Saperstein
Member
Sorry deleted- posted in the wrong section.
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Avanti West Coast rebrand
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Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Agreed. They are not at least (yet) having issues with having stuffed up the timetable in the manner of LNR, but in other regards they are very similar - bare minimum, average, boring, drab. No sparkle.
nlogax
Established Member
Doesn't help that they're still operating on Virgin-specced kit and all the associations that it brings with the previous TOC. It's hardly a surprise that things feel drab and dull during a transition period when most Pendos are running around in non-liveries and the only visible branding in trains is on menus or lazily placed antimacassars.
59CosG95
Established Member
At least they didn't choose olive as their main livery choice!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Yet that laziness is voluntary. They could have ordered enough antimacassars and ensured they were fitted, for instance. But they didn't. Because it's too much effort.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
It is these little things that makes me wonder, why is it so difficult to order the correct amount?
One of the first things they should also be doing is making sure that the Virgin brand is completely erased as the uniforms are still Virgin, the stations are still in the color scheme. Avanti have a lot to do.
Grumpy Git
On Moderation
Half-arsed is being generous
RailWonderer
Established Member
In the golden era of the WCML I will call it (between the new 2008 VT timetable up until 2017 when LNR took over) I thought standards could never fall, and that these ToCs has set a new standard for rail travel that was efficient, passenger focused and detail oriented that I believed other future ToCs would have to follow. It seems I was wrong.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
Exactly this.
I thought Avanti would be able to fill the shoes of Virgin from the get-go. Turns out that isn't the case. There also seems to be a lot more faults with the Pendolinos, short forms and issues with the catering since the take-over.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
As did I. I expected a change in attitude to something a bit more like GWR (so more corporate and a bit less glitzy, but still helpful and professional), maybe with a little Italian flair.
What did we get? Something more resemblent of an innersuburban south London commuter TOC, and not a particularly good one at that, with a fair measure of arrogance and gobbiness but otherwise just plain bone-idle. Even Southern manages to have antimacassars on the "First Class" seats. Mediocre in the extreme. Almost nothing whatsoever going for it.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
It is a joke really.
The fact that within a matter of months they have taken one of the best rail franchises and destroyed it. Personally I can see First Class going in the direction of GWR and offering basic things only.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
They've at least not stuffed up the timetable. Yet.
That said, GWR at least has a personality, playing quite well on the whole "adventures in the Westcountry" thing with the Famous Five which to me has to be one of the best railway advertising campaigns ever. Avanti doesn't really have a personality or a brand (bar a silly triangle with an A in Arial next to it), it just exudes classic British half-arsed mediocrity.
I expected a lot, we got half of naff all.
moogal
Member
Wifi's a pain for everyone, and to be fair sorting that out is a completely different job to helping people with ticketing/route enquiries or handling delay complaints. I wouldn't even be surprised if it were farmed out to whichever contractors provide their wifi solution.
Is this not going a bit far? They havn't destroyed the franchise.
Should we not think back to when VTWC took over in the late 90s. How the MK3 coaches were and breakdowns.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
Well maybe destroyed was a bit far. But back then VTWC were working from the get-go on getting those old clapped out trains replaced. Although to give Avanti their credit they are starting a Pendolino refurbishment later this year.
But from reading reviews and my own experience I've noticed that the Pendolinos are starting to look more and more clapped out. When was the last time they had a decent deep clean?
How does that happen? Pendolinos are a fixed formation of either 9 or 11 coaches
Thing is the only fair comparison is between VTWC during their last year, and Avanti since December. Bearing in mind they've only been in charge 2 months. The train service still runs well. They are probably finalising their finished livery in the way LNR and WMR did with the main rollout to follow. If it looks all the better for it in the end then it will be worth the wait.
The Pendolino refurbishment was never going to be quick. Considering it's a full interior refurb. Do we know that VTWC would have put new seats in or would it have been all seats reupholstered but with existing frames kept? They were VTWC design after all.
