Being one of two companies that has operated a franchise constantly since privatisation (the only other being Govia), FirstGroup has had quite a few liveries and variations. The list of these is very large and, to be honest, I can't keep count. So, to archive this information for the future and to provide an up-to-date list right now, I've decided to start a group project with this community to provide:
Interiors of changes can be put on here but it is best if they are on their own thread later on.
If you have any updates, make sure to tag me (@Doomotron) to tell me what I need to add. Photos may be added as links to other websites but ideally they'd be uploaded here. Due to copyright issues, this might not be possible. Transitional liveries after a First operator has become defunct can are only eligible for this list if the First livery is obviously 'there', but not the logos. If First have taken over a franchise, like with SWR, the livery does not count as it is not their design (meaning that the SWT livery with 'South Western Railway' on the sides is not allowed) - however, if First have made major changes to the livery other than logos, they count - Hull Trains is also included.
Liveries will be sorted by era. For readers, please note that references to Barbie are the nickname of First's original corporate livery. Terms like 'Merlin' and 'Fag Packet' are also nicknames, denoted by being in apostrophes. These are not official names and are just commonly used terms to differentiate each livery. Liveries shared with other operators have got their other operators in black. If not uploaded here, links to photos of liveries are available by clicking on [LINK] boxes.
This list is incomplete. Some applications of liveries may be incorrect and many variations are not yet on the list.
PRE-BARBIE
These are liveries used before First settled on a corporate image.
BARBIE
These were the first liveries that were part of First's corporate branding.
After Barbie, First went with a new livery, meant to just be Dynamic Lines. However, different versions and variations occurred...
Having scrapped corporate branding, First has opted for more individual brands for their services. This section also includes transitional liveries used after a First operation has finished.
- A list of all main liveries based on era (pre-Barbie, Barbie, Corporate, post-corporate), which franchises used them and major variations for each TOC. As First is such a large operator I've decided to have all of their liveries in one thread.
- A list of all advertising liveries (or equivalent).
- A list of all defects/minor variations that are known.
- Photos for each and unit numbers for any defects and minor variations.
- Rough dates for when each livery/variation was in use.
- Different colours to identify each franchise.
Interiors of changes can be put on here but it is best if they are on their own thread later on.
If you have any updates, make sure to tag me (@Doomotron) to tell me what I need to add. Photos may be added as links to other websites but ideally they'd be uploaded here. Due to copyright issues, this might not be possible. Transitional liveries after a First operator has become defunct can are only eligible for this list if the First livery is obviously 'there', but not the logos. If First have taken over a franchise, like with SWR, the livery does not count as it is not their design (meaning that the SWT livery with 'South Western Railway' on the sides is not allowed) - however, if First have made major changes to the livery other than logos, they count - Hull Trains is also included.
Liveries will be sorted by era. For readers, please note that references to Barbie are the nickname of First's original corporate livery. Terms like 'Merlin' and 'Fag Packet' are also nicknames, denoted by being in apostrophes. These are not official names and are just commonly used terms to differentiate each livery. Liveries shared with other operators have got their other operators in black. If not uploaded here, links to photos of liveries are available by clicking on [LINK] boxes.
This list is incomplete. Some applications of liveries may be incorrect and many variations are not yet on the list.
PRE-BARBIE
These are liveries used before First settled on a corporate image.
- Great Western Trains 'Merlin'
- First Great Western 'Fag Packet'
- First Great Western 'Fag Packet' - no white lines, used only on Class 47s and 57s
- Thames Trains (not a First operator)/First Great Western Link green circles livery
- Thames Trains (not a First operator)/First Great Western Link green flashes livery
- Hull Trains Class 170 livery
- Hull Trains Pioneer (Class 222) livery
- First Great Eastern 'Diagonal Stripes' livery with green stripe [LINK]
- First Great Eastern 'Diagonal Stripes' livery (normal/no stripe) [LINK]
- First North Western 'Gold Star' livery
- First North Western 'Gold Star' livery with gold door
- First Transpennine Express Class 158 transitional livery (from Northern Spirit)
- First Transpennine Express Class 158 transitional livery (from Regional Railways/Virgin Trains)
- First Capital Connect transitional livery from Thameslink (removal of yellow stripe)
- Arriva Trains Wales/First North Western 'Ghost' livery
BARBIE
These were the first liveries that were part of First's corporate branding.
