New Thameslink logo

[Dann]

Just interesting to note that Govia's rebranding Thameslink with a new logo, distinct from Great Northern. Not sure what I think, but interesting that they've decided to make the two lines entirely distinct identities.



http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/about-us/new-thameslink/

 

[bicbasher]

What a bunch of corporate nonsense. There was an opportunity to unify the GTR brands using the Great Northern logo with a different colour for each brand, instead TL now joins Southern and Gatwick Express in using unique branding.

Many passengers who aren't enthusiasts or in the industry still haven't figured out that the GTR sub brands are just that.

 

[phoenixcronin]

I think this move is a total disaster. As bicbasher says I would rather see all GTR brands share a common identity, and instead this move goes in the opposite direction. Not to mention the new logo looks like very very bad IMHO.

Also somewhere its says in the press release that "Until now Thameslink has not had its own identity and has been sharing one with Great Northern, even though the lines are actually very different."

Well, actually you could argue that they have quite a lot in common, ESPECIALLY after 2018 with the routes sharing some track.

 

[HH]

I feel sure that this is an attempt to stop toxic publicity spreading from one brand to the others...

 

[coppercapped]

There are two reasons.

One is that on the GN the different names identify that a Thameslink train goes through London and a GN train terminates in London.

It's to help the passengers - what's wrong with that?

The second is that GTR has to manage the three groups of services separately so that, after all the building work has been finished and all the new trains are in operation, the DfT wants to be able to let separate franchises/concessions/whatever without having to discombobulate everything only a few years after it has all been combobulated...

 

[cf111]

I wonder how much they paid for someone to come up with that logo! I mean it's just the name with a pink forward slash after it, who looks at that and says "yes, this defines our company well"?

 

[David Goddard]

Logos like this would have been much better, and simpler to understand!

 

[Sunset route]

Logos like this would have been much better, and simpler to understand!

Where's the "like" button.

 

[bicbasher]

Logos like this would have been much better, and simpler to understand!

NSE had the right idea. Bring back South London Lines for Southern metro services!

 

[jon0844]

The idea of having T/ for the Twitter avatar is silly (IMO) and I am confused about the mix of Thameslink and ThamesLink used by the company. I asked on Twitter which was correct and they didn't answer.

Nor did they answer my question about why they didn't at least use the new logo on the press launch unit, as it featured all over social media, YouTube, and the mainstream media.

How hard would it be to peel off the existing vinyls and change it on ONE train?

Maybe they didn't know what unit they'd use, but they could have at least said that.

 

[Requeststop]

Logos like this would have been much better, and simpler to understand!

They remind me of the old Thames Television logo's when ITV was a proper regional set-up.

 

[Harbornite]

In my opinion, having 4 distinct brands (Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatex) would be suitable.

 

[physics34]

I feel sure that this is an attempt to stop toxic publicity spreading from one brand to the others...

yep, something that GoAhead/GoVia clearly do with all their businesses.

For companies like First when Great Western was in trouble many people often got them mixed up with First Capital Connect, for example.

 

[hemsl]

This rebrand is frustrating on so many levels.

1. The "old" logo was introduced when the new franchise started - on 14 September 2014. So it lasted less than two years. What is known now that wasn't known then?

2. When I passed the Three Bridges depot the other week all of the new trains stabled there have the old logo - before they've operated a single day's service. The website announcing the new brand states -- "We are committed to making sure the new brand appears on anything that we produce from this point forward by replacing old items as and when it is right to do so". So, on this basis, most if not all of the brand new trains will have old branding from day one. Irrelevant to most people - but hardly clever management.

3. The logo unnecessarily introduces confusion over whether the brand is "Thameslink" or "ThamesLink". To date, it's always been the former. The new logo clearly shows a capital L. Yet the article on the Thameslink/ThamesLink website announcing the new brand still uses Thameslink. No other references on the website use the capital L. Why have a logo that is written differently to copy text? Thanks to this logo the brand will forever be a inconsistent muddle of the two in the media and customers' minds.

4. Subjective I know, but I don't see how the new logo can be considered visually superior to the old. Even if you prefer the new logo, it's not sufficiently different as to warrant the unnecessary expense.

On a slightly different note, the claim on the website announcing the new brand that "it would be wrong to spend money changing logos and branding for the sake of it" is not borne out by the company's actions elsewhere. At Denmark Hill station the old Southeastern signs, which made no reference to Southeastern and involved white writing on a navy blue background, have been replaced with new signs, which make no reference to Thameslink, and involve exactly the same text in a different font on a dark grey background. Except they haven't replaced all, so there are a few signs still in the old colour.

This, to quote Thameslink, is an exercise in spending money on branding for the sake of it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[43096]

There are two reasons.

One is that on the GN the different names identify that a Thameslink train goes through London and a GN train terminates in London.

It's to help the passengers - what's wrong with that?

