Why does LNER use the Azuma branding?

[Adrian1980uk]

Originally it was just to promote new trains, now it's just branding to imply the train is 'better' than others on the network - which of course we all know they're not any different.

Branding like this is used everywhere to imply premium, supermarkets premium brands as the classic example

 

[williamn]

I think that name dated from long before VTEC

By ‘they’ I meant British Rail!

 

[DelW]

I mean, regardless of whether or not Brandson's involvement, he knows how to have ambition and a really good marketing team. Something the railways really could