fairysdad
Member
Written big to get attention:
Updated again 19 August 2017, the day before the franchise handover with some first glimpses at the branding.
Updated on 27 March 2017 after it was announced that First have been awarded the new South Western franchise.
This is NOT a post about WHO should get the current SWT franchise, but IS a thread SPECULATING on what MIGHT happen should FirstGroup get awarded it. Discussion on the pros and cons and rights and wrongs over the situation of this franchise can be found here*, so please keep that discussion there instead of here. Ta!
So, if FirstGroup get the SWT franchise, how do you think they'll brand it? I would guess given recent FirstGroup policy on branding (with GWR and 'Buses of Somerset') that they will not be called 'First South Western' or similar, but instead go for a slightly more historic name.
They wouldn't be able to use 'Southern' as GTR are already using that as a brand name; I guess that the NetworkSouthEast name is still owned by whoever owns the old BR branding (BRB? ATOC? NR?) so that is out.
I would go for 'South Western Railway' which has connections to the LSWR. Thus, using LSWR as a basis for livery: difficult as from what I can gather, the LSWR had a green livery which is what First are using for GWR these days, though maybe a lighter or brighter green. LSWR also seemed to use a red / orange livery at some points during their history, so maybe an updated version of something like this.
Ideas and thoughts people?
REMEMBER: This is NOT a thread for discussing the franchise itself or the merits or demerits between Stagecoach or FirstGroup. This is a thread ONLY for discussion of potential branding and liveries should FirstGroup be awarded the franchise (I am assuming that should Stagecoach retain it, liveries will remain exactly the same as they currently are bar a few tweaks).
(* I'm sure there was another thread dedicated to this subject, but this was the only one that I could find through the search function. If there is a better one, Mods, feel free to change the link!)
Updated again 19 August 2017, the day before the franchise handover with some first glimpses at the branding.
Updated on 27 March 2017 after it was announced that First have been awarded the new South Western franchise.
This is NOT a post about WHO should get the current SWT franchise, but IS a thread SPECULATING on what MIGHT happen should FirstGroup get awarded it. Discussion on the pros and cons and rights and wrongs over the situation of this franchise can be found here*, so please keep that discussion there instead of here. Ta!
So, if FirstGroup get the SWT franchise, how do you think they'll brand it? I would guess given recent FirstGroup policy on branding (with GWR and 'Buses of Somerset') that they will not be called 'First South Western' or similar, but instead go for a slightly more historic name.
They wouldn't be able to use 'Southern' as GTR are already using that as a brand name; I guess that the NetworkSouthEast name is still owned by whoever owns the old BR branding (BRB? ATOC? NR?) so that is out.
I would go for 'South Western Railway' which has connections to the LSWR. Thus, using LSWR as a basis for livery: difficult as from what I can gather, the LSWR had a green livery which is what First are using for GWR these days, though maybe a lighter or brighter green. LSWR also seemed to use a red / orange livery at some points during their history, so maybe an updated version of something like this.
Ideas and thoughts people?
REMEMBER: This is NOT a thread for discussing the franchise itself or the merits or demerits between Stagecoach or FirstGroup. This is a thread ONLY for discussion of potential branding and liveries should FirstGroup be awarded the franchise (I am assuming that should Stagecoach retain it, liveries will remain exactly the same as they currently are bar a few tweaks).
(* I'm sure there was another thread dedicated to this subject, but this was the only one that I could find through the search function. If there is a better one, Mods, feel free to change the link!)
Last edited: