Demise of the franchise

Madann01 · January 20, 2020, 07:37:38 PM

What a lovely sunny, crisp winters day yesterday was, Made all the better in that I was able to go fishing, (my other expensive pastime) The lake I was fishing is situated adjacent to the West Coast Mainline and I have spent many an hour over the years watching the trains go by whilst dangling a maggot.
As the day progressed I became more and more saddened watching a never ending procession of Pendelinos' stripped bare of their once distinctive Virgin livery, The sadness became even deeper when out of the blue I looked up to see a Pendelino flash by sporting what appeared to be the new Avanti livery, I say 'appeared to be' as it didn't stand out much from the couple of hundred yards away i was sitting, unlike the vivid unmistakable colours of the Virgin Livery. I'm sure that they will look impressive up close, but are very plain in appearance from a distance.
I was looking to purchase a couple of Pendelinos' next time around, but I will envy those lucky enough to have brought the original livery models which in my eyes will always be synonymous with a Pendelino.

robert shrives · January 20, 2020, 08:00:54 PM

Hi ,
Surely not Arriva - Trenitalia . Avanti or the WCML as we know it now run in part by The Italian State railway.

Livery of white - that well known practical railway colour a specification from the Department of fuzzy thinking ( DfT) the faint red triangle Denoting an idealised map of Euston. Glasgow and Liverpool ( generic North west or Midlands) is the only giveaway. But it does mean when the inevitable hand back of the franchise happens it is less messy for the Direct operation to change image.

Current legal proceedings means it could all go south anyway .
www.railnews.co.uk/news/2020/01/20-rejected-franchise-claims-move-to.html

Robert

crewearpley40 · January 20, 2020, 08:13:02 PM

Was it a transport for wales service that used a turquoise paint scheme in the w Midlands you saw?

Madann01 · January 20, 2020, 08:20:10 PM

Sorry for the mistake, Just shows how much the branding has impacted on me, have edited original post

Quote from: robert shrives on January 20, 2020, 08:00:54 PM
Hi ,
Surely not Arriva - Trenitalia . Avanti or the WCML as we know it now run in part by The Italian State railway.

Livery of white - that well known practical railway colour a specification from the Department of fuzzy thinking ( DfT) the faint red triangle Denoting an idealised map of Euston. Glasgow and Liverpool ( generic North west or Midlands) is the only giveaway. But it does mean when the inevitable hand back of the franchise happens it is less messy for the Direct operation to change image.

Current legal proceedings means it could all go south anyway .
www.railnews.co.uk/news/2020/01/20-rejected-franchise-claims-move-to.html

Robert

Madann01 · January 20, 2020, 08:43:17 PM

Quote from: crewearpley40 on January 20, 2020, 08:13:02 PM
Was it a transport for wales service that used a turquoise paint scheme in the w Midlands you saw?

Quite right, have seen many Arriva turquoise trains in the West Midlands area in the past, but noticed something a couple of weeks ago whilst travelling by train into Birmingham, A Red and White liveried Transport for Wales train stopped at Birmingham International Station, Is this another livery change?
Must be a nightmare for manufacturers trying to keep up with the changes

crewearpley40 · January 20, 2020, 08:49:32 PM

Since october 2019 due to arriva franchise being taken over by the two funded by the Welsh government etc red and white livery representing 2 countries probably brum international to Wrexham chester via Shrewsbury with a portion leaving Shrewsbury for the cambrian lines

Adam1701D · January 20, 2020, 11:13:58 PM

It's not looking good for franchising at the moment with several companies in the mire:

Arriva Northern - government to review franchise

South Western Railway - ditto

ScotRail - Abbelio to lose franchise early

West Midlands Railway - also under government review

LNER - already under government control

East Midlands Railways / Avanti West Coast - Stagecoach considering legal action against DfT

Have I missed any?

railsquid · January 20, 2020, 11:41:12 PM

I must admit I'm glad I have no interest in the British railway scene after ca. 1991, it's all very confusing

Bealman · January 20, 2020, 11:44:34 PM

Yes, I must admit after reading all this, it seems to be a bit of a dog's dinner at the moment!

Madann01 · January 21, 2020, 03:35:12 AM

perhaps the answer for us modelers who would like to keep up to date as much as possible, is to ask the manufacturers to produce 'Gender or franchise neutral ' models. That way a model loco may not look out of place on a layout in five years time, indeed I can't see the existing real train stock changing much in the next twenty or so years, so possibly will see me out.

Hey how about a run of Pendos' with a NGF designed livery (NGF flyers) just a thought.

exmouthcraig · January 21, 2020, 06:56:08 AM

It would seem theres a market here for someone to produce a model specific vinyl wrap for the current stock on the network.

Then, like every time a franchise changes, assuming that the manufacturer of the vinyl has the correct agreements with said train operators to produce such, the modeller could then simply vinyl their own stock to match reality.

if only there was such a person on this forum

This is very obviously tongue in cheek and once The Captain @captainelectra is settled after his house move round the corner

who knows what he will be planning on producing

Bigmac · January 21, 2020, 08:11:56 AM

Quote from: railsquid on January 20, 2020, 11:41:12 PM
I must admit I'm glad I have no interest in the British railway scene after ca. 1991, it's all very confusing

i have no interest in the post steam era. i think blue diesels looked awful.

Bealman · January 21, 2020, 09:47:30 AM

Well I guess you won't be waiting up for the new vinyls then

Madann01 · January 21, 2020, 10:06:05 AM

Quote from: bigmac on January 21, 2020, 08:11:56 AM
Quote from: railsquid on January 20, 2020, 11:41:12 PM
I must admit I'm glad I have no interest in the British railway scene after ca. 1991, it's all very confusing

i have no interest in the post steam era. i think blue diesels looked awful.

Without trying to re-open any debate between modellers of the steam era and those who prefer modern day,. It must be nice to build a layout set in a fixed time period, and i really do admire those who do spend the time researching and recreating the past and knowing exactly the locos and stock that were running on that particular line, kudos to you all

However I was born into a time when steam was in rapid decline, and them blue diesels ugly or not, were part of my growing up, i too have no interest in modelling that era and I would like to be able to run trains as up to date as possible. Without any solid research I think the closest i can get to achieving this goal is around 3-5 years behind, given the readily available models on sale currently.

Adam1701D · January 21, 2020, 10:47:11 AM

I see a lot of modern layouts operating a mix and match collection of franchises and liveries that ddin't always exist at the same time. A lot of this is dictated by what's available RTR. Certain manufacturers are several years behind real events, so many models are obsolete before they even appear. The Bachmann TransPennine 350 and SWT 450s are prime examples. Guess the grim reality of getting production slots in China is taking it's toll.

Hornby seem to be doing a better job in OO, announcing an Avanti Pendolino for later this year. I'm sure there are smaller and leaner manufacturers who can beat that.