Make no mistake, this isn't a question about what train operator has the best livery. At least not in the sense of your personal favourite. But rather this thread raises the question as to what makes a good livery for a train operator and why some liveries are better than others. For me personally, a good livery is one that is simple (as in design and pattern), distinctive, appropriately branded, and enhances the look and design of the train.
What a great thread idea! Much more interesting than personal preferences.
I broadly agree, however, I think it's really important to recognise the marketing value of the livery, and how the livery is placed to represent the brand values and corporate image of the operator - simply, it's the operators single most ubiquitous marketing tool. For this reason, I'd agree and disagree with a few of your comments, and add some of my own.
Additionally, a good livery also uses the appropriate amount of colours and mixture of colours so that it's striking enough to be noticeable and distinctive but also simple enough that it's not a total eyesore. I would argue that three is generally the magic number for a train livery with maybe a fourth colour at a push if used correctly.
Absolutely agree. Less is more when it comes to a colour palette.
All of these considered, I would personally consider the following liveries to be the best:
- CrossCountry: It's dark burgundy/brown roof and cab sides with silver bodyshell and grey and black window bands gives it a very sleek and distinctive modern look. I would argue that it's quite overbranded though unfortunately and could do with less text on the side of the trains themselves.
Certainly meets the fewer colours requirement - I also agree, the wording is overused. The livery, I feel, is distinctive enough that the brand is portrayed by the livery in its own right. The wording, twice per vehicle, is overkill.
- Grand Central: The black base colour combined with a modestly applied orange stripe and white doors (except gold for first class) make this livery stand out for it's sheer uniqueness and really gives a grand feel true to the operator's name. It gives them a really premier feel without looking like an outdated steam-era livery that would otherwise look bad in a lot of other colours in my opinion.
I would again say, like cross country, grand Central is over branded. Smaller, more subtle logos would be a better compromise, but a fair summary none the less. Its a great shame that grand Centrals interior screams cheap and tacky. Shown an image of just the interior, you wouldn't very blamed for wondering when easyjet became a train operator - primarily due to the similar seat maquette.
- GNER: One of the old ones that no longer exists on the rail network, but I still believe it's a prime example of how a minimal use of colour variety can play to a livery's strength. The dark blue base colour and red stripes/doors made this livery look very smart back in the days of GNER, and some would even argue it's the best that's ever been on the East Coast Main Line since privatisation.
Possibly even the best post-privatisation livery. For me, a key feature of the livery was how it portrayed the brand imagine that GNER were aspiring to quite perfectly. They didn't have to say they were trying to be the best - the livery did it for them. I do think, however, the mallard refurbishment (both internally and externally), rather spoilt this.
- Virgin Trains: Another old one that no longer exists on the network, but still a distinctive livery that gave the Pendolino fleet a sleek modern look in line with the West Coast Main Line modernisation with it's red roof and cab sides and silver bodyshell separated by a swooshing white band, black window bands, and even a distinctive yellow smile that was well incorporated into the livery itself.
I would also extend this to the old red/black livery. Again, it embodied the brand values of virgin and, whilst unconventional, was certainly distinctive and appealing.
Of course naturally there will be some liveries that don't meet much of the criteria and will rank poorly. Some of these for me include:
- Avanti West Coast: Non-LMS colours on the WCML aside (which is a personal preference for me anyway), the varying patterns on the white coaches combined with door colours changing makes this livery a little messy in my opinion. The cab cars look fine, but the white coaches could really do better than just having one side decorated while the other side remains largely bland and untouched. The Avanti triangles between the windows and doors don't help either and should be left solely at the side of the cab areas.
I'd disagree here. Whilst the execution isn't perfect, I think Avanti balances a degree of class and sophistication, with the more brash and loud elements of the virgin brand it replaced, rather a smart centre ground that makes the WCML look a little more sensible than it did 5 years ago, without making it look entirely unrecognisable to its customer base. The triangle theme on the carriages isn't supposed to be a replicated pattern and I think that looks quite charming, although I do agree it leaves a little plain white bodyside than always is desirable.
- London North Eastern Railway: LMS colours on the wrong railway aside, the Class 800/801s really don't look that much better than their base livery of plain white when they first arrived. The mixtures of red across the window bands don't really suit the train in my opinion, and the grey doors do not exactly compliment the rolling stock either. Really not the look I'd personally want for an intercity operator.
If DOR wanted a livery that screamed austerity, perhaps?
- Northern: The blue and white isn't really that bad, but the branding of various N stickers across the bodyshell along with a lack of black window bands to contrast with the plain whiteness really doesn't do any favours to this livery in my opinion. The N branding in particular doesn't help when it almost makes the operators name into "N-Northern".
Disagree here again. Whilst the livery is simple, I think it suits the CAF fleet very well and alludes a professionalism that the old northern (with its, garish, child like colour pallete, make it up as you go along branding - see various livery/logo revisions in the first few years and drab interiors) lacked. The colour palette is simple and effective, smart yet understated. The coloured northern logos add a degree of fun and 21st century. By no means a "write home about it" livery, but much smarter than its predecessor and very much on brand.
My honourable mention that was missed, would be the current TransPennine Express livery. It manages to blend a simple concept with a number of different colours. Unlike virgins silver livery, it manages to looks smart and modern, without looking cliche (nothing like swooping red contrasted with swooping white and "look at me" hazard striped doors for comical express train - very virgin!). The "star" logo is imagined well on the nose and its a surprisingly complex image that lends itself well to the various differing shapes of the fleet - and seems to nicely gel with TPEs corporate image.