There are some BR seats which have aged better than the old VT ones, mainly due to them having a more traditional shape and being grey not cream in colour.
There have been infrastructure failures which have lead to disruption during the last twelve months granted. And the Pendolinos presumably have the same maintenance regime at the moment as they did last year? With the same staff? The fleet is not brand new anymore.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
Things like 9 car instead of 10, or even in extreme circumstances 5 car instead of 11.
That was definately a good time, I didn't spend much time on LM though as I didn't know much back then and my view of LM wasn't great after getting a 350/2 on a route which is usually 350/1 or /3. But when I got the correct 350 it was a pleasant experience, the train was clean (XCs are much dirtier and they are an intercity operator), it was on time, tickets were a good price, LM had WiFi (which if I remember correctly actually worked a lot of the time) and even their own media thing. LM had a great fleet which was modern and reliable, although I support the 150s and 153s getting replaced.
Back then it was working well, LM were the budget option which stopped more often but was cheaper and still a good experience. Virgin were a nicer operator which was more expensive but was faster and had things like food. Now Avanti are dropping standards the line, on at least London-Birmingham, between the 2 operators is getting smaller, apart from speed.
anti-pacer
Established Member
Quick question. Are you likely to get any complimentary food and drink on Avanti's service from London to Holyhead/Wrexham, if you're travelling Chester to Bangor?
Merle Haggard
Established Member
Yes, generally. On the Chesters, the stewards join/leave at Crewe, but for the Holyheads they serve all the way. Some journeys are quiet in the winter and the steward may be very attentive (4 offers of coffee HHD - CRE!). But obvs. look at journey check in case only one set is staffed (very unusual, though).
Grumpy Git
On Moderation
I'm on the 21.07 Euston Liverpool now on 390,123.
No missing headrest covers! Most of them are on straight too!
Light doesn't work on my table (K30/33) and there are no hot drinks being served due to staff shortages, but our steward hasn't been shy with the spirits, cheers.
Edit; train arrived at Lime St 5 mins early (@ 23.27) so I was easily able to get the 23.44 (the last train) HuntsX home from Liverpool Central.
The service in First was very quiet, but other than the lamp not working, no complaints from me.
I should also add that First passengers were told that hot drinks from the buffet car would be FOC.
No missing headrest covers! Most of them are on straight too!
Light doesn't work on my table (K30/33) and there are no hot drinks being served due to staff shortages, but our steward hasn't been shy with the spirits, cheers.
Edit; train arrived at Lime St 5 mins early (@ 23.27) so I was easily able to get the 23.44 (the last train) HuntsX home from Liverpool Central.
The service in First was very quiet, but other than the lamp not working, no complaints from me.
I should also add that First passengers were told that hot drinks from the buffet car would be FOC.
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978wta
Member
Hi all, does anyone know the reason only 2 sets are in the new livery?
The_Train
Established Member
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I don't know the answer but maybe they've taken the sensible approach and will re-livery the remaining Pendolino's as they go in for their full internal refurb?
That’ll take years won’t it?
The old London Midland seemed to be the most efficient at re branding , after taking over they seemed to be able to re viny virtually the whole fleet in just a month or two, if my memory serves correctly.
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The_Train
Established Member
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Not a clue, as I said, I don't know the answer just throwing it out there as an alternative to the now popular trend of 'Avanti bashing'
As for London Midland, I wasn't in the hobby when they appeared so can't comment. Safe to say that LNWR haven't followed suit with their re-vinyl work
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Stenning was deeply involved in LM's rather excellent branding setup.
The one odd exception to it was not swapping the seat covers in the 350/1s.
The_Train
Established Member
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Out of interest, what sort of timescale would it take to re-vinyl a Pendolino throughout?
WatcherZero
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Q3 passenger usage is out with Avanti's first quarter in charge and for the first time ever Q3 passenger usage fell on the West Coast Franchise.
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