BR brand names - still exist?

[The Barlow Boy]

Came through London Bridge to-day and noticed that the outer windows on the ticket office still have "British Rail" writ large in several places.

 

[sprinterguy]

On that criteria the Brighton to Portsmouth service currently shamefully operated by class 313s with no toilets would be included in your Inter-City franchise.

Not in the slightest. They don't connect "a number of major cities" in any sense of the phrase. "A number" meaning more than just the two route extremities with a large number of inconsequential stops inbetween, and I wouldn't count Portsmouth as being "major". The 313s aren't really intended to cater for end to end journeys on the route as a high priority either.
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many of the services that were intercity/long distance in nature in BRs days no longer are. FGW are primarily a london Commuter railway these days, XC was always a secondary Inter City route but these days is a provincial mid distance franchise with the average passenger travelling 30 miles.

I believe it has been stated that the average journey length on Crosscountry services is around 80 miles. I don't witness a great number of these 30 mile travellers in my regular forays on the Crosscountry network, and there are always a good proportion of passengers undertaking journeys far longer than the 80 mile average figure.

 

[LE Greys]

I can't tell if you're being serious or not..

Although on a personal note, I'd love to see the 365s returned to NSE livery.. It suited them perfectly.

I agree with you there, although it might be worth holding off until there are only a few examples left. It suited the Wessexes as well, although I've often wondered what one of those would have looked like in Swallow, which might have happened had Chris Green not put his foot down. Unfortunately, I don't have Photoshop.

Chiltern colours bear a remarkable similarity to NSE, and makes me wonder whether a version of something similar with upturned ends would grace Crossrail stock had BR carried on.

 

[Electrostar]

Considering the number of liveries and variations introduced post-BR blue I'm sure NSE would have launched something new by the time Crossrail arrived. Just look at the variations of NSE from the light blue with sharp angled upswept ends to the darker blue and softer curves. Then came the lighter grey bodies of the 319/1 and 321s followed by the white background of the Networkers, which as you say suited their shape well (via a return to dark grey on the 456s).

 

[Skimble19]

Chilterns livery is incredibly similar, almost identical bar the lack of red bar at the top, and the contrasting doors.. I always imagine its what the next version of NSE would have looked like.

 

[paul1609]

Not in the slightest. They don't connect "a number of major cities" in any sense of the phrase. "A number" meaning more than just the two route extremities with a large number of inconsequential stops inbetween, and I wouldn't count Portsmouth as being "major". The 313s aren't really intended to cater for end to end journeys on the route as a high priority either.
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Really? The Portsmouth/Southampton metropolitan Area is the 8th largest in the UK by population, larger than anything in Scotland or Wales. Portsmouth is the only city to have a higher population density than London.
Brighton/Worthing/ Littlehampton is the 15th largest.
Rather more deserving than a service provide by life expired suburban stock I would suggest.

 

[BestWestern]

Not in the slightest. They don't connect "a number of major cities" in any sense of the phrase. "A number" meaning more than just the two route extremities with a large number of inconsequential stops inbetween, and I wouldn't count Portsmouth as being "major". The 313s aren't really intended to cater for end to end journeys on the route as a high priority either.

Some interesting points. I would have to suggest that Portsmouth is a fairly 'major' location, with the links to the Isle of Wight and the continent, it's position as a major naval base, and the direct ferry link between Portsmouth Harbour station and the Gosport peninsular - one of the largest UK towns without a railway. There is really quite a wealth of journey opportunity, but the city has always tended to be bypassed as it requires terminating services, being on a branch. The Cardiff Central service could easily be intercity rather than inter-regional. As for the Brighton service and it's dreaded 313s, it has been discussed here previously that the service along the 'West Coastway' route is poor, with potential for more frequent fast links.

 

[LE Greys]

Some interesting points. I would have to suggest that Portsmouth is a fairly 'major' location, with the links to the Isle of Wight and the continent, it's position as a major naval base, and the direct ferry link between Portsmouth Harbour station and the Gosport peninsular - one of the largest UK towns without a railway. There is really quite a wealth of journey opportunity, but the city has always tended to be bypassed as it requires terminating services, being on a branch. The Cardiff Central service could easily be intercity rather than inter-regional. As for the Brighton service and it's dreaded 313s, it has been discussed here previously that the service along the 'West Coastway' route is poor, with potential for more frequent fast links.

I'd say that the Portsmouth Direct line ought to count as Intercity. The distance may be shorter than Norwich, but it's more about the status of what is at either end of it. Unfortunately, it has been 'suburbanised'.