The second is that GTR has to manage the three groups of services separately so that, after all the building work has been finished and all the new trains are in operation, the DfT wants to be able to let separate franchises/concessions/whatever without having to discombobulate everything only a few years after it has all been combobulated...

Which is all fine and good, but it just shows what an utter muddle GTR are. It was GTR who introduced the new logos for GN and Thameslink; it is GTR that is changing the Thameslink logo barely 12 months later. It's just symptomatic of the utter incompetence that is GTR.

 

[jon0844]

I think it will be confusing when both TL and GN trains are in use on the ECML, and wonder if GTR would ever consider selling differently priced tickets for each?

Different pocket timetables? Different applications under Delay Repay?

How far is GTR going with this idea?

First Capital Connect had a clear distinction between GN and TL, but with one brand. Great Northern and Thameslink were separate, but you could see an association because of the logos. GoVia doesn't really mention itself anywhere on posters or other branding, except where it has to for various compliance issues.

 

[yorkie]

The branding is ridiculous.

I agree with others who have said this is a missed opportunity to create unified branding showing each separate route all as part of the same train company.

I think it will be confusing when both TL and GN trains are in use on the ECML, and wonder if GTR would ever consider selling differently priced tickets for each?

They are not allowed to. The Ticketing Settlement Agreement does not allow for it. However this needs to be posted on a separate thread in the fares section if its to be discussed any further!

 

[DelayRepay]

From their website:

So what does Straight Forward mean?

Straight Forward is about what you, our customers want – to get moving, with links to airports, major hubs and other lines such as the soon to be launched Crossrail. We’re here to try and make train travel easier for people making those connections by taking a common sense approach to continually improve our service.

Is Straight Forward about not employing enough staff to drive the trains, so there are regular cancellations? Are they making travel easier by proposing to close ticket offices so people can't find a member of staff when they need assistance or information?

I work for a company who used to have a poor reputation, and we re-branded to try to shed some of the baggage of the past. But, before we did that we made sure all the problems were fixed so our existing, and new customers would be happy with the service the "new" company was offering. I am not sure why Thameslink are re-branding because they haven't solved any of the problems.

I guess it is to coincide with the new trains, but I think it would have been better to re-brand when the Thameslink Programme is finished and the new routes are fully operational.

 

[physics34]

Well GTR is likely to be split up again in 2021, anyway (or maybe earlier if this bad performance continues!)

 

[class387]

On a side note today is the last day of spring (March, April, May) and the Class 700s aren't in service yet, so their Straight Forward isn't working.

 

[HH]

Summer officially starts on June 20.

 

[dosxuk]

Summer officially starts on June 20.

Depending on your definition of summer... There's good arguments for June 1st, June 20th & July 1st all being the start of summer.

Helpful when you've got a project which is running late

 

[class387]

Yeah, but having to argue about the technical defenition of 'summer' isn't really Straight Forward.

 

[tankmc]

The Logo is bland and forgettable. I was not a huge fan of the old one but I liked how it was clear and stood out this one just gets lost. I also liked there visual identity and posters. This literally looks like someone made it in two seconds on Photoshop and then made some BS up about moving forward.

Waste of time and money.

 

[b0b]

NSE had the right idea. Bring back South London Lines for Southern metro services!

absolutely!!

 

[backontrack]

So they announce that they're making things 'straight forward'...

...and then go and make their branding less straightforward?

All you need are three colours; bright blue, bright pink, bright green. Then you...you keep the current logos and paint the trains in these colours! It's really, really simple.

 

[jon0844]

Regardless of what plans the DfT may have for the future, does TL and GN need separate branding for trains? Or couldn't the 700s have both logos (in which case, you'd have kept the old TL one).

When people at Finsbury Park see a train turn up, they'll only care about where it goes. Terminates at King's Cross (or Moorgate, but this could more justifiably have its own brand) or goes to a destination that sees the train go over to the core.

It's that simple. One big route map showing all destinations, operated (as it is) by one company.

Can't get any more Straightforward/ than that.

 

[Taunton]

However many different logos and liveries has Thameslink managed to have in its short history, and however many more will be heaped on us in the future? When was the last time the whole fleet was in the same colours and branding? Was it ever achieved?

I hope the inordinate cost of all this is not added into the regulated costs which the regulator looks at for assessing the rate of return a company can make.

In passing, whatever happened to the plan for a unified national livery and branding, with just small supplementary decals who whoever was the operator this week, an approach which works well on the buses in London.

 

[theironroad]

I wonder how many millions have been sucked out of the operational railway by brand consultants to change the font and add a forward slash (oblique) and launch it as a new brand.

What a way to run a railway in the interests of public service.

Straightforward/not......

 

[Andyh82]

I can't see any reason why they've rebranded so soon, they only took over from FCC about five minutes ago, especially as the brand is used alongside Great Northern frequently, but now looks completely different.

Plus the new logo is terrible and is basically a forward slash at the end of a word.

I was hoping Southern might adopt a GTR logo with a green bit underneath, but they've instead gone in completely the opposite direction.