LNER Livery

[Rail Blues]

I wonder if the Azuma is just a promotional feature for the exhibition. It seems crazy of this is the final livery, as Azuma is significantly bigger than the LNER logo.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Yeah, good chance it’s just a promotional livery. It also doesn’t really match with LNER’s colour scheme of red and black.

 

[tomatwark]

The Azuma bit may also be due the event being promoted before the franchise was given back, and most folks would think of Azuma rather than Virgin East Coast or LNER.

 

[Pete_uk]

Can't imagine that late 80s early 20s colour explosion will be part of the livery!

 

[Domh245]

Does nobody read through threads before posting?
1) That livery is a special one off for the great exhibition of the North

2) The actual livery (confirmed in internal circulations as said by a couple of staff on here) was linked to on the last page. It's still base white, with a windowband and the Azuma name (unfortunately) written on the side of the train. Not quite as large as on that promotional livery but it is there nonetheless

 

[DenmarkRail]

Does nobody read through threads before posting?
1) That livery is a special one off for the great exhibition of the North

2) The actual livery (confirmed in internal circulations as said by a couple of staff on here) was linked to on the last page. It's still base white, with a windowband and the Azuma name (unfortunately) written on the side of the train. Not quite as large as on that promotional livery but it is there nonetheless

Whats the grudge with the Azuma brand? Its much better than IET... People don't think "I'll travel with LNWR instead of Grand Central because of the IET train. The Azuma name sticks in peoples heads, and they then think "Hmm, LNWR have new Azuma trains, they seem cool, I'll use them"... I did a whole psychology / business study into this, and the more people remember the Azuma brand, and more people know it as a positive brand. Few people associated it with Virgin Trains East coast, and roughly half of those in the GWR area said they use the Azuma name to recognise the GWR IET/Azuma trains.... It was a wasted 2 weeks, but I had some fun talking to people

 

[Rhydgaled]

Who says the VTEC vinyls are coming off the 91s and HSTs? Pretty daft idea if you ask me.

I must confess I don't know much about vinyls (eg. how (well) they are stuck on) but I would assume that if you are trying to wipe away the Virgin brand and apply a new one that is obviously different, the quickest/easiest/cheapest way of doing that is to just pull the vinyls off. Plus the light-grey with dark-grey doors of the East Coast livery is closer to the livery the class 800s are being painted in than the VTEC livery, which would allow LNER to have a more-consistent livery across the different train types.

 

[ash39]

I must confess I don't know much about vinyls (eg. how (well) they are stuck on) but I would assume that if you are trying to wipe away the Virgin brand and apply a new one that is obviously different, the quickest/easiest/cheapest way of doing that is to just pull the vinyls off. Plus the light-grey with dark-grey doors of the East Coast livery is closer to the livery the class 800s are being painted in than the VTEC livery, which would allow LNER to have a more-consistent livery across the different train types.

I don't think that would work. From a time-lapse video I remember watching at the time VTEC were rebranding the stock, the job was done with a mixture of paint/vinyl. I can't find the video in question, but I seem to remember seeing a mk3 coach being painted black around the windows prior to the vinyls going on.

Some of the power cars have also been fully repainted, as they were due a repaint as part of a major exam (probably the ones that were still in National Express livery when VTEC took over).

 

[waterboo]

Sources suggesting that first rebranded unit will be on the network tommorow morning!

 

[Rhydgaled]

I don't think that would work. From a time-lapse video I remember watching at the time VTEC were rebranding the stock, the job was done with a mixture of paint/vinyl. I can't find the video in question, but I seem to remember seeing a mk3 coach being painted black around the windows prior to the vinyls going on.

If it's just black paint in a neat band around the windows and all the red and white is vinyl then that's even closer to the LNER livery shown on the photoshoped class 800 which had a band around the windows (red rather than black admittedly, but probably doesn't matter since most of the fleet will be replaced within a year or two anyway).

Some of the power cars have also been fully repainted, as they were due a repaint as part of a major exam (probably the ones that were still in National Express livery when VTEC took over).

Ah, I forgot East Coast hadn't quite finished repainting all the power cars. Yeah, my suggestion of simply removing the vinyls might not work then.

Sources suggesting that first rebranded unit will be on the network tommorow morning!

Unit? In passenger service? I wasn't aware the Azumas were being introduced to passenger use just yet. I would have thought at least one rebranded IC125 or IC225 train would have been revealed today as the first day of the new LNER (or is it the last day of VTEC?) but they are fixed-formation loco-hauled trains not multiple units.

 

[AlistairCowell]

I would have thought at least one rebranded IC125 or IC225 train would have been revealed today as the first day of the new LNER (or is it the last day of VTEC?) but they are fixed-formation loco-hauled trains not multiple units.

Legally, it is the first day of the LNER. But today is Sunday, so re-branded unit will be tomorrow along with the official launch, so trains are sill in VTEC branding.

 

[47802]

If it's just black paint in a neat band around the windows and all the red and white is vinyl then that's even closer to the LNER livery shown on the photoshoped class 800 which had a band around the windows (red rather than black admittedly, but probably doesn't matter since most of the fleet will be replaced within a year or two anyway).

Ah, I forgot East Coast hadn't quite finished repainting all the power cars. Yeah, my suggestion of simply removing the vinyls might not work then.

Unit? In passenger service? I wasn't aware the Azumas were being introduced to passenger use just yet. I would have thought at least one rebranded IC125 or IC225 train would have been revealed today as the first day of the new LNER (or is it the last day of VTEC?) but they are fixed-formation loco-hauled trains not multiple units.

