WMTrains livery and station branding

[Spirit555]

170504 has now been Tangoed as well.

Link to Pic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/135365957@N02/30114910468/in/dateposted-public/

 

[jhy44]

... as the DfT currently has a thing for traditional regional names ending with "Railway".

It's annoying as 'Railway' is two syllables longer than the 'trains' it's replacing, making the ever-lengthening announcements even longer. If the Department dislikes 'trains' all of a sudden then 'rail' is much better and shorter, and snappier sounding, imho. Yet another example of the Scots getting it right.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

How long until we can expect to see the new London Northwestern livery put all Class 350s? I've yet to see any on the Birmingham-Liverpool route, and I've only seen one in person at Euston (albeit in the early days of the franchise all the way back in January).

 

[pt_mad]

It's annoying as 'Railway' is two syllables longer than the 'trains' it's replacing, making the ever-lengthening announcements even longer. If the Department dislikes 'trains' all of a sudden then 'rail' is much better and shorter, and snappier sounding, imho. Yet another example of the Scots getting it right.

Perhaps they are trying to bring connotations of the old romantic exciting rail travel of old by using the word railway so much, rather than London Northeastern Trains.

 

[yorkie]

How come the West Midlands franchise had to be seperated branding wise as WMR and London Northwestern? Isn’t East Midlands branded the same name for both their city and long distance London services?

I agree it's illogical but if you want to debate that, please create a new thread, as this thread is just about the livery and that's a whole new topic.

 

[JaJaWa]

Those are the old logos...

Believe I was correct here – the Transport for West Midlands website and Twitter has now changed to this logo! Meanwhile a West Midlands Transport logo has been introduced.

I suppose it's like the separation between Centro and Network West Midlands but no clue why they have decided to continue this complexity.

 

[DavidGrain]

So Transport for West Midlands are using the West Midlands Combined Authority logo on their website. So can anyone explain this logo which I have never seen before

And who are West Midlands Transport? If they are not TfWM, why can I not find them in a Google search? Yet they are using the overlaid WM logo as if they were part of the governing body for transport in the West Midlands.

Perhaps we should all tweet Mr Street and ask him for an explanation

 

[bussnapperwm]

My local station is served by WMR trains on a 6tph basis plus three Chiltern trains to London in the morning and three return trains in the evening. I am sure that the commuters into Birmingham do notice the difference but do they care whether they are standing on a WMR train or a Chiltern train? Possibly because there is more room to stand on a WMRtrain but they still catch the next train.

Not always. I commute occasionally on Snow Hill west and usually opt for chiltern as I know the seats are more comfortable and have free WiFi

If you are at Birmingham International and want to go to New Street do you chose to get on a Virgin WC, a XC, a WMR, an LNW or an ATW? No, you get on the next train.

Sometimes people prefer one particular TOC. I usually get the ATW hourly service as with WMR it's the 323 hurdles, LNWR seem to be obsessed with 350/2s which are like hurdles, Virgin is like walking half a mile to find a free standard seat and XC is always overcrowded.

How come the West Midlands franchise had to be seperated branding wise as WMR and London Northwestern? Isn’t East Midlands branded the same name for both their city and long distance London services?

Because the combined authority specified part of the WM network franchise. Ultimately the plan is for WMRP/WMCA to be the body franchising the WM and DfT everything else. Unfortunately...

Believe I was correct here – the Transport for West Midlands website and Twitter has now changed to this logo! Meanwhile a West Midlands Transport logo has been introduced.

I suppose it's like the separation between Centro and Network West Midlands but no clue why they have decided to continue this complexity.

TfWM is the section of the combined authority responsiblefor public transport in the Midlands. The rest, like skills, housing, planning etc is separate.

So Transport for West Midlands are using the West Midlands Combined Authority logo on their website. So can anyone explain this logo which I have never seen before

And who are West Midlands Transport? If they are not TfWM, why can I not find them in a Google search? Yet they are using the overlaid WM logo as if they were part of the governing body for transport in the West Midlands.

Perhaps we should all tweet Mr Street and ask him for an explanation

That logo is one of the previous ones they used. It's cost us Midlands taxpayers a fortune (the exact amount is pending from a FOI i sent them!) For the constant change of branding.


West Midlands Transport I believe is to be the overarching brand covering West Midlands Metro, West Midlands Rail, West Midlands Bus with Transport for West Midlands discharging the former Centro PTA/PTE role.

 

[brwmly]

That logo is one of the previous ones they used. It's cost us Midlands taxpayers a fortune (the exact amount is pending from a FOI i sent them!) For the constant change of branding.

