and engaging.

I for one will miss them and am, I am sorry to say, fearful that the great service we have enjoyed for 20 years will not be maintained, and I like the advertising as well. So if you don't like them get a bus.

BTW> I'm 63, so hardley a hipster.

Which has nothing to do with their advertising which is what I'm talking about, that's simply good onboard service which you'll find on most IC TOCs. I don't like them so I choose a superior TOC which is the ECML operator, the was until Virgin ruined them too, now thankfully history.

63 year olds can be Hipsters too....Johnny Rotten's still a punk isn't he? 8-)
 
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RealTrains07

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Certain people i.e. the leisure market as you'll already be using the train if you need to get to work. No one is going to ditch the car because of talking toilets.



Actually I'm painfully aware of that fact.....painfully.



Oh it's certainly unique, which other TOCs would you be speaking of out of interest when it comes to cringey, I can't think of anyone as bad?
Cringey is the wrong word, maybe just bland
 

KC1

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I did read your previous post.....again what has any of that got to do with Virgins advertising and how does that have any relevance as to which stock I like?

You're projecting.

Fair enough, you don’t like the advertising, maybe we should head back to dark old, bland days of British Rail, just go on YouTube to see how bad they really were. Nostalgia great but I certainly wouldn’t look forward to travelling on one. Thank god we are starting to move on, maybe you should too.
 

pt_mad

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Out of interest who would actually run a potential VT open access operation given most of the franchised VT staff are going over to Avanti? Surely the people who created the personality would no longer be working for them (VT) but Avanti?

With that VT info someone posted earlier where they said something exciting was coming next year, who at VT will still be there to stay around for that?
 

Mathew S

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Out of interest who would actually run a potential VT open access operation given most of the franchised VT staff are going over to Avanti? Surely the people who created the personality would no longer be working for them (VT) but Avanti?

With that VT info someone posted earlier where they said something exciting was coming next year, who at VT will still be there to stay around for that?
Plenty of Virgin staff not exactly delighted about the franchise changing hands (lots of perks for working at a Virgin company). I'm sure, especially if Virgin offered enough money, they could find the staff to run an OA operation.
 

GrimShady

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Fair enough, you don’t like the advertising, maybe we should head back to dark old, bland days of British Rail, just go on YouTube to see how bad they really were. Nostalgia great but I certainly wouldn’t look forward to travelling on one. Thank god we are starting to move on, maybe you should too.

I haven't mentioned BR once and yes I was around then. Would I take InterCity over Virgin...damn straight. So I suggest you pop on to YouTube and see how classey advertising was done by BR. I can recommend some very good ones if you wish Vs "wow check out the new Azuma....it's like a train and a Lazer had a baby". Have a look at the Class 91 launch video or the Vangelis one, many others to choose from.

Virgin doesn't have a mark on IC catering. Did you ever try the Pullman service? GNER had it right, Virgin was a joke in comparison.

Nostalgia has nothing to do with quality. If you like a TOC that resembles/imitates the cast of Hi-de-Hi! then you really need a lesson on it.
 
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Hazlehead

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I haven't mentioned BR once and yes I was around then. Would I take InterCity over Virgin...damn straight. So I suggest you pop on to YouTube and see how classey advertising was done by BR. I can recommend some very good ones if you wish Vs "wow check out the new Azuma....it's like a train and a Lazer had a baby". Have a look at the Class 91 launch video or the Vangelis one, many others to choose from.

Virgin doesn't have a mark on IC catering. Did you ever try the Pullman service? GNER had it right, Virgin was a joke in comparison.

Nostalgia has nothing to do with quality. If you like a TOC that resembles and imitates the cast of Hi Di High then you really need a lesson on it.
First Class Catering has changed over the years but so have tickets, journey times & people's habits when travelling. You're back in Birmingham in 1 HR 25 mins, Manchester in a little over 2 hours, Laptops / Mobile phones are in abundance & many business travellers prefer to work than eat added to that heavily discounted tickets are now the norm in First Class not the old First Anytime/Business Tickets where you still had to pay for the food on top. If you want the old Pullman dining are you prepared to pay the higher price and for the food as well?
 

GrimShady

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First Class Catering has changed over the years but so have tickets, journey times & people's habits when travelling. You're back in Birmingham in 1 HR 25 mins, Manchester in a little over 2 hours, Laptops / Mobile phones are in abundance & many business travellers prefer to work than eat added to that heavily discounted tickets are now the norm in First Class not the old First Anytime/Business Tickets where you still had to pay for the food on top. If you want the old Pullman dining are you prepared to pay the higher price and for the food as well?

This started as me having my say of the companies childish, wacky advertising which I and many others hated. It exploded into a huge response by Virgin fanboys desperately trying to justify their position bring in all aspects of the operation which I was not the subject of my post including smiling stewards or virgins idea of a tasteful train interior (which is a joke itself) but anyway moving on.

I answer to your question, yes I am prepared to pay the higher charges for a quality service and there's many other like me too. You'll find many posts about the portion sizes on LNER for example and the reducing range of foods available.

