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Virgin Trains East Coast launch day
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Busaholic
Veteran Member
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Only going on the photos on here, but I agree. What's more, a pound shop raspberry ripple.
gordonthemoron
Established Member
the new livery reminds me of the coaches used on the SNCB/NS IC services between Amsterdam & Brussels
I'm in Edinburgh for the day today so popped down to Waverley to see the arrival of 91124. Quite a few 'suits' about with a photo call taking place at the DVT end upon arrival. A few VTEC staff (seemed to be 'land based' rather than on-board crew in Red Virgin coats - looks like they had been supplied by VWC. Don't think they were VWC staff as they were wearing VTEC name badges.
I was uncertain about the livery having read this thread but it's nowhere near as bad 'in the flesh'. I suspect it's one of those liveries that'll grow on us.
The set looks like it had been given a decent clean internally throughout. VTEC stickers applied to every window proclaiming 'the start of an amazing journey' (surprised they haven't used awesome actually!)
EC branding looks to have been removed internally although the window stickers in the quiet coaches have been missed - these are still in EC purple. Food Bar looks unchanged although the menus/price lists have been replaced with VTEC ones.
On a related note it looks as though the outside of every set has had a decent clean over the last few days. Both trains I travelled on to Edinburgh today were spotless on the outside and I've seen another couple of sets at Waverley that were spotless as well. Looks as though more than just putting them through the carriage washer has been done- perhaps a full jet wash?
I bought a coffee from the trolley and was given a free chocolate this morniing on my way to Edinburgh (this wasn't on the 1100). Nothing special - a small square in a red VTEC wrapper.
Announcements on-board are a bit cringeworthy, the crew leader welcoming us to the 'start of an amazing journey' after every station stop. He seemed rather embarrassed to have to make it!
A good job has been done of replacing posters at stations over the weekend. At Stevenage, Peterborough (where I changed this morning) and from what I could see at other stations we called at all the EC posters have been replaced with Virgin red ones. Even the platform 'flags' denoting where to stand for each carriage had been changed at Peterborough.
I was uncertain about the livery having read this thread but it's nowhere near as bad 'in the flesh'. I suspect it's one of those liveries that'll grow on us.
The set looks like it had been given a decent clean internally throughout. VTEC stickers applied to every window proclaiming 'the start of an amazing journey' (surprised they haven't used awesome actually!)
EC branding looks to have been removed internally although the window stickers in the quiet coaches have been missed - these are still in EC purple. Food Bar looks unchanged although the menus/price lists have been replaced with VTEC ones.
On a related note it looks as though the outside of every set has had a decent clean over the last few days. Both trains I travelled on to Edinburgh today were spotless on the outside and I've seen another couple of sets at Waverley that were spotless as well. Looks as though more than just putting them through the carriage washer has been done- perhaps a full jet wash?
I bought a coffee from the trolley and was given a free chocolate this morniing on my way to Edinburgh (this wasn't on the 1100). Nothing special - a small square in a red VTEC wrapper.
Announcements on-board are a bit cringeworthy, the crew leader welcoming us to the 'start of an amazing journey' after every station stop. He seemed rather embarrassed to have to make it!
A good job has been done of replacing posters at stations over the weekend. At Stevenage, Peterborough (where I changed this morning) and from what I could see at other stations we called at all the EC posters have been replaced with Virgin red ones. Even the platform 'flags' denoting where to stand for each carriage had been changed at Peterborough.
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Awww I didn't get any chocolate yesterday. What's the website address then please?
crewmeal
Member
What did SRB do today? Hope he didn't wear a kilt.
Haven't seen any articles mention him, though the Rail Minister and VTEC CEO were out and about.
It does, I really like this new livery. I particularly love the red sweep towards the end of the carriages. Looks nice at standstill and even better in motion. I think a trip to London might be in order in the next few months (hopefully to ride on a re-liveried set of course!!).
Edit: I've also just noticed that the red sweep reverses direction at the buffet car, making it look better still and rather pleasing my slight OCD...
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Stayed in bed.
I notice the swoosh reverses over the top of the buffet car and sweeps the other direction across the First class coaches.
Very surprised to read this is a Ray Stenning design though as it lacks any sort of flair or style usually associated with Best Impressions' work.
Shame to see the website already dumbed down by Virgin to appeal to dim people whilst patronising everyone else who isn't 7 years old.
Very surprised to read this is a Ray Stenning design though as it lacks any sort of flair or style usually associated with Best Impressions' work.
Shame to see the website already dumbed down by Virgin to appeal to dim people whilst patronising everyone else who isn't 7 years old.
asylumxl
Established Member
I think it looks good, certainly better than the ghastly livery EC had going on.
al.currie93
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Not a fan of the livery... too flashy and the contrast of red and white stands out way too much. I also agree that they look like children's toys. But then livery is not everything in the railway, and I'm definitely far more sad to see a nicely run, personally loved company that always provided a me great service in a simple, subtle way go (completely unnecessarily in my opinion)...
