First Trenitalia (Avanti!) WCML branding, naming and livery

[dorsetdesiro]

I was assuming that as well, though I'm unsure. It could possibly be that Virgin simply doesn't want their brand to stick around under the new franchise though.

Incidentally, why is everything always debranded, rather than simply rolling out the "Avanti" brand in announcements, on-board services etc. now? Also, rather unprofessionally, their flashy marketing videos do not have subtitles for the hearing impaired, nor have they updated the "West Coast Partnership" site to reflect the new brand.

It's interesting how a franchise brand transfers from the old TOC to the new one in some ways:

- The new brand appears in the final days of the old TOC as with EMR appearing when it was still Stagecoach run EMT.
- The old brand surviving into the early days of the new TOC as with the SWT name & interior styling on rolling stock still existing for half a year more under SWR. Same with South Eastern Trains to Southeastern.
- Full debranding & erasure of the old TOC in the final days, commonly seen as done by VTWC and Northern.

 

[Class455]

No more Pendolino’s left in the original livery now! 390157 is now in Widnes for a repaint . I was hoping they’d keep this until the very end

 

[KashmireHawker]

I have attempted some side profiles for Avanti's 390 livery
View attachment 71125
View attachment 71126

They are already on the Wikipedia page too!

 

[rdlover777]

These are great! Where did you get the 390 drawing to do it?

i traced them from these blurry images here http://mediarail.be/Grande-Bretagne/Grandes lignes/Virgin Rail/VR03-eng.htm

They are already on the Wikipedia page too!

thats because i made them for wikipedia mainly, thought id shamelessly plug myself here too

 

[jackcevans]

Additional VT booked to run on 07th Dec. This will be the last running Virgin Trains service (21:48 London Euston - Wolverhampton 1Z47)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S28567/2019-12-07/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S28567/2019-12-07/detailed

Do we know if you can just turn up and ride?

 

[pt_mad]

I have attempted some side profiles for Avanti's 390 livery
View attachment 71125
View attachment 71126

Very nice those have to say. Especially given the colours on the coaches too. Looks a lot nicer in full.

 

[Starmill]

It appears that tickets might be printed with 'AWC ONLY' on them before too long. I find this quite concerning because, as someone who had a ticket that said 'TFWRS ONLY' on it and there was quite some disagreement about the meaning of this among staff, random abbreviations don't serve customers very well. In particular, if one made a mistake in their interpretation of these codes, there would be a risk of a Penalty Fare or prosecution, or being asked to buy a new full price ticket.

Edit: apparently many tickets will actually be able to now show 'AVANTI'

 

[ashkeba]

It appears that tickets might be printed with 'AWC ONLY' on them before too long. I find this quite concerning because, as someone who had a ticket that said 'TFWRS ONLY' on it and there was quite some disagreement about the meaning of this among staff, random abbreviations don't serve customers very well. In particular, if one made a mistake in their interpretation of these codes, there would be a risk of a Penalty Fare or prosecution, or being asked to buy a new full price ticket.

Will anyone with a "A WC ONLY" ticket be forced to stay in the toilet all journey?

 

[sprinterguy]

Have seen 390156 working the 14:44 Euston - Birmingham - Edinburgh today, looking very shiny and unbranded, and notably without any black window bands.

 

[cactustwirly]

Virgin probably don't want First damaging the brand after they take over...

Let's be honest, what was the last franchise to change hands that didn't suffer from terrible performance and strikes for the first 12-18 months?

East Midlands Railway?

 

[thedbdiboy]

It appears that tickets might be printed with 'AWC ONLY' on them before too long. I find this quite concerning because, as someone who had a ticket that said 'TFWRS ONLY' on it and there was quite some disagreement about the meaning of this among staff, random abbreviations don't serve customers very well. In particular, if one made a mistake in their interpretation of these codes, there would be a risk of a Penalty Fare or prosecution, or being asked to buy a new full price ticket.

This is all down to the industry still being wedded to 15 character route descriptions in the base data that were the result of data limits in BR days using mainframe systems. Despite a decade's worth of effort to apply longer customer friendly descriptions, some systems are still restricted to this. Of course the BR spec did not envisage needing TOC descriptors, which is why the route field is used in any case.

 

[duncanp]

Even tweeting @FGW in the past felt like swearing

Don't you mean you felt like swearing when tweeting @FGW in the past?

