BucksBones
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Avanti West Coast rebrand
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Let's not forget Branson is very protective of the Virgin brand so more probable it was part of Virgin's stipulation that any reference to them Must be removed immediately
Not fully new uniforms just Overcoat, Shell Jacket & Polo Shirt oh and a name badge. Rest is still the same. It'll take up to 18 months at least for a new uniform. Designs have to made and then
negotiatiated with the Unions , Samples then produced, final design formally agreed on then it goes into Production, Delivery & finally gets to be worn by the staff
BucksBones
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Yes they are certainly protective although I'm not sure what rights an outgoing TOC has to stipulate terms? I'd have thought removing branding would be solely down to them before the franchise ended - if there are bits left after that date surely it's tough isn't it?
Steddenm
Member
Was on one of the unbranded 390s today and have to say the new headrest covers in First Class look really good. The digital voice just stated "welcome aboard this train, we'll be travelling to", staff had some Avanti uniform bits, and the Virgin-branded sugar bowls were still there. Oh and the Uglies remain for now.
ATOC Annie at Crewe did announce a train as Virgin though but they did have a power cut and the CIS was down.
ATOC Annie at Crewe did announce a train as Virgin though but they did have a power cut and the CIS was down.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
What on earth are the Uglies?
Biscuits.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Ah....
TT-ONR-NRN
Established Member
Chocolates actually. With cookie pieces inside.
xc170
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This some kind of VT brand or just veg jargon because I've also never heard this phrase...
Westcoast221
Member
*not my photo*
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Steddenm
Member
They are small chocolate biscuits provided by a company called Lily O'Briens. They are given out in first class to passengers and also sold in the on board shop. Or were when Virgin had the franchise.
nlogax
Established Member
And they were very nice indeed.
Trainfan2019
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Definitely agree about the red coats and jackets. Plus the large virgin logos made it even more visible. I saw Avanti staff in hi vis today at Crewe, could have been anyone. I only found out they were staff when I passed them.
Avanti platform signs at Stockport looked good when passing through today and the new train livery is bold and a change from the quite bland virgin livery.
There should be a 'retain the Uglies' campaign. Who cares about seat selectors.
kieron
Established Member
Has someone said that they're going?
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's a pity Avanti's bright colour is orange - that would look awful on uniforms. They could presumably have kept red, and it'd have worked just as well in the branding?
Steddenm
Member
They are no longer part of Avanti's First Class menus. They have another chocolate listed.
kirkierobroy
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Uglies are good, but watch your fillings.
Generally was able to get some really good advance fares on Virgin, even for First Class, from Glasgow to places like Penrith, Oxenholme and New Street. They'd better keep that going. Not sure about this 'three classes' idea.
Generally was able to get some really good advance fares on Virgin, even for First Class, from Glasgow to places like Penrith, Oxenholme and New Street. They'd better keep that going. Not sure about this 'three classes' idea.
kieron
Established Member
The brunch & afternoon menus here include them now, with a chocolate mint of some sort in the evening.
If they did stop providing them you could still buy them from the manufacturer, although you'd need to buy 80 to get free delivery. It seems like quite a lot.
47271
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Well, I had my first exposure to the rebrand today.
Didn't notice any station signage because I was in too much of a hurry to catch my train, although I was aware of the Bermuda triangle floating around on a ticket machine I used at Wigan.
About one quarter of the seats in First had new antimacassars dubbed on all wonky, the rest had nothing.
Has anyone else noticed that they've had special balloon stickers printed to cover up the Virgin ones on the toilet walls? It must have been very tempting to have them made up with 'no more hot air' on the side.
And the toilets themselves have fallen silent...
Didn't notice any station signage because I was in too much of a hurry to catch my train, although I was aware of the Bermuda triangle floating around on a ticket machine I used at Wigan.
About one quarter of the seats in First had new antimacassars dubbed on all wonky, the rest had nothing.
Has anyone else noticed that they've had special balloon stickers printed to cover up the Virgin ones on the toilet walls? It must have been very tempting to have them made up with 'no more hot air' on the side.
And the toilets themselves have fallen silent...
My favourite (new) Northern effort is the official properly made up sign on Sunderland station pointing to 'Staduim of Light'. My autocorrect fought against that several times as I typed it. What kind of shoddy outfit would create, and then leave, something like that? Now we know.
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LancasterRed
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Announcements have been rolled out on the trains. Says "Avanti West Coast" over the PA but "Avanti" on the PIS.
Sounds strange, but the announcements now sound more upbeat and confident.
Sounds strange, but the announcements now sound more upbeat and confident.
glynmonhughes
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- 31 Mar 2014
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Caught a train from Manchester to London on Wednesday and noticed that the station signs at Macclesfield have been changed to Avanti branding. Could not see any change elsewhere.
brendan999
Member
rebranding all well and good - but Avanti's webste lacking seat selctor is a catastrophy
I remember thinking what an earth are these uglies that are mentioned all the time , never seen them.
Inconvenience maybe, disappointment certainly, but catastrophe? Really?
Possibly the nicest things I've ever put in my mouth, and the only reason I bothered to use Virgin's First Class Lounge at Glasgow...
Caption: a photo of a small chocolate containing lumps of biscuit and fruit, next to a white wrapper branded "Uglies".
brendan999
Member
its neither of those
I'm not entirely sure that I see how it can be a catastrophe without also being a disappointing inconvenience
brendan999
Member
i always enjoy the detailed explanation of the wonderful offerings in the shop on the train, I still wonder what it is they do to coffee to make it taste quite so foul
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