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

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RealTrains07

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Struck me as a little weird, all things considered. The red wall to the left is very vibrant (by Stoke Station standards), but lacks Virgin branding (except what was already there).
Maybe first are keeping the red in the colour scheme going forward?
 
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transmanche

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I see that the domain name lmsrailway.co.uk was registered on 6 September 2019.

(Of course, it could be a cyber-squatter or something totally unrelated.)
 

Speed43125

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As I recall, the original LNER URL was similar, lnerailway.co.uk... You might just be right.
*groan*
We have too much of this heritage nonsense, Why not just call the whole thing InterCity West Coast and be done with it? You could even follow BR's lead and name the pendo stock IC200.
Of course though, none of what I've just said will happen :C
 

PR1Berske

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*groan*
We have too much of this heritage nonsense, Why not just call the whole thing InterCity West Coast and be done with it? You could even follow BR's lead and name the pendo stock IC200.
Of course though, none of what I've just said will happen :C
What I'll say is, maybe this is policy?
And to think about modem communication trends, the new franchise names are easy to hashtag. East Midlands becoming EMR, London Midland becoming LNWR, Virgin becoming LMS, they can all be turned into social media tags, and that's important.
 

Energy

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GWR's rebrand to include railway worked well because it still looks modern despite having the old GWR name. It also works because of how many GWR lines are now run by heritage organisations so people have heard of Brunel's GWR.

EMR is probably the worst one so far as EMR has never existed until now, as far as I know, so you don't get the nostalgia and the logo doesn't look modern enough in my opinion.

LNWR also isn't great as I don't think many of the public know the even existed and the logo looks nothing like the original one, making it even less likely people will know about the original one. Atleast the original existed unlike EMR...

Luckily First seem to actually understand the branding unlike Abellio. They know when it is time for something modern, such as TPE, and time for something which shows its heritage, like GWR. I hope this domain is just the DfT being incompetent or something completely unrelated.
 

Adam Williams

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I see that the domain name lmsrailway.co.uk was registered on 6 September 2019.

(Of course, it could be a cyber-squatter or something totally unrelated.)

Very interesting indeed! I can't infer anything from where it's being hosted, seems like your standard domain holding page provided by the registrar.

In some ways it's a shame the entity's name and address aren't published anymore in the WHOIS data..
 

Energy

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Very interesting indeed! I can't infer anything from where it's being hosted, seems like your standard domain holding page provided by the registrar.

In some ways it's a shame the entity's name and address aren't published anymore in the WHOIS data..
Im fairly sure they are, just lots buy WHOIS protection, they are registered with a host called Fasthosts. I had a look at LNER's and its registrar is GoDaddy UK.
The tried a couple others of First's franchises and they all seem to have different registrars and none of them were Fasthosts but all seem to use different registrars depending on who does the brand marketing.
 
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transmanche

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I see that the domain name lmsrailway.co.uk was registered on 6 September 2019.

As I recall, the original LNER URL was similar, lnerailway.co.uk... You might just be right.

*groan*
We have too much of this heritage nonsense, Why not just call the whole thing InterCity West Coast and be done with it?
It was always on the cards as a likely outcome, ever since the DfT registered LMS as a trademark (around the same time as they registered LNER).
 

Chiltern006

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What about West Coast Rail, easy to remember and short, name shows where it goes. But LMS does, but it's long, and a bit old fashioned NGL.
 

LNW-GW Joint

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EMR is probably the worst one so far as EMR has never existed until now, as far as I know, so you don't get the nostalgia and the logo doesn't look modern enough in my opinion.
LNWR also isn't great as I don't think many of the public know the even existed and the logo looks nothing like the original one, making it even less likely people will know about the original one. Atleast the original existed unlike EMR...

The "M" in the original "LMS" referred to the Midland Railway, which is really what EMR is (ignoring the XC dimension of the Midland which is always overlooked).
LNWR, although seemingly purloined by WMT as its brand, is much more "heritage" than LMS for West Coast services.
It was the largest joint-stock company in the country at grouping in 1923 (as was its successor the LMS).
The proposed DfT's "LMS" is also a pale shadow of the real LMS which reached Southend, Swansea, Leeds, Goole, Aberdeen, Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh.
 

RealTrains07

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The "M" in the original "LMS" referred to the Midland Railway, which is really what EMR is (ignoring the XC dimension of the Midland which is always overlooked).
LNWR, although seemingly purloined by WMT as its brand, is much more "heritage" than LMS for West Coast services.
It was the largest joint-stock company in the country at grouping in 1923 (as was its successor the LMS).
The proposed DfT's "LMS" is also a pale shadow of the real LMS which reached Southend, Swansea, Leeds, Goole, Aberdeen, Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh.
it will reach leeds again eventually when HS2 actually gets going
 

RealTrains07

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Because TOCs don't use the owning company's name as part of their brand identity any more. In fact, Virgin Trains is the only TOC left that does so.

that could easily change though in the future
What about West Coast Rail, easy to remember and short, name shows where it goes. But LMS does, but it's long, and a bit old fashioned NGL.
Cant. As stated previously the name is already taken
 

Energy

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I can't see First putting their name on franchises like First Great Western again. For example FGW and others had lots of complaints and it shows badly on other franchises with the First at the start.
They moved away from it for a good reason... Also because previously they won in 2012 before it got taken away from them because the DfT had unfair bidding. I doubt First will want people to remember that...
 

transmanche

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Because TOCs don't use the owning company's name as part of their brand identity any more. In fact, Virgin Trains is the only TOC left that does so.
that could easily change though in the future
Unlikely though. The powers that be seem to prefer 'neutral' brands that are easier to transfer if/when the franchise owner changes.

What about West Coast Rail, easy to remember and short, name shows where it goes.
Cant. As stated previously the name is already taken
Yes, by First Trenitalia! West Coast Rail is the working title used by the franchise until they launch their new brand.
 

Energy

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Also west coast railways exist so west coast rail could be confusing
 

anamyd

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This not happening then?

67496187_123016399005456_4043028498033129270_n.jpg
66773271_381711279193183_1461983549254009893_n.jpg
I can't stop laughing, brilliant :lol::lol::lol:
 

Chiltern006

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Well we seem to have west midland trains and west midland railway
West Coast Railways aren't an OFFICIAL TOC, they only operate railtour. West Coast Rail would be a Passenger operator, and that should be the brand name, as its simplistic, as I have ideas for the WCR livery. I did 804s as their probs going to be the replacement. Livery simplistic. Also I have based this on the colours I have seen on their website.

It also reflects GNER :lol:WCR 221.png WCR 804.png
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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I cannot help feeling disgusted and irritated at another outdated and old fashioned “Heritage” style name. When I first heard of “Avanti” I actually became a little more positive, as Avanti Trains is a distinctive sounding modern brand name. But if it is just LMS, I’m going to seriously lose patience.

You know it’s like dogs. You get one cute little puppy (GWR) and it delights everyone. But then the family decides to get a same puppy so they can enchant their friends again (SWR) and soon comes LNR and then LNER and then EMR and then LMS(R), and what have you got? Six dogs (TOCs) and a messy house with chewed curtains and excrement on the floor (a repetitive train service with a disappointing brand and a boring homogeneous railway)
 
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