Its 2019....standards should be going up...not reducing under the guise of 'modernising'
 

Hazlehead

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This started as me having my say of the companies childish, wacky advertising which I and many others hated. It exploded into a huge response by Virgin fanboys desperately trying to justify their position bring in all aspects of the operation which I was not the subject of my post including smiling stewards or virgins idea of a tasteful train interior (which is a joke itself) but anyway moving on.

I answer to your question, yes I am prepared to pay the higher charges for a quality service and there's many other like me too. You'll find many posts about the portion sizes on LNER for example and the reducing range of foods available.

Its 2019....standards should be going up...not reducing under the guise of 'modernising'
I strongly agree that standards should be being raised but sadly the truth is many passengers , and I'll add not all, aren't prepared to pay higher prices , yet they still expect to get a 5 star food offer. It just doesn't work like this in any other business, First Class is trying to be everything to everyone and it's hasn't worked for a long time
 

GrimShady

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I strongly agree that standards should be being raised but sadly the truth is many passengers , and I'll add not all, aren't prepared to pay higher prices , yet they still expect to get a 5 star food offer. It just doesn't work like this in any other business, First Class is trying to be everything to everyone and it's hasn't worked for a long time

There seems to be an almost silent attack on FC these days. Hitachis 800s are a prime example of this, bad seats, bad lighting etc. One of the issues with FC particualry at the weekends is the very poor selection of anything really. Surely this is when they want to attract the leisure traveler and provide for them, cost plus obviously.

Aslo trains are becoming much more like short distance commuter vehicles so while a downgraded FC might be okay for London-Birmingham, try the same fit out for London - Inverness/Aberdeen, I really feel sorry for those that will have to endure an 800 on such a journey.
 

Agent_Squash

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This started as me having my say of the companies childish, wacky advertising which I and many others hated. It exploded into a huge response by Virgin fanboys desperately trying to justify their position bring in all aspects of the operation which I was not the subject of my post including smiling stewards or virgins idea of a tasteful train interior (which is a joke itself) but anyway moving on.

I answer to your question, yes I am prepared to pay the higher charges for a quality service and there's many other like me too. You'll find many posts about the portion sizes on LNER for example and the reducing range of foods available.

Its 2019....standards should be going up...not reducing under the guise of 'modernising'

I don’t seem to recall the VTWC offer receiving any significant downgrade of late.

While you may dislike the ‘childish, wacky’ advertising, there is no doubt to say it has worked. London-Glasgow passengers tripled. Growth continuing to exceed expectations - not exactly an image that continues on the rest of the railway. Virgin hasn’t been perfect; but you can not argue it hasn’t been one of the better TOCs (you don’t attract brand loyalty like they have by being thoroughly mediocre).

A whole generation has grown up with Virgin being the only operator on ICWC - and during that time, they have been by in large competent and made travel an experience. That’s what train travel needs to be on IC railways to destroy the air market; a better experience, rather than just A-B.
 

nlogax

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Define your standard, and define going up...

Indeed, curious as to what this definition of 'standard' is. Thick padded seats, 'classic colours' and reassuring smatterings of long sentences in serifed typefaces in ads may have been de rigueur in the late 80s or early 90s. Unless some here haven't noticed, in three and a bit weeks it'll be 2020. Times, markets, attention spans and tastes have all changed. Deal with it, move on.
 

RealTrains07

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At least the shop will be staying on board :lol:

Their will not be a launch event on the 9th but their may be a avanti branded train in Edinburgh?
 

irish_rail

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I don’t seem to recall the VTWC offer receiving any significant downgrade of late.

While you may dislike the ‘childish, wacky’ advertising, there is no doubt to say it has worked. London-Glasgow passengers tripled. Growth continuing to exceed expectations - not exactly an image that continues on the rest of the railway. Virgin hasn’t been perfect; but you can not argue it hasn’t been one of the better TOCs (you don’t attract brand loyalty like they have by being thoroughly mediocre).

A whole generation has grown up with Virgin being the only operator on ICWC - and during that time, they have been by in large competent and made travel an experience. That’s what train travel needs to be on IC railways to destroy the air market; a better experience, rather than just A-B.
I'm pretty sure the service has tripled despite , not because of the wacky advertising.
Reduced journey times, increased frequency and environmental factors far more likely to be the reason for tripling passengers numbers, not irritating adverts.
 

Meerkat

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If it really didn’t work do you really think the style would have carried on all this time?
It’s a breath of fresh air and put train travel in a new light, as something you might choose to do.
 

TRAX

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The year is 2153. The West Coast Main Line has been replaced by a hyperloop line operated by a Chinese consortium (which also happens to own the United Kingdom since 2102). RailUK Forums is still debating whereas the bubbly Virgin Trains brand identity of the 21st Century was a good thing or not.
 

ainsworth74

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The year is 2153. The West Coast Main Line has been replaced by a hyperloop line operated by a Chinese consortium (which also happens to own the United Kingdom since 2102). RailUK Forums is still debating whereas the bubbly Virgin Trains brand identity of the 21st Century was a good thing or not.

Did they sort Brexit yet? :lol:
 

CeeJ

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No not yet, they’re planning a solution for the second half of 2154.

Once war is declared on Eurasia, our membership will be revoked. I mean...we have always been at war with Eurasia.
 
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