Connex really was dire. I started my commuting career under the pre-privatisation shadow Southeastern and Network Southcentral businesses and remember the launch of Connex South Central and Connex South Eastern (some weeks apart.) Memories fade but hopefully some of this will be of help.
It all started optimistically. On day two of the Connex South Central franchise - a Monday - passengers were greeted with a snazzy booklet full of ambitious plans left on every seat.
'Staff' were photographed in bright blue and yellow uniforms. (However traditional French kepi hat would later become a source of industrial breakdown with beleaguered staff ridiculed by passengers for wearing them. Eventually a new uniform was introduced I think.)
However at the start the future felt bright. Large, glossy blue and yellow timetable booklets replaced the old BR folded timetables. (Blue and yellow was very much of the time. IKEA was gaining a foothold and TV shows like Changing Rooms were wowing audiences with yellow walls and tired kitchen cupboards given a new lease of life thanks to a lick of French blue paint!)
Stations were to be cleaned and repainted but the bright original idea of white lampposts etc soon got grubby. I think Gypsy Hill or West Norwood were the test stations. I think it was later decided to paint station furniture blue or yellow. There were even bright blue metal fences erected.
Connex brought dot matrix boards to stations which was a revelation, although I think they suffered from early software glitches.
A sole 456 was repainted in Connex South Central (grubby) white and yellow livery. The rest were left in ever decaying NSE livery with huge patches of peeling paint. I remember 455s in the white and yellow livery though.
Slam door stock appeared in 'ghost white' because the yellow stripes wouldn't stick to the exterior. I think some internal refurbishment of some slam door stock was carried out but someone else will know for sure.
The Connex South Eastern franchise launched with similar fanfare. There were minor changes to the launch booklet (again handed out on the first working day of the week): on Connex South Eastern, the 365s, 465s and 466s received vinyls over their fairly new NSE livery, so blue dominated.
Connex South Central had ambitious plans for an intensive turn up and go service called South Central Metro. It even had its own blue and yellow rectangular logo at stations. Unfortunately the service didn't have enough drivers. The sub-brand would evolve into Connex Metro, which spanned both the South Central and South Eastern franchises but was far less ambitious in its frequencies.
Delays and cancellations became a hallmark of both franchises.
The Connex South Eastern and Connex South Central names were dropped as public facing brands with both services simply becoming Connex. A new 'arrow' logo replaced the previous stylised 'C swoosh'. It was normal to see the the poorly peeled remnants of the old logo and names on stock.
The oddest concept must have been the children's playgroup at Victoria (I believe). I think a 319 was even repainted in a special livery. I recall Connex opening (or planning to open) combined supermarkets and ticket offices at some stations.
I remember the newly introduced Brighton Express (later Connex Express) was a positive feature. A selection of 319s were extensively refurbished with new high back seats, interiors and the Connex white and yellow livery. I seem to recall them running as three four-car units. This required three food trollies but I think these were soon reduced to one.
There were also 319s with the Milton Keynes route map plastered on the side in what looked like black-marker. It certainly contrasted with the more stylish looking 319/2s.
To be fair, Connex South Eastern had to deal with the delayed introduction of the 365s and 375s due to acceptance tests and (I believe) power issues on the third rail. The 375s were ordered for Connex South Eastern first, the early artist's impression even shows them in the blue and yellow livery. It ordered the 376s but I don't think it lived to see their introduction.
Without getting into a discussion of the incumbent GoVia franchise, I think day to day management of the South Eastern franchise was at its best when the arms length Southeastern Railway operated it post-Connex.
One legacy of Connex that lives on to this day, I believe, was the removal of the NSE Kent Link route maps from above the doors of the Networkers.
Last time I looked, there was still a large sign for Connex on the railway bridge at Penge high street next to the Bridge House pub. (If looking towards Penge town centre.)
