Tatty XC Vomiters

[whole diary]

[Umberleigh]

The XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) rolling stock is looking decidedly tatty, especially when set against the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and Castles. Are they ever going to spruce up the exterior of the units? You can still see where the Virgin crest used to sit on the front of the end units - how many years ago was that?

They may be claustrophobic, cramped, usually overcrowded and smell of sewage, but at least paint them please XC!

[CyclingSid]

Or maybe the Army saying "you can't polish a t**d" applies.

[Celestial]

The XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) rolling stock is looking decidedly tatty, especially when set against the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and Castles. Are they ever going to spruce up the exterior of the units? You can still see where the Virgin crest used to sit on the front of the end units - how many years ago was that?

They may be claustrophobic, cramped, usually overcrowded and smell of sewage, but at least paint them please XC!

I don't care what they look like outside, I'd much rather that the inside is seen to. They were unpleasant and smelly when new, and nearly 20 years on with nothing done to them other than stripping out the buffet, they are even more unattractive as a place in which to spend more than half an hour. 

[johnneyw]

The XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) rolling stock is looking decidedly tatty, especially when set against the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and Castles. Are they ever going to spruce up the exterior of the units? You can still see where the Virgin crest used to sit on the front of the end units - how many years ago was that?

On the subject of exteriors, it's now four years since the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) re branding and I still regularly see rolling stock in the old livery which, to me, gives the whole project a rather inconsistent, half hearted and messy feel.

[ellendune]

On the subject of exteriors, it's now four years since the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) re branding and I still regularly see rolling stock in the old livery which, to me, gives the whole project a rather inconsistent, half hearted and messy feel.

Would you like them to take more rolling stock out of service to fix that now (and cancel or short form more services) or wait until they have all the trains they have ordered?

[johnneyw]

On the subject of exteriors, it's now four years since the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) re branding and I still regularly see rolling stock in the old livery which, to me, gives the whole project a rather inconsistent, half hearted and messy feel.

Would you like them to take more rolling stock out of service to fix that now (and cancel or short form more services) or wait until they have all the trains they have ordered?

Certainly not but it has been 4 years now. Rebrands are expensive things and having something of an image mish-mash for so long can perhaps frustrate the public awareness benefits that the rebrand strives to achieve.

[plymothian]

Operation Princess never had an end date.

[ellendune]

On the subject of exteriors, it's now four years since the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) re branding and I still regularly see rolling stock in the old livery which, to me, gives the whole project a rather inconsistent, half hearted and messy feel.

Would you like them to take more rolling stock out of service to fix that now (and cancel or short form more services) or wait until they have all the trains they have ordered?

Certainly not but it has been 4 years now. Rebrands are expensive things and having something of an image mish-mash for so long can perhaps frustrate the public awareness benefits that the rebrand strives to achieve.

Ok for how much of that period has GWR had a shortage of rolling stock?

[johnneyw]

On the subject of exteriors, it's now four years since the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) re branding and I still regularly see rolling stock in the old livery which, to me, gives the whole project a rather inconsistent, half hearted and messy feel.

Would you like them to take more rolling stock out of service to fix that now (and cancel or short form more services) or wait until they have all the trains they have ordered?

Certainly not but it has been 4 years now. Rebrands are expensive things and having something of an image mish-mash for so long can perhaps frustrate the public awareness benefits that the rebrand strives to achieve.

Ok for how much of that period has GWR had a shortage of rolling stock?

I get your point but I think my emphasis was elsewhere.

It was my own feeling was that some of the positive re branding impact has been lost on me after seeing the old branding still much in evidence after the best part of half a decade..... and with that, I might not be the only person to be given that impression.

More in general, there may be counterproductive effects of still having the old image exposed to the public so long after a much publicized re branding.

Now, how GWR do it is their business but that is the effect the time taken has had on me.

(I perhaps should come clean at this stage that I never was a fan of the old livery anyway!)

[CyclingSid]

Similar "problem" with SWR^» (South Western Railway - about). To a large degree I don't care what the outside looks like, as long as there aren't important bits falling off. I'd far prefer the money to be spent on keeping them running, and then clean inside.

[The Tall Controller]

In order to keep rebranding costs to a mimimum, I belive rebranding trains into GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) livery was only done to trains that met either of the two criteria:

- They were due to stay beyond 2020 and required modification to fall in line with disability regulations
- They were due a repaint as part of their maintenance cycle

I believe the only ones left in FGW^▸ (First Great Western) colours are old HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) which are due to go off-lease post 2019 and the odd Turbo/150 which had already been modified and had a fresh lick of FGW paint just before GWR started. They'll be GWRised once their repaint cycle comes up again.

[Surrey 455]

Similar "problem" with SWR^» (South Western Railway - about). To a large degree I don't care what the outside looks like, as long as there aren't important bits falling off. I'd far prefer the money to be spent on keeping them running, and then clean inside.

With SWR, I understand that their red trains are all due to be replaced within the next few years so I can understand why the livery has not changed inside or out but that does not explain why none of the blue trains to my knowledge have yet to be re-branded and the slow re-branding of the white trains.

[paul7575]

Similar "problem" with SWR^» (South Western Railway - about). To a large degree I don't care what the outside looks like, as long as there aren't important bits falling off. I'd far prefer the money to be spent on keeping them running, and then clean inside.

With SWR, I understand that their red trains are all due to be replaced within the next few years so I can understand why the livery has not changed inside or out but that does not explain why none of the blue trains to my knowledge have yet to be re-branded and the slow re-branding of the white trains.

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) a decision was made to do the Desiro interiors first, and then start on their exteriors afterwards, AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) to limit the total number of units out of service at a time.  Then the lack of the 442s has also screwed up the numbers being given interior mods.  The 444 interiors have only just about finished, (maybe the last is in progress), so that will probably be why their exterior work has just recently started.   Lastly, a proper paint job is planned which needs availability of a dedicated paint facility, (Bournemouth where the 442s were being done), as opposed to applying vinyls.

Of course the 36 “blue” 458/5s are also being replaced, so wouldn’t be expected to be repainted.

Paul

[hoover50]

I don't care what they look like outside, I'd much rather that the inside is seen to. They were unpleasant and smelly when new, and nearly 20 years on with nothing done to them other than stripping out the buffet, they are even more unattractive as a place in which to spend more than half an hour. 

Better still, scrap the lot of them and replace them all with refurbished HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s.

[IndustryInsider]

In order to keep rebranding costs to a mimimum, I belive rebranding trains into GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) livery was only done to trains that met either of the two criteria:

- They were due to stay beyond 2020 and required modification to fall in line with disability regulations
- They were due a repaint as part of their maintenance cycle

I believe the only ones left in FGW^▸ (First Great Western) colours are old HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) which are due to go off-lease post 2019 and the odd Turbo/150 which had already been modified and had a fresh lick of FGW paint just before GWR started. They'll be GWRised once their repaint cycle comes up again.

I think that was the sensible decision, though I’m surprised they haven’t got GWR stickers to cover over the old company name and website for some of those that haven’t yet gone green.