 

[_toommm_]

It appears that tickets might be printed with 'AWC ONLY' on them before too long

I'm still in the habit of calling Transport for Wales Arriva Trains Wales, so that might be confusing for someone who doesn't particularly pay attention to what is turning up. 'AW' could be misinterpreted as Arriva Wales. Particularly on the North Coast services out to Holyhead, this may prove troublesome.

That might just be me though. You may snort derisively at that

 

[coradiafan2000]

I'm still in the habit of calling Transport for Wales Arriva Trains Wales, so that might be confusing for someone who doesn't particularly pay attention to what is turning up. 'AW' could be misinterpreted as Arriva Wales. Particularly on the North Coast services out to Holyhead, this may prove troublesome.

That might just be me though. You may snort derisively at that

Don't worry. In September I heard someone at Northallerton refer to LNER as GNER!

 

[_toommm_]

Don't worry. In September I heard someone at Northallerton refer to LNER as GNER!

I travel a good 30,000+ miles a year by train and make these mistakes - not sure how Joe Public is meant to understand it all!

 

[Class455]

I'm still in the habit of calling Transport for Wales Arriva Trains Wales, so that might be confusing for someone who doesn't particularly pay attention to what is turning up. 'AW' could be misinterpreted as Arriva Wales. Particularly on the North Coast services out to Holyhead, this may prove troublesome.

That might just be me though. You may snort derisively at that

I still call London Northwestern Railway London Midland so you’re certainly not the only one!

 

[Hadders]

Virgin branding on East Coast was around after the franchise was handed back but I suspect that was a special case due to the way in which the franchise was handed over/defaulted.

There was no requirement for Stagecoach to remove South West Trains branding as that trademark was owned by the DfT rather than Stagecoach and they were happy for it to continue to be used, albeit First have changed it to SWR.

 

[xc170]

East Midlands Railway?

Give it time.

 

[krus_aragon]

Will anyone with a "A WC ONLY" ticket be forced to stay in the toilet all journey?

That'd make a change: guards find people hiding in the toilets because they do have a ticket!

 

[nlogax]

Don't worry. In September I heard someone at Northallerton refer to LNER as GNER!

I have friends that do this.

 

[Hazlehead]

As of last night all Pendolinos & Voyagers are devoid of Virgin exterior branding

 

[Agent_Squash]

As of last night all Pendolinos & Voyagers are devoid of Virgin exterior branding

Virgin didn’t even keep one for the final day? Oh well.

 

[sprinterguy]

As of last night all Pendolinos & Voyagers are devoid of Virgin exterior branding

390046 (or possibly 047? Can't recall now) must have been one of the last with "Flowing silk" vinyls when I saw it at Stafford yesterday morning then.

 

[Hazlehead]

390046 (or possibly 047? Can't recall now) must have been one of the last with "Flowing silk" vinyls when I saw it at Stafford yesterday morning then.

It was 046

 

[sprinterguy]

It was 046

Cheers for that.

 

[boxy321]

As of last night all Pendolinos & Voyagers are devoid of Virgin exterior branding

The sugar in the bowls in 1st class has even be rebranded!!

 

[185]

Sure someone has already mentioned it but my train has just announced 'welcome on board this.... train.' Sounds like the speech has been edited and sliced short.

Edit...
Also the WiFi landing page now just calls it West Coast WiFi

 

[Rick1984]

Can't be as bad as Great Northerns "welcome to this *pause* service" on the 387's

 

[ashkeba]

Can't be as bad as Great Northerns "welcome to this *pause* service" on the 387's

That announcement computer rides the 387s every day so they have to edit out it swearing!

 

[Merle Haggard]

Automated announcements on my train this afternoon have changed to ‘welcome onboard this train’.

I don't know whether it they were changed at the same time or later, but the station departure screens and automated station announcements today omit 'Virgin Trains'; the departure screens have '11 coach Pendolino' (or the alternatives) below the train time where Virgin Trains used to appear.

The de-branding has reached detailed levels; the sugar and salt packets now just have details of their contents on, no white or red packets with Virgin Trains on. There's still one small item of crockery that still has the brand on its base, though.

On a train this morning, coach G had a lot of anti-maccassors (sorry don't know how to spell it) missing, no way of telling whether this was the result of theft or removal due to becoming dirty and no replacements.

But the grey and red wavy lines are still on waiting room windows.