Avanti West Coast rebrand

[ag51ruk]

Dispatch staff at Stafford wearing hi vis this morning, not sure if that’s been mentioned anywhere else. Must say I think that’s quite a shame, VTs uniform did a great job at standing out without requiring Hi-Vis.

Same at Manchester Piccadilly as well - platform staff reporting that they are not visible to customers or the Train Managers, but also the despatch staff can't see where the Train Manager is standing on a busy platform

 

[Mathew S]

What's that stuck on top of? Looks an awful half-job.

It's above the steps down from Platforms 5 and 6. It looks much better when it's not in my badly cropped photo...

 

[Mathew S]

Probably the existing running board - that's how most of the other Avanti baords have been done. LNWR/WMR has got exactly the same rebrand treatment.

That one is actually a whole new sign. The existing signs had yet to be redone when last I passed through.

Edit: they've been done now. Must have happened during the day today. They appear to be metal signs riveted onto the front of the existing ones.

 

[timothyw9]

Same at Manchester Piccadilly as well - platform staff reporting that they are not visible to customers or the Train Managers, but also the despatch staff can't see where the Train Manager is standing on a busy platform

Definitely agree with that. TPE & Avanti uniform now looks far too similar shades of navy and I can imagine it being confusing for passengers, especially when it used to be a case of telling somebody they need to speak someone in a red uniform.

 

[tpjm]

Definitely agree with that. TPE & Avanti uniform now looks far too similar shades of navy and I can imagine it being confusing for passengers, especially when it used to be a case of telling somebody they need to speak someone in a red uniform.

Avanti temporary uniform is a very different shade of blue from TPE. They’re more grey and don’t have the bright blue accents.

Not sure when they will all get their final uniform but my guess is that it’s a while off hence the temporary stuff.

TPE platform staff used to wear hi-vis and this was removed with the new uniform. Took a few weeks to get everyone used to it, but the blue collar inside the jacket is really easy to spot.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Haven’t read all the previous comments, but to me Avanti sounds like the name of a train, not a train company

 

[Rick1984]

The use of white, then off white/grey seems messy and unnecessary

 

[Bletchleyite]

I quite like it apart from the A-triangle device which just looks crass.

It would look better if they just put the triangle there alone, and I suspect they might end up doing that with later repaints once they see how bad it looks.

 

[Mathew S]

I quite like it apart from the A-triangle device which just looks crass.

It would look better if they just put the triangle there alone, and I suspect they might end up doing that with later repaints once they see how bad it looks.

I'm not so sure about that. They use it across a lot of their posters, advertising, apps, and other branding. I think it's here to stay and, to be fair, I do think that people will just get used to it.

 

[Ladder23]

look smart, shame im off work now till after xmas so I won't see them till I go back unless I decide to nip out which is tempting

 

[VestibuleRider]

I think I'm very much in the minority here, but I really like Avanti's branding. VT was starting to look tired in my opinion. Looking forward to my first journey with this franchise. Avanti Avanti!

 

[pt_mad]

Yes, set 157 (the last of the 56 sets to be painted) is in Widnes now, out later this week. It'll be plain grey, not Avanti branded.

Presumably as the Avanti branding is simply vinyl wrapped, the base white paint job is all that's needed at Widnes with the rest possibly being done overnight in due course?

Dispatch staff at Stafford wearing hi vis this morning, not sure if that’s been mentioned anywhere else. Must say I think that’s quite a shame, VTs uniform did a great job at standing out without requiring Hi-Vis.

Greater Anglia, LNER and TPE i think don't wear them, not sure if there are any other TOCs that don't now? Seems to be more of the norm than not.

Same at Manchester Piccadilly as well - platform staff reporting that they are not visible to customers or the Train Managers, but also the despatch staff can't see where the Train Manager is standing on a busy platform

Presumably it was planned as rolling them out to sites with a large enough supply to suit everyone would probably be a miracle feat in 3 days? One would guess with First Group it was probably on the cards, as they always traditionally wore the half blue half yellow ones before going over to orange for safety critical platform afaik?
I'm guessing the train managers aren't wearing them although you did mention reports that train managers weren't as visible to dispatchers?

I quite like it apart from the A-triangle device which just looks crass.

It would look better if they just put the triangle there alone, and I suspect they might end up doing that with later repaints once they see how bad it looks.

Could well be right. Not every prototype livery makes it unaltered to the final rollout.
WMR changed their livery quite substantially for the full rollout from the one on launch date, and LNR tweaked theirs and slimlined the logo slightly in the word railway.

 

[pt_mad]

They've had the franchise since Sunday, give them chance!

Eh, my brother fixed his own roof single handedly in two days. I could understand not fixing the whole roof at Crewe by Tuesday but not by today is totally unacceptable .

 

[Bletchleyite]

WMR changed their livery quite substantially for the full rollout from the one on launch date,
and LNR tweaked theirs and slimlined the logo slightly in the word railway.

And changed the emphasis from:

London
Northwestern
Railway

to:

London
Northwestern
Railway

which is fairly significant.

 

[LMBishop]

These are some signs at Stafford

The sign above the main entrance has not changed.