It arrived in York about 4E in the end - fortunate as it gave plenty of time for photos and there was a guy with a video camera (like proper TV type camera)
As I arrived on the platform, I did hear one passenger who was leaving the platform comment about there "being a lot more people than normal here today"
The first proper look at the new livery.
Source: https://twitter.com/paul_at_RAIL/status/572340932030435328
I like it.
When did Coca Cola become the Franchisee....
I quite like the livery and I think the loco looks good in the red. I'm not too keen on the bit leading off the swish but that's just my opinion. I think it will look the business on an HST though when they are done.
I've had a quick look on Facebook this afternoon and my word people need to get a grip. It is day two and the vitriol is beyond belief, I actually had to stop reading as it is just ridiculous.
Karen Boswell and the EC team done a decent job with EC and yes they returned a lot of money to the treasury, however when you actually stand back and look at everything very little was done with EC for years. Her remit was to keep it ticking over and that is pretty much what she has done since the introduction of Eureka. The return to the exchequer would have been nowhere near the level it was had the business been developed rather than standstill for years.
I've had a quick look on Facebook this afternoon and my word people need to get a grip. It is day two and the vitriol is beyond belief, I actually had to stop reading as it is just ridiculous.
Karen Boswell and the EC team done a decent job with EC and yes they returned a lot of money to the treasury, however when you actually stand back and look at everything very little was done with EC for years. Her remit was to keep it ticking over and that is pretty much what she has done since the introduction of Eureka. The return to the exchequer would have been nowhere near the level it was had the business been developed rather than standstill for years.
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MK Tom
Established Member
Let's just say that livery is Virgin on the ridiculous!
I kind of like it. It has a sense of streamlined power. It's proud and crazy.
I kind of like it. It has a sense of streamlined power. It's proud and crazy.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
what on earth are you talking about?
EC returned £1bn to the treasury. One Billion, in 5 years. How long will VTEC take to return the same?
Have you thought that many real people ( not spotters but real people) are very angry that the government chose to sell of a financially successful publicly owned company? Many people worry about much more than the colours of the trains!
EDIT i have stayed out of this thread as i know my views aren't welcome but sometimes............
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VTEC is going to be returning £2.3 billion. If DOR also bid for the service, it's likely they would have lost to Stagecoach/Virgin.
That's the plan. We'll see.
Given there was no possibility of them bidding, how on earth can you know that?
DarloRich
Veteran Member
in how many years?
seeing as DOR weren't allowed to bid we will never know what they felt they could retrun
43074
Established Member
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- 2,253
About the livery, I like it - probably because it makes a change from all the bland undercoats we've seen recently a la Thameslink, Great Northern etc.
Doesn't match the class of GNER or Grand Central though.
Doesn't match the class of GNER or Grand Central though.
This is from Railway Gazette:
UK: On March 1 the Inter-City Railways consortium of Stagecoach Group (90%) and Virgin Holdings (10%) began operating inter-city services on the East Coast Main Line under the Virgin Trains East Coast brand. Stagecoach and Virgin had been awarded an eight-year franchise in November last year, committing to invest £140m and make premium payments of £3∙3bn to the Department for Transport.
£3.3bn in 8 years sounds like more than £1bn in 5 years?
But there again you can prove anything with statistics!
Quote from Stagecoach website:
"The new franchise will start in March 2015 and is planned to run until 31 March 2023, with the option for a one-year extension at the DfT’s discretion. It includes a commitment to deliver £2.3bn in real terms in premium payments to the Government between 2015 and 2023, providing a higher return to the taxpayer than under the current arrangements."
Personally, I'm amazed they're making such a comprehensive change to the EC livery for the 3 years or so that the Class 90's and Mk 4's will be carrying it. Thought they would have just modified the EC grey witgh a splash of red, and left this until IEP came along. Shows you what I know! lol
"The new franchise will start in March 2015 and is planned to run until 31 March 2023, with the option for a one-year extension at the DfT’s discretion. It includes a commitment to deliver £2.3bn in real terms in premium payments to the Government between 2015 and 2023, providing a higher return to the taxpayer than under the current arrangements."
Personally, I'm amazed they're making such a comprehensive change to the EC livery for the 3 years or so that the Class 90's and Mk 4's will be carrying it. Thought they would have just modified the EC grey witgh a splash of red, and left this until IEP came along. Shows you what I know! lol
DarloRich
Veteran Member
We will see wont we.......
( i will be AMAZED if they hand that sum over. How much have the other TOCs handed over?)
(imagine how much more that could be if they didn't have to pay shareholders!)
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