Why even bother doing that I wouldn't any waste any time or money on the HST or 225 sets other than the bear minimum to remove virgin branding and stick an lner logo on. Instead show a rebranded IET even if they are not entering service yet.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Why even bother doing that I wouldn't any waste any time or money on the HST or 225 sets other than the bear minimum to remove virgin branding and stick an lner logo on. Instead show a rebranded IET even if they are not entering service yet.

I agree in general. However, if there are still plans to retain some IC225s maybe they could just rebrand the ones they expect to keep?

 

[CeeJ]

I don't think that would work. From a time-lapse video I remember watching at the time VTEC were rebranding the stock, the job was done with a mixture of paint/vinyl. I can't find the video in question, but I seem to remember seeing a mk3 coach being painted black around the windows prior to the vinyls going on.

Some of the power cars have also been fully repainted, as they were due a repaint as part of a major exam (probably the ones that were still in National Express livery when VTEC took over).

The video in question!

Appears the HSTs are painted red beneath the vinyl, while the Mk3s have been painted white, black, grey and red!

 

[433N]

Legally, it is the first day of the LNER. But today is Sunday, so re-branded unit will be tomorrow along with the official launch, so trains are sill in VTEC branding.

I was a bit surprised when I found that out. I travelled yesterday and thought it already was LNER such was the pervasiveness of the branding (including carriage stop indicator signs). Even the onboard WiFi was LNER-WiFi .

 

[59CosG95]

I was a bit surprised when I found that out. I travelled yesterday and thought it already was LNER such was the pervasiveness of the branding (including carriage stop indicator signs). Even the onboard WiFi was LNER-WiFi .

Some of the announcements at KGX were for "London North Eastern Railway" too, both over the tannoy and on the dot-matrix displays.

 

[jonathan01n]

I know the chances are slim, but how about the blue GNER livery use on the 800s. just change the words GNER to LNER . I think blue quite matches this type of train. The southeastern 395 in blue did look quite smart. I did think blue will quite match the 800s

 

[ash39]

I know the chances are slim, but how about the blue GNER livery use on the 800s. just change the words GNER to LNER . I think blue quite matches this type of train. The southeastern 395 in blue did look quite smart. I did think blue will quite match the 800s

I agree that livery would suit them. Would look a bit like the NoL Eurostar sets they had for a brief time.

It won't happen though, their brand is red based! And the livery already decided, it seems.

 

[nxea321446]

RTT has an STP path for tomorrow morning for an ECS 225 set from Bounds Green into Kings Cross, due off the depot at 09:30, i’m assuming this is the set in LNER livery for the launch?

Just my assumption btw, but seems likely as it’s an STP path and heading for Kings Cross.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N15977/2018/06/25/advanced

 

[91109]

RTT has an STP path for tomorrow morning for an ECS 225 set from Bounds Green into Kings Cross, due off the depot at 09:30, i’m assuming this is the set in LNER livery for the launch?

Just my assumption btw, but seems likely as it’s an STP path and heading for Kings Cross.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N15977/2018/06/25/advanced

Correct. It will form 1S12 after the launch event, though all they've done is remove the Virgin logo and replaced it with the LNER one.

 

[66Yorks]

I hope its been washed!

Correct. It will form 1S12 after the launch event, though all they've done is remove the Virgin logo and replaced it with the LNER one.

 

[whhistle]

... though all they've done is remove the Virgin logo and replaced it with the LNER one.

Well that's boring :P

 

[KashmireHawker]

1S12 departing Bounds Green to Kings Cross and heading for Platform 8: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N15977/2018/06/25/advanced

 

[Darandio]

Would anyone now agree this thread title needs changing? As the older thread discussion regarding the removal of VTEC is now locked and re-directing here, it's not going to be a thread solely about the livery.

As for the changeover itself, I see the LNER Twitter has continued in the same vein and is still as insufferable as ever. Maybe i'm just acting like an old fart but given the circumstances around the changeover and this being a 'new start', i'd have liked to have seen a change from the attempts at crap humour. HAPPY MONDAYS!!

 

[KashmireHawker]

Here is the 08:33 to Leeds - it's the world's simplest job: https://twitter.com/tim_hedleyj/status/1011152909063553024

 

[Gadget88]

Spotted this on Twitter

 

[SaveECRewards]

I read an article today that said the estimated costs of rebranding were £8million. That sounds a lot for a project that's deliberately kept simple.

 

[Craigster90]

1S12 departing Bounds Green to Kings Cross and heading for Platform 8: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N15977/2018/06/25/advanced

Is this for the 10.30 departure and Launch?

 

[A0wen]

I read an article today that said the estimated costs of rebranding were £8million. That sounds a lot for a project that's deliberately kept simple.

Depends what has been included in the project costs - if it meant registration of LNER as a trademark and various other things then it soon mounts up.

There will be all the posters up and down the network, the station signage etc. Now whilst posters would usually be updated at regular intervals, to do all on one day may have been bundled together into a 'one off' start up cost under the 'rebrand' heading.

To put some context - to vinyl wrap an average car or van is circa £ 1500. Assume that's a similar to the scale of what's being done for LNER on start up - you've got 31 x 91s = c £ 50k, approx 300 x Mk4 coaches = £ 450k, 30 x DVTs = £ 45k, 32 x HST power cars = £ 48k, 117 x Mk3 coaches £ 175k - Grand total of £ 768k just to do the vehicles.

 

[mpthomson]

Well that's boring :P

It's as I thought and by far the most sensible thing to have done. Why waste money on costly repaints/vinyl work?