 

[sprinterguy]

These are some signs at Stafford

Good grief, they've not exactly gone for "subtle and understated" with that first one.

 

[59CosG95]

Good grief, they've not exactly gone for "subtle and understated" with that first one.

It's almost like they're trying to encourage people to leave...

 

[BucksBones]

These are some signs at Stafford

The sign above the main entrance has not changed.

Uh? "We've also got direct services to London, Liverpool and Crewe"? As well as what? Or whom?! It makes them sound like an open access operator trying to poach customers from the big boys! I wonder how many people, reading that, will think that Avanti is a new alternative to Virgin rather than a replacement.

 

[Goldfish62]

I think I'm very much in the minority here, but I really like Avanti's branding. VT was starting to look tired in my opinion. Looking forward to my first journey with this franchise. Avanti Avanti!

I also think it's pretty smart.

 

[adamello]

Uh? "We've also got direct services to London, Liverpool and Crewe"? As well as what? Or whom?! It makes them sound like an open access operator trying to poach customers from the big boys! I wonder how many people, reading that, will think that Avanti is a new alternative to Virgin rather than a replacement.

as well as staying in Stafford, which they just welcomed you to...

 

[BucksBones]

I quite like it apart from the A-triangle device which just looks crass.

It would look better if they just put the triangle there alone, and I suspect they might end up doing that with later repaints once they see how bad it looks.

Absolutely. The 'A' looks odd because it isn't stylised in any way; yes it's in the house font but unfortunately that font is totally unremarkable and consequently it looks like information or labelling rather than branding. Anyway as you say it'd be better without it. I quite like the branding other than that.

 

[pat472]

Uh? "We've also got direct services to London, Liverpool and Crewe"? As well as what? Or whom?! It makes them sound like an open access operator trying to poach customers from the big boys! I wonder how many people, reading that, will think that Avanti is a new alternative to Virgin rather than a replacement.

It's a poorly done replacement sign. The original used to say something along the lines of "We love Stafford, but we've also got direct trains to London, Liverpool and Crewe in case you want a day out". Much amusement was had at the thought that someone other than a rail enthusiast might want a day out in Crewe of all places!

They could really have done with either scrapping it and just saying "welcome to Stafford", or doing it properly. This half-done job is a bit unprofessional.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Absolutely. The 'A' looks odd because it isn't stylised in any way; yes it's in the house font but unfortunately that font is totally unremarkable and consequently it looks like information or labelling rather than branding. Anyway as you say it'd be better without it. I quite like the branding other than that.

It'd actually make more sense if it was the coach letter!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Absolutely. The 'A' looks odd because it isn't stylised in any way; yes it's in the house font but unfortunately that font is totally unremarkable and consequently it looks like information or labelling rather than branding. Anyway as you say it'd be better without it. I quite like the branding other than that.

Agreed, I do too - and I think they're playing on the Italian thing quite well too - not to excess but enough to be noticeable - though I still liked my proposed strapline "Travel with a bit of Italian flair", maybe they will nick it at some point

Just need to call the 80x "Frecciaverde" now

 

[Clip]

Uh? "We've also got direct services to London, Liverpool and Crewe"? As well as what? Or whom?! It makes them sound like an open access operator trying to poach customers from the big boys! I wonder how many people, reading that, will think that Avanti is a new alternative to Virgin rather than a replacement.

I doubt it seeing as the change has been plastered all over the media

 

[BucksBones]

as well as staying in Stafford, which they just welcomed you to...

Well yes, I know that's what they meant but it doesn't work at all IMHO.

(And as it's in the car park you've probably just driven there with the intention of using the train to get somewhere else!)

 

[BucksBones]

It's a poorly done replacement sign. The original used to say something along the lines of "We love Stafford, but we've also got direct trains to London, Liverpool and Crewe in case you want a day out".

Ah I see! Yes that rather makes it worse; they've taken someone else's idea and diluted it in such a way that it no longer makes sense. Excellent!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ah I see! Yes that rather makes it worse; they've taken someone else's idea and diluted it in such a way that it no longer makes sense. Excellent!

They've done this so quickly it was probably a contractor who misinterpreted it. I can't think of any TOC that's re-signed their entire estate so quickly. Even Virgin didn't - the original IC red signs were in place for years after their takeover, and I think some even remained at the end.

As an aside, has the BR house-style (black on white, Rail Alphabet) kitout at Warrington BQ now been over-vinyled, I guess? It was a nice little quirk, done by Virgin right at the end of their previous franchise.

 

[BucksBones]

They've done this so quickly it was probably a contractor who misinterpreted it. I can't think of any TOC that's re-signed their entire estate so quickly. Even Virgin didn't - the original IC red signs were in place for years after their takeover, and I think some even remained at the end.

Yes it's remarkable isn't it? I suppose it's testament to the strength of the Virgin brand that the new operator considers it so vital to erase all trace of it so quickly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes it's remarkable isn't it? I suppose it's testament to the strength of the Virgin brand that the new operator considers it so vital to erase all trace of it so quickly.

Particularly the uniforms - fully new uniforms on day one is almost unheard of.