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Class 442s - Now at the end of the road and to be withdrawn permanently

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northernbelle

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fgwrich said:
Exactly. First, Since it looked at itself in the mirror and became spooked of it's own identity has spiralled into some sort of incohesive mess in my opinion. As I've covered before, the bus side cant decide if it's going to stick with the modernised version of it's own 2012 "Olympia" livery or branch out to localised versions of it or just bin it off all together (See BOS & FK), GWR and remains a frankly drab mess SWR just shows that First seems to be on the verge of binning it off.

SWR from it's interception has always seemed cold to me, the scheme on the 159s sits awkwardly alongside the far more colourful versions of the SWT scheme, and given that 111 remains the only Desiro to be delivered into a now non existent version of SWR scheme, it doesn't exactly give an impression of a franchise in control. And it's still laughable that the fictional SWR loco was smarter than the end result, which frankly looks like it deserves to sit on a remote Ski Chalet in the Alps than across a major franchise covering the South West!

I've tried to like it, but the plainness and the bizarre placing of the logos on the 442s has just hit the final nail in the coffin for me. Im still unsure and to be honest a little underwhelmed by the interior scheme as well, there's just far too much dark grey. Why oh Why did First not just stay with the much smarter Lambie Nairn designed "Dynamic / City Lines"?
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I think the dynamic lines are rather dated these days - bright pink being rather cheap and cheerful. It's nice to see GWR green become consistently standard these days.

I'm pleased SWR dropped the chevrons - gloss paint being far more presentable and easy to keep looking fresh than sticky plastic. The dynamic lines liveried Turbo units looked careworn after 6 months carrying their vinyls - gloss blue / green paint looking fresh for far longer.

Livery inconsistency actually set in at SWR under Stagecoach. By the end of their tenure, there were three versions of the 'white' livery running alongside red and blue versions. I doubt very much the customers understood the reason behind the three different colours - especially when red/blue and blue/white trains were/are interchangable on many routes.

Most customers couldn't care less about subtle livery variations - a clean train is probably what creates the lasting impression, so it's good to see the switch from vinyl to paint early on.
 
Wychwood93

Wychwood93

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JohnElliott said:
Just paint everything malachite green and call it a day :D
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A touch retro, but a set like that, maybe just the one (?), would provide a ref. to the history of the Southern - suitable branding - perhaps like the 7 city HSTs in Scotland. Vinyls of 'our' cathedrals - Winchester, Salisbury, Guildford - I would suggest Christchurch Priory.... perhaps the Abbey in Sherborne... Exeter...
 
K.o.R

K.o.R

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The way the front lends itself to a half-size yellow panel would work really well to capture how the green units looked.
4EPB_set_at_Wimbledon.jpg
 
pigs bay

pigs bay

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What is happening to the other 6 that's still stored. Is SWR getting themor are they going to be scrapped?
 
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doctorf5

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pigs bay said:
What is happening to the other 6 that's still stored. Is SWR getting themor are they going to be scrapped?
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In September’s edition of Modern Railways, Angel Trains were quoted in saying “currently in storage, ready to go on lease and enter passenger service”.
 
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swt_passenger

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All we really know for sure about the ‘other 6’ is that by May this year, Alliance Rail had told ORR they were no longer available for their proposed Open Access service to Southampton. (See post #2457.)
It’s all gone quiet since, and although a few people assumed SWR would probably get them, nothing has ever been announced (unless everyone has missed it).
 
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TEW

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Was it not the case that SWR had taken the specific 6 that Alliance needed, the 6 in best condition and ready to enter service quickly? SWR are still not taking the whole fleet, it's just that the 6 now available are those in the worst condition.
 
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dan bennett

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TEW said:
Was it not the case that SWR had taken the specific 6 that Alliance needed, the 6 in best condition and ready to enter service quickly? SWR are still not taking the whole fleet, it's just that the 6 now available are those in the worst condition.
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Yes, Alliance had their sights set on the final six units that were in service with GTR, but SWR quickly (and understandably) snapped those up and some of them have been used for the majority of driver training to date
 
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Peter Sarf

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robert7111a said:
Suburban stock "monastic blue" (rail blue) and outer suburban/express stock blue & grey :lol:

None of this fancy designer stuff...
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Oooh. Your taking me back to my early years at Strood and Rochester surrounded by EE507s and the odd booster !. I hope you intended to mention the FULL YELLOW ENDS btw ?.

Wonder if I will ever see my favourite EMU in Blue and Grey. Of course bits of them were originally housed in/around a blue and grey EMU !.
 
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AndrewE

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Goldfish62 said:
But it was universally despised when it was around. It looked awful. Drab and dreary.
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a) it certainly wasn't and b) that's just your opinion. Maybe the livery was applied to some rough old coaching stock that might have been better left as "obviously old" - but that stuff had to soldier on for a lot longer than was acceptable.
The AM10s were a delight when we first got them, and I think most people thought the loco-hauled expresses looked good too. Much better than the olive green or even grey coaches you saw in France and Italy.
 
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Goldfish62

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AndrewE said:
a) it certainly wasn't and b) that's just your opinion. Maybe the livery was applied to some rough old coaching stock that might have been better left as "obviously old" - but that stuff had to soldier on for a lot longer than was acceptable.
The AM10s were a delight when we first got them, and I think most people thought the loco-hauled expresses looked good too. Much better than the olive green or even grey coaches you saw in France and Italy.
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Well, I have different memories of it than you, but read any railway books of the time and I challenge you to find anything positive written about it.

As for your comment that it's just my opinion, what a silly thing to say. Of course it's my opinion!
 
Islineclear3_1

Islineclear3_1

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Peter Sarf said:
Oooh. Your taking me back to my early years at Strood and Rochester surrounded by EE507s and the odd booster !. I hope you intended to mention the FULL YELLOW ENDS btw ?.

Wonder if I will ever see my favourite EMU in Blue and Grey. Of course bits of them were originally housed in/around a blue and grey EMU !.
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You're obviously a bit older than me as the boosters were withdrawn before I could ever get to see them. And rail blue was starting to disappear when I started spotting and thus, I only saw full yellow ends.

Depends on what your favourite EMU is...certainly a favourite of mine is being done up in blue and grey (well on one side at least...)
 
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Goldfish62

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robert7111a said:
Only when dirty or in the case of all-over Rail Blue, when the shine wore off.

Who "despised" these liveries? Most people I know thought the blue and grey livery was "the best" ever (save for malachite green)
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I think we need a new thread...
 
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Ret.phone2017

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Apologies if I am duplicating, but I spotted a class 442 on Fratton sidings (Friday 2nd Nov). I'm not sure if they have finished the paint finish?
 

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winks

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I think that’s it. It does look bland ...first pax service starts Monday ?
 
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