East Coast Trains - Is this still going ahead?

[Wynd]

Yes, obvious caveat, but that only once a day.
The appeal having a sub 4 hour run between Edinburgh and London is significant. If the timings work out it could also attract custom from Aberdeen, potentially brining that journey well below the 7 hour mark.

 

[dk1]

I can't help but keep thinking HT have 5 units & so do these & LNER are asking for another 10 albeit with more green credentials. Just seems a perfect fit, albeit from a sad turn of events.

 

[Bald Rick]

Ia this not going to be the quickest service on the ECML given the reduced number of stops?

Let’s see what the paths are like. Squeezing them in will not have been easy, and I’d be very surprised if it was quicker than the LNER ‘faster’ service each hour.

 

[Watershed]

I can't help but keep thinking HT have 5 units & so do these & LNER are asking for another 10 albeit with more green credentials. Just seems a perfect fit, albeit from a sad turn of events.

LNER's extra 10 units are to enable their timetable increase. If you transferred 10 units across from HT & this, you would have some gaps in the timetable (and Hull would be back to just one train a day as it is now).

 

[ainsworth74]

The LNER timetable discussion was interesting but getting increasingly off-topic so can now be found in its own dedicated thread here. Lets try and stick to East Coast Trains discussion here thank you

 

[Steddenm]

Have FEC published any details on their livery for the trains yet and branding?

 

[Clarence Yard]

No.

 

[Domh245]

We do at least know that the trains will have some sort of blue paint, as that's what the bodyshells were delivered in!

 

[Bald Rick]

We do at least know that the trains will have some sort of blue paint, as that's what the bodyshells were delivered in!

Primer

 

[Bletchleyite]

Primer

Not white or grey, though, as pretty much all others were.

 

[Bald Rick]

Not white or grey, though, as pretty much all others were.

Perhaps my wasn’t obvious enough. Maybe ? Or

 

[JaJaWa]

We do at least know that the trains will have some sort of blue paint, as that's what the bodyshells were delivered in!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Have FEC published any details on their livery for the trains yet and branding?

Yes I believe this will be the logo

No.

Actually yes, albeit discreetly.



This logo is in use all over First’s website as you can see here, including a video about East Coast Trains which includes unseen footage of the 803s and commentary from the new managing director hired in 2020.

Here is a link to the page should you wish to check it out for yourself.

First UK Careers

First UK Careers, uk, careers, jobs, bus driver, train driver, engineer

uk.firstgroupcareers.com

For the benefit of members unable to see the images, the pictures attached show a new logo “East Coast Trains LTD” in use on First Group’s careers website, and in use on a promotional video for the venture.

 

[Steddenm]

Yes I believe this will be the logo

Actually yes, albeit discreetly.

View attachment 89165

This logo is in use all over First’s website as you can see here, including a video about East Coast Trains which includes unseen footage of the 803s and commentary from the new managing director hired in 2020.

Here is a link to the page should you wish to check it out for yourself.

First UK Careers

First UK Careers, uk, careers, jobs, bus driver, train driver, engineer

uk.firstgroupcareers.com

View attachment 89166View attachment 89167View attachment 89168


For the benefit of members unable to see the images, the pictures attached show a new logo “East Coast Trains LTD” in use on First Group’s careers website, and in use on a promotional video for the venture.

Thanks for that.

The logo looks a bit meh. The transparent version of the logo I found on the above website is below.

 

[Domh245]

"Travel well - beyond expectations" - that's almost as good as "we're getting there" as a motto!

 

[Steddenm]

The logo looks very Intel

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Travel well - beyond expectations" - that's almost as good as "we're getting there" as a motto!

Almost as good as Avanti. No flair whatsoever. Typical FirstGroup corporate nothingness. Might as well put it in Dynamic Lines and call it East Coast (f).

Must admit the idea of "Jef(f)" (!) the F-in-circle as a "help bot" gives me a nervous judder

 

[alistairlees]

It's probably just a holding logo, as opposed to the final brand treatment / logo. A holding logo is needed to get things started (applications to authorities, job adverts, press releases etc.). I wouldn't expect the final branding / logo to be completed yet. A logo is a small (but important) part of a brand's identity and realisation anyway.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's probably just a holding logo, as opposed to the final brand treatment / logo. A holding logo is needed to get things started (applications to authorities, job adverts, press releases etc.). I wouldn't expect the final branding / logo to be completed yet. A logo is a small (but important) part of a brand's identity and realisation anyway.

I'd sort of hoped they'd come up with something a bit better that "East Coast Trains", that being more of the name of the limited company that operates it. But Avanti (every single aspect of the brand is 1980s British Rail levels of drab) doesn't make me hold out much hope.

 

[paul1609]

Let’s see what the paths are like. Squeezing them in will not have been easy, and I’d be very surprised if it was quicker than the LNER ‘faster’ service each hour.

The non-stop from Stevenage to Newcastle aspect of the service would sell it for me even if the journey times were comparable to LNERs Yorkshire Villages Stopping service to Edinburgh. At £25 I think it would take all of my trips to Scotland except perhaps the overnighters on Megabus and maybe Easyjet to Inverness.

 

[BayPaul]

It's probably just a holding logo, as opposed to the final brand treatment / logo. A holding logo is needed to get things started (applications to authorities, job adverts, press releases etc.). I wouldn't expect the final branding / logo to be completed yet. A logo is a small (but important) part of a brand's identity and realisation anyway.

I agree, no way would the final logo include 'Ltd', surely!

 

[beeb375]

If you all really think this will launch as 'East Coast Trains' with the boring circle logo after all the fuss about reimagining travel etc, you're daft

 

[Bald Rick]

The non-stop from Stevenage to Newcastle aspect of the service would sell it for me

Oh I’m reasonably sure it will stop. Maybe not at a station...

 

[paul1609]

As long as you don't have to share the coach with Yorkshire people its still a major attraction. Even Morpeth is posh Geordies.

 

[43096]

I'd sort of hoped they'd come up with something a bit better that "East Coast Trains", that being more of the name of the limited company that operates it. But Avanti (every single aspect of the brand is 1980s British Rail levels of drab) doesn't make me hold out much hope.

Well they can't call it First East Coast as a) First is a toxic brand on the railway and b) Father Jack got there first with FEC(K).

 

[beeb375]

It's a shame that First Capital Connect was already used up, given the nature of the route!

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's a shame that First Capital Connect was already used up, given the nature of the route!

"Two Capitals Express" might work.

 

[xotGD]

"Two Capitals Express" might work.

"Ryanrail"

 

[Hadders]

It's a shame that First Capital Connect was already used up, given the nature of the route!

Nothing to stop First resurrecting it if they wanted to use it.

Capital Link is another idea.

 

[Energy]

Nothing to stop First resurrecting it if they wanted to use it.

Capitol Connect was not liked...