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LNER Livery

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59CosG95

59CosG95

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modernrail said:
I don't mind it, but it won't suit any of the main stations it calls in with the possible exception of Leeds. That is a shame as stations are where they will be seen most. The Virgin livery was as bad. GNER looked really good, East Coast branding was pretty dreadful but always intended to be temporary.

As this is meant to become the permanent brand of the most iconic line in the country I would like to see something a bit better. Even running some green through the stripy bits might help to mirror the brilliant countryside it is running through.

I don't understand why Hitachi don't have a better solution for the blanked out windows, it really does look amateur - I am sure I have missed a post with the reasons somewhere. They let the aesthetics down badly.
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The reasons why the windows are blanked out at the ends is due to the kitchen/galley being situated there: while I don't know if the blanking-out lets some light in (or no light at all), it's probably not a safe idea to dazzle chefs in an environment where hot liquids, heavy pots/pans and sharp tools are in very close proximity.
I agree, GNER did look rather smart, but I am (surprisingly, I might add) quite a fan of the LNER livery - it's very reminiscent of the ICE units in Germany. Indeed, most countries in Europe have a white livery with minimalistic additions for their high-speed fleet: SNCF's Carmillon livery, DB Fernverkehr's red/white, Trenitalia's Frecciabianca livery, RENFE's AVE livery etc.

Going to the Japanese roots of the Azumas though, it seems like (if LNER had cash to spend on rebranding, which I know they almost certainly don't) white and a blue stripe (as per the Shinkansen) would have been a huge missed trick, and certainly more evocative of the original "garter blue" which everyone seems to suddenly want back in vogue. But, as such, LNER (being run by the most tight-fisted gov't in my admittedly short living memory) want to save money on rebranding, so are keeping the VTEC-style red - which was also voted to stay by staff.
Joe Public's not gonna care much about what his train looks like from the outside as he races across the Vale of York at 125mph. Joe Public wants to have a seat on his journey.
 
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modernrail

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I can see why they are blanked out, but is there not a better solution bearing in mind the whole Azuma fleet needs those windows blacking out? I am surprised that it is not possible to alter the bodyshell production line so it doesn't cut those windows in the first place but I am absolutely not an expert on such things and I am sure there are good reasons why not.

Whilst I agree joe public wants a seat, some joe public also obsess about the looks of the car they will buy. A bit of style shouldn't hurt. That said, I don't hate this livery I just think it is missing something, maybe to reflect the route - but that is not necessarily important and can be done in others ways.

I think the interior of the TPE equivalents looks a hundred times better. Whoever thinks they are good at interior design at the DfT isn't.
 
Rail Blues

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Helvellyn said:
That and the fact that with so many units built, with VTEC designed interiors, you've got a lot of red in the brand. Same with staff uniforms. As much as Garter Blue or Apple Green would be a great base livery (especially the former with silver doors) it would be a lot of money spent on repainting the units
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But then there's folk on here who seem to merrily suggest spending a significant quantity of other people's tax money to no discernable purpose other than to satisfy their own peculiar whims. If they're that bothered, they should club together to raise the cost of a design team, along with the rebranding, repainting and new uniforms or better still, stop carping on about something that is never going to happen and live in the real world.
 
59CosG95

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modernrail said:
I can see why they are blanked out, but is there not a better solution bearing in mind the whole Azuma fleet needs those windows blacking out? I am surprised that it is not possible to alter the bodyshell production line so it doesn't cut those windows in the first place but I am absolutely not an expert on such things and I am sure there are good reasons why not.
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I suspect it may be due to the modularity of the bodyshell - e.g. the bodyshell which forms an end car could be for either end, not necessarily the kitchen end, also allowing for a more rapid assembly rather than relying on another production line. It could also allow for more seats to be introduced if required. I'm no expert on train manufacture either, I'm just going by my gut instinct.
Agree with the point re trains vs automobiles - however, most individuals won't buy a full train, just as most people won't refuse an Uber if it turns out to be a car they don't like the look of.
And I do 100% agree that the DfT's idea of comfort is, to say the least, Orwellian.
 
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Rail Blues said:
But then there's folk on here who seem to merrily suggest spending a significant quantity of other people's tax money to no discernable purpose other than to satisfy their own peculiar whims. If they're that bothered, they should club together to raise the cost of a design team, along with the rebranding, repainting and new uniforms or better still, stop carping on about something that is never going to happen and live in the real world.
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I hadn't realised the DfT franchising team were on here...
 
K.o.R

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Couldn't they just put a dark colour on the material that is blanking the window so that it doesn't stand out so much?
 
