I’d like to hear what you think is a better 125 mph diesel train on the British network. There isn’t one. The build quality of the hitachi is awful and even feels unsafe to me on the GWR route. Voyagers are solid performers with a relatively comfortable passenger experience (overcrowding is not the fault of the train but those who under specced and underspent)
We agree on the colour scheme though, that bright pink just shouldn’t be on the side of any vehicle! We know this already, otherwise the roads would be full of garish pink cars. Let’s assume that the drivers of the UK buy cars that they either like or are comfortable with its exterior colour. They are predominantly blacks, grays, silver, whites and blues, with the odd splash of bright colours thrown in. Maybe we use that as a starting point, something fairly neutral with a splash of bright colour on the doors and front end etc, and a brightly coloured logo. That seems to be what they’ve done with the middle vehicles and it seems pretty professional looking to me, in complete contrast with the nonsense on the front and back end!
As for the gray interior, it’s actually quite nice. Maybe a thin colour thread running through it would help lift it a bit but I’m no interior designer! Still, a huge improvement on the mismatching colour scheme they have at the moment. Some of the brighter schemes on other trains are just hideous, yes, looking at you Stagecoach with your sky blue walls and bright red seats. Anyway, non bright colours are definitely more relaxing.
Also can’t disagree about the extortionate fares sadly!