- First Transpennine Express Class 185 plain blue - never used in service
- Barbie (pink and white ends), used by First ScotRail
- Barbie (gold stripe), used by First Great Western (Class 180s), Hull Trains, First Transpennine Express (before application of Dynamic Lines)
- Barbie (Northern), used when Class 180s were on lease to Northern. These units had the pink replaced with purple to make the trains more in-line with Northern's livery. Technically not a First livery but I had to include it.
- Barbie (teardrop) used only on HSTs by First Great Western.
- Barbie (empty teardrop), used by First North Western, First Great Western (variation on HSTs), First Great Eastern, First ScotRail
- Barbie (freight), used by First GBRF only
- Barbie (pink ends), used on HSTs by First Great Western
- Barbie (gold stripe, pink and white ends), used by First Transpennine Express (before application of Dynamic Lines)
After Barbie, First went with a new livery, meant to just be Dynamic Lines. However, different versions and variations occurred...
- Dynamic Lines (full purple, no proper end), used on First Great Western HSTs
- Dynamic Lines (gradient, no proper end), used on First Transpennine Express
- Dynamic Lines (medium gradient, no proper end), used only on FGW Class 166s and 165s
- Dynamic Lines (full purple, stylised end), used on Class 180s on Hull Trains and First Great Western
- Urban Lights (full purple), used on some First Capital Connect fleets.
- Urban Lights (gradient), used on most fleets on First Capital Connect
- Base purple, used before and after the First Capital Connect livery on Class 377s and FGW HSTs and Class 57s
- Local Lines, used only on First Great Western, with Pacers having a coach's livery placed on an entire train due to their short length
- Dynamic Lines (giant), used on FTPE Class 350s
- Heathrow Connect livery (not a corporate livery but is in this era)
- New Hull Trains livery (this is technically not a corporate livery but because of the pink doors on Class 802s it looks like it is a heavily modified version of First's corporate livery, making it go here) - this is a debatable placement
Having scrapped corporate branding, First has opted for more individual brands for their services. This section also includes transitional liveries used after a First operation has finished.
- ScotRail Saltire livery
- TSGN white and light blue livery, used by First Capital Connect and then GTR when it took over
- GTR white and pink temporary livery; this was a temporary livery on a Class 319 after a major graffiti attack - the train was painted white but at the fronts FirstGroup purple was visible and the doors were FirstGroup pink
- Southeastern dark blue livery (Class 377s only) - despite looking like SE's dark blue livery, it is in fact FirstGroup purple with light blue doors
- GTR plain purple, used on Class 377s before their replacement - this involved either removing the stripes from the Urban Lights livery or just adding a logo
- Transpennine Express (yellow front), used on Class 185s and 350s
- Transpennine Express (black front), used on Mark 5s, Class 397s and 802s
- Transpennine Express (blue front), used on Class 68s
- Avanti West Coast (yellow front), to be used on Class 390s (and presumably any other repainted stock)
- Avanti West Coast (black front), to be used on new AT300s (this livery is subject to change)
- East Coast Trains - livery details currently unknown
- National Express East Anglia blue livery (stripes removed from Barbie livery after end of First Great Eastern)
- Great Western Railway (cast logo), used only on HSTs
- Great Western Railway (normal), used on all fleets (including Castle HST sets)
- South Western Railway (stripes)
- South Western Railway (stripes at ends only)
- South Western Railway (stripes in centre only)
- South Western Railway (no stripes)
- Island Line (London Transport Red livery)
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