DanNCL

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Saw 800103 at Doncaster earlier. I personally think the new livery looks very good, even if it is DFT inspired. Certainly suits the 800s, probably wouldn't look good on a HST or 91 though!
image.jpeg
 
ModernRailways

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It looks good enough, but once you reach the cab door it just seems to go wrong. The red goes up to the headlight cover but then at the bottom there's a bigger gap and the red somehow gets chunkier at the bottom even though the line at the top isn't beginning to widen enough. The yellow front would be so much better in a different colour too, it just contrasts far too much when it's no longer needed.

All the Azuma branding looks daft too. You've got it on the front of the train, on the side of the train and is it on the doors too? What other train has been given a nickname that's been plastered all over the train? TPE aren't going to be sticking Nova branding all over their new stock. It just looks tacky.
 
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Goldfish62

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DanNCL said:
Saw 800103 at Doncaster earlier. I personally think the new livery looks very good, even if it is DFT inspired. Certainly suits the 800s, probably wouldn't look good on a HST or 91 though!
View attachment 54212
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That's not actually bad, and better than the uninspiring previous "nationalised" livery - East Coast.
 
ModernRailways

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Doomotron said:
Javelin. Thames Turbos. Wessex Electrics. Inter-City 125. InterCity 225.

Quite a few, and that's just off the top of my head.
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The Javelin branding is tiny, just a small little moniker. Thames Turbos again was just a small moniker on the side. I don't recall ever seeing a 442 with Wessex Electrics on, they were just branded NSE. Intercity 125 is the only real one there whereby the branding was on the entire train, but Intercity was the brand and the speed was 125 so it made sense. The IC225s were never branded as such and always just had the plain Intercity livery or went on to GNER etc.

The biggest difference (as physics34 says) is that they for the most part have something behind them. Javelin is very rarely used, to the point where I'd forgotten they'd even called them Javelins, most people just refer to it as SE High Speed.

Give it a nickname by all means, but don't then stick it all over the train in an attempt to make it stick. It also doesn't help LNER when TPE, GWR, and HT are all going to have IETs themselves and they're not branding them as Azumas. TPE will be calling there's Nova 3s. That isn't going to stick either, but they're not plastering the exterior of the train with the words 'Nova 3'.
 
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Goldfish62 said:
That's not actually bad, and better than the uninspiring previous "nationalised" livery - East Coast.
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It's a bit DB IC (the livery formerly used, nowadays all long distance stuff uses the ICE type livery without a window band).

Roco-45273-291.8-Bpmbkz-IC-Verkehrsrot-2.-Klasse-Grossraumwagen-mit-Snack-Point-DB-AG-Keks.jpg

Model of DB IC coach in Verkehrsrot ("traffic red") livery
 
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I agree there is no need for the giant Azuma branding. Something discreet, fine, but it doesn't really work as it is.

Is also agree that the window bands, which are reasonably classy, fall apart when they get to the cab. It is like they have tried to merge the Virgin West Coast new vinyls with a new LNER brand. Relatively easy yo sort though.

For those on here who don't think branding is important, I agree but a bit of style is good. It is the constant rebranding that has been a disgrace, sucking money out of the system and leading to the predictable mis-matching and out of position brands we see all over the place as stock is moved around. However, now we are finally moving to route branding we can try a but harder as it will be there for longer. Also, I tend to agree with whoever said on here that there is sense in moving back to all intercity routes receiving the same branding. I think sub-branding is much more important for commuter and regional routes. That said, maybe we can all live with where we seem to be getting to, long term route and regional-ish branding.
 
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Can we perhaps assume that the Azuma wording on the train will only appear on the prototype livery? I.e. on this one unit only? And that the rest will receive the livery colours, but not the Azuma wording? Kind of in the way that one of the Pendolinos has Alston on it, and a Voyager has Bombardier on it, but the rest don't?
 
Doomotron

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ModernRailways said:
Javelin is very rarely used, to the point where I'd forgotten they'd even called them Javelins, most people just refer to it as SE High Speed.
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Living in the area and hearing people talk about the trains says otherwise. 'The high-speed train' and Javelin are used about the same amount. Of course, this excludes people who just call it 'the train', which is a lot more than both of them.
 
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DqapfXeX0AAcC75.jpg


With the exception of the Azuma crap everywhere, and the overly obvious yellow box around the top lamp on the front, this looks fantastic.
 
ash39

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Does look fairly nice, if a little uninspiring, along the bodyside with the striped window band all the way down. Just all goes wrong around the headlights at the front... uneven lines/gaps everywhere. Awful.
 
ModernRailways

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I really don't get the obsession with the Azuma branding. You have it 20 times on one train on the exterior (3 on each driving coach, and 2 on each other intermediate carriage). You have the LNER logo 4 times (2 on each driving coach).