They hadn't actually had a branding exercise until now... The original WMCA and TfWM logos were created before the combined authority even existed. They spent nothing on them apart from some staffing costs, which were taken from the constituent councils who set everything up.

But now they are going to waste time and money answering your FOI, so well done.

 

[Spirit555]

Another 172 Tangoed. 172335

 

[TH172341]

172335 is out today and first time I have seen the new livery in person. Looks excellent. Terrible photo but thought I'd share, will try and get a better one later.

 

[johnw]

The problem with orange is that it’s a colour I associate with Glasgow.

I don’t fall into the ‘customers don’t care’ ‘waste of money’ every time a franchise changes ideology. But it does seem a pointless exercise to do this on units that will leave the franchise in a few years time.

With regards to the London Northwestern part of the franchise, they really should have swallowed a bit of corporate pride and retained the London Midland livery and just changed the name. It really was an excellent livery, font etc.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

This WM transport branding complexity got me thinking as this also applies to LNR to some extent.

If you're searching for LNR timetables, live departures, train status on Google or elsewhere on the internet, these are usually branded as "West Midlands Trains". If you're unaware about the WM franchise, you could be expecting to see "West Midlands" on the trains but see "London Northwestern Railway" even "operated by WMT" in small form on the side but this can't always be spotted by everyone.

"Excuse me, where's the West Midlands train to Northampton?"
"It's this one here" (points at the LNR train)
"But.. it doesn't say...it can't be the right one"
"Yes, it is this one, I assure you"
"Oh ok, thanks!"

It could be useful if Google & elsewhere on the internet update this to the LNR name. Or the whole WM franchise - both WMR & LNR - may as well all be branded under one name as WMR as with the previous operator, LM.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It could be useful if Google & elsewhere on the internet update this to the LNR name. Or the whole WM franchise - both WMR & LNR - may as well all be branded under one name as WMR as with the previous operator, LM.

Not to mention that the 2 character code used on timetables is still LM. Mind you, I think LNER still use GR, many generations of failed TOCs after GNER were actually a thing.

 

[causton]

Advance tickets from many ticket offices (CCSTX - the new style) still print the seat reservation with the TOC "London Midland".

All of these issues should have been planned to be resolved with the December 2018 timetable change, but as this is not going ahead anymore I will expect the same questions till next May!

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Agree about the operator code & the ticket conditions.

Wikipedia somehow has the codes for LNR & WMR down - LN and WM - so are these in use yet?

It is a shame that Abellio can't seem to handle the WM branding confusion. For a TOC currently in dire straits, GTR manages to get it right with Thameslink, GN and Southern which are clearly branded & distinctive which the GTR name isn't always visible.

 

[pt_mad]

AFAIK when I traveled with them recently, the ticket did have LNR / WMT only on it.

Also the trains do have Operated by West Midlands Trains on them don't they.

 

[sd0733]

323205 and 323216 both out now in WMT livery with another visible through the doors at Soho being done.

 

[XCTurbostar]

323205 and 323216 both out now in WMT livery with another visible through the doors at Soho being done.

Fast approaching the halfway mark!

 

[59CosG95]

The WMR branding list has been updated to reflect these latest repaints, as well as the repaint of Berkswell, Tile Hill & Canley, which have all now got varying degrees of WMR paint in place of the LM paint.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I must admit that Bletchley is looking very smart in the new colours, a bit less brash than LM green.

It's a shame the livery itself is so rubbish. Hopefully, as with WMR, they will come up with a new version before it goes across the fleet.

 

[Silverlink]

They can take their sweet time with the LN re-livery. The LM livery looks so much better imo.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They can take their sweet time with the LN re-livery. The LM livery looks so much better imo.

TBH I actually think the LM livery looks better with the LNR stickers. An unusual case, that.

 

[59CosG95]

This just in: https://www.facebook.com/394215074327370/posts/563464120735797/
350374 is the next Desiro to get LNWR livery.

 

[Silverlink]

I hope they’re doing the interior as well!

 

[XCTurbostar]

For those that can’t see Facebook links:

 

[superalbs]

Hopefully those lights are reconfigured and we can ditch the yellow panel.

 

[pt_mad]

How long roughly does it take to revinyl a 4 car unit?

 

[Bletchleyite]

More "Trebor mints", then...I had hoped they'd do a redesign first.

 

[XCTurbostar]

More "Trebor mints", then...I had hoped they'd do a redesign first.

I had hoped that too. I don't think its a bad livery or colour scheme in general.. Its just the front. Full yellow or no yellow.. please!