First Great Western rebrands to Great Western Railway and related department changes

[whole diary]

[bobm]

I think you mean Plymouth to Penzance and I did say debut run to London because I couldn't remember if an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) forms the 07:02 on a Monday. Occasionally it's been a unit.

[The Tall Controller]

Yes apologies for the typo and for not reading your post properly! 

[Charles T]

I'm happy of the changes to the units....


My Mum's neighbour is a Train Manager, I think that I will need to speak to him to see what is going on about the train manager sager.

And I'm a little p***** about the interior of the new ones for Thames. No first class on it?

[bobm]

Just to note according to her LinkedIn profile Diane Burke, who led the rebrand, has left GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[TaplowGreen]

Just to note according to her LinkedIn profile Diane Burke, who led the rebrand, has left GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

Own choice or sacked? To be honest it's been a colossal non event as far as most customers are concerned........a few trains which were blue are now green, that's about it.

[grahame]

Just to note according to her LinkedIn profile Diane Burke, who led the rebrand, has left GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

Own choice or sacked? To be honest it's been a colossal non event as far as most customers are concerned........a few trains which were blue are now green, that's about it.

No answer, but if I look at someone's profile and find them straight into another role it tells me one story ... and if there's a gap, it suggests something else.   No definite proof - I was once laid off on a Friday and had a new job on the Monday, and I know people who have taken a planned sabbatical.

The "Blue to green" is a slow burner - like franchise changes at time.  Nothing much appears to have happened, yet it time the direction is radially different.

[LiskeardRich]

Quite often people like her are on fixed term contracts to carry out a task and then that's it, they move onto their next project.
I know of someone with a similar portfolio of employment and has moved all over the world carrying out his project then moves on. He does get paid more a month than most do in a year so don't go feeling sorry! 

[bobm]

Just to note according to her LinkedIn profile Diane Burke, who led the rebrand, has left GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

Own choice or sacked? To be honest it's been a colossal non event as far as most customers are concerned........a few trains which were blue are now green, that's about it.

It's a bit of a no win. If they paint all the trains green they'll be accused of wasting money. If they don't it seems half hearted.

[brizzlechris]

Just to note according to her LinkedIn profile Diane Burke, who led the rebrand, has left GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

Own choice or sacked? To be honest it's been a colossal non event as far as most customers are concerned........a few trains which were blue are now green, that's about it.

No answer, but if I look at someone's profile and find them straight into another role it tells me one story ... and if there's a gap, it suggests something else.   No definite proof - I was once laid off on a Friday and had a new job on the Monday, and I know people who have taken a planned sabbatical.

Worth noting that the new "employment" listed on LinkedIn is her own company, incorporated this year.

[lordgoata]

Own choice or sacked? To be honest it's been a colossal non event as far as most customers are concerned........a few trains which were blue are now green, that's about it.

It's a bit of a no win. If they paint all the trains green they'll be accused of wasting money. If they don't it seems half hearted.

Leave them blue then. Costs nothing, changes nothing. Problem solved.

[LiskeardRich]

Own choice or sacked? To be honest it's been a colossal non event as far as most customers are concerned........a few trains which were blue are now green, that's about it.

It's a bit of a no win. If they paint all the trains green they'll be accused of wasting money. If they don't it seems half hearted.

Leave them blue then. Costs nothing, changes nothing. Problem solved.

They could go any colour for no difference in cost. As part of one of the mandatory overhauls a repaint is required. The ones that have gone green have done so as part of that mandatory repaint. I'm pretty certain it's the C6 overhaul that requires a paint as part of the work

[Electric train]

The paint (well actually vinyl's the trains are all grey underneath) is only part of it.  The rebranding the uniforms to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) for Drivers to carriage cleaners, train dispatch to guards etc even managers with GWR ties has help the company ethos; speaking as someone who travels on a lot of TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) during the working week the rebranding and identity to GWR has I believe has given back some pride to all the staff, there has been a great improvement in how the whole team presents its self.

It is not just a repaint and a few uniforms as I suspect quite a lot of work and briefings has gone on in the back ground, however it is a great credit to all the GWR staff to how they have adopted the brand and work for their customers, we as traveling public should respect and appreciate this it is a good example of employer and staff working together unlike a certain other TOC I have "joy" of attempting o travel with today

[IndustryInsider]

I've personally been given a bit of a 'power-up' thanks to the rebranding, and I know some staff feel the same.  It's kind of been a marking point from the old FGW^▸ (First Great Western) with everything new seeming a long way off, to the arrival of brand new trains in service, with many more to follow and the completion of the first stages of electrification.  TG is quite right that the passengers on the ground won't have noticed much yet, but they soon will when a shiny 8-car Electrostar rolls into the platform rather than a packed 3-car Turbo.

Apart from the two HST^▸ (High Speed Train) rakes, everything that has been 'repainted' will be kept by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and would have needed attending to sooner or later anyway.  Turbos and Sprinters in the old livery are starting to look quite 'tired' with fading vinyls and dirt and grime affecting some of them.

However, I remain of the opinion the launch might have been better if it had been done in one big bang 6-12 months later with the uniforms done on the same date rather than six months after.

[Tim]

The paint (well actually vinyl's the trains are all grey underneath) is only part of it.  The rebranding the uniforms to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) for Drivers to carriage cleaners, train dispatch to guards etc even managers with GWR ties has help the company ethos; speaking as someone who travels on a lot of TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) during the working week the rebranding and identity to GWR has I believe has given back some pride to all the staff, there has been a great improvement in how the whole team presents its self.

I agree that the rebrand has made a difference.  My main objection to it has not happened yet but it is when the franchise goes to the next operator they will change it again and the fine name of GWR will just be another here today gone tomorrow brand. 

[stuving]

I agree that the rebrand has made a difference.  My main objection to it has not happened yet but it is when the franchise goes to the next operator they will change it again and the fine name of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will just be another here today gone tomorrow brand. 

It shouldn't. The main thing that triggered the rebrand was the short contract followed by a new franchise. So all the new trains need a transferable branding to avoid redoing them so soon, and the "First" name had to go. The turbos were just starting on a relivery programme, and most HST^▸ (High Speed Train) are not getting done.

We don't know if DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) will insist in the ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) on the GWR branding being kept, or if it will be optional - and any new franchisee is only likely to want to change it if the introduction of the new trains goes horribly wrong.