If I looked at this train, I'd presume it was ran by a company called AZUMA (possibly a new venture for Mazuma Mobile? :D). It doesn't scream LNER to me other than the red window bands.

It's an okay livery, it just becomes a mess around the cab, and all the AZUMA branding is just daft. Change AZUMA to LNER and it would be fine (with the exception of the driving coaches and just keep it as is minus the AZUMA branding).
 
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I think it looks crisp and dynamic - unlike the local Javelins which in my opinion are drab inside and out......

Gerry
 
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physics34

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ModernRailways said:
I really don't get the obsession with the Azuma branding. You have it 20 times on one train on the exterior (3 on each driving coach, and 2 on each other intermediate carriage). You have the LNER logo 4 times (2 on each driving coach).

If I looked at this train, I'd presume it was ran by a company called AZUMA (possibly a new venture for Mazuma Mobile? :D). It doesn't scream LNER to me other than the red window bands.

It's an okay livery, it just becomes a mess around the cab, and all the AZUMA branding is just daft. Change AZUMA to LNER and it would be fine (with the exception of the driving coaches and just keep it as is minus the AZUMA branding).
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Agree. Pointless 'over-branding'. The travelling public wont care a single bit about the name of the train. Hopefully it doesnt appear on later units
 
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The BIG question is will they be kept clean during the great British Autumn / Winter as it will show up that horrible mucky brown that seems to show up more often on white grey body sides of trains.... You hardly ever saw it when GNER operated the service as it was blue.....:frown::frown::frown::lol::lol::lol:
 
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The brown glaze on trains is of course brake dust which is a problem that will not go away. Logic tells you that the dark colours in any livery should go on the lower half of the train.

As for the stupid AZUMA branding, LNER are reluctant to drop the name as it was 'chosen by staff'; yes from a choice of other ridiculous names provided by Virgin.

I stand by my view that LNER management are still brainwashed Virgin clones who, instead of embracing their new brand, are just going through the motions. This is in total contrast to East Coast who tried hard from day one to promote their own brand.

Azumu = Virgin, ditch it.
 
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deltic08 said:
Anything is better than Azuma. It is not nice to pronounce and not English.
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I think it's ok to pronounce; it just sounds a bit cheap and nasty.

deltic08 said:
Any colour other than red. It still reminds me of the grinning bearded monkey.
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It shouldn't be red, I agree, but with me it's not because it reminds me of Virgin but because it reminds me of the WCML (ok, that's partly to do with Virgin having run the WCML since priviatisation, but also because the LMS was mainly red).

corsaVXR said:
DqapfXeX0AAcC75.jpg


With the exception of the Azuma crap everywhere, and the overly obvious yellow box around the top lamp on the front, this looks fantastic.
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If that could tilt, said LMS rather than LNER and was intended to replace the Pendolinos on the WCML I'd be all for it (other than the Pendolinos not being life expired, meaning replacing them would be wasteful). It looks pretty damn good except for that yellow box around the top headlight as you say, and the red underneath the main headlights. I would take the Azuma name off the nose as well, and on the intermediate coaches would put the company logo instead of 'Azuma'.

Helvellyn said:
That and the fact that with so many units built, with VTEC designed interiors, you've got a lot of red in the brand. Same with staff uniforms. As much as Garter Blue or Apple Green would be a great base livery (especially the former with silver doors) it would be a lot of money spent on repainting the units.
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Aren't the East Coast IEP units being delivered in plain white with grey doors? If so, there's no more work required to put a blue stripe around the windows than the red stripe shown above. I quite agree that if Virgin's livery on the IC125s and IC225s is paint then they will have to stay red for now, but there is no such problem with the new fleet so it's a real shame LNER seem to have decided to make them look like they belong on the WCML.

GrimShady said:
I wonder if some bright spark could knock up something in photoshop?

Anyone up fr the challenge?
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Unfortunately I have never managed a sufficiently good photograph of an 80x to use as a basis. Would I get in trouble for copywrite if I had a shot using the image corsaVXR posted above? I did previously throw caution to the wind and photoshopped an earlier image into a blue version of the LNER livery; the result was posted earlier in this topic.

modernrail said:
I don't mind it, but it won't suit any of the main stations it calls in with the possible exception of Leeds. That is a shame as stations are where they will be seen most. The Virgin livery was as bad. GNER looked really good, East Coast branding was pretty dreadful but always intended to be temporary.
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I actually really liked 91111 (the only one National Express repainted) in East Coast livery; even before it had the 'For The Fallen' livery applied. It actually looked better with the East Coast logo than with the National Express logo, and better than East Coast's later plain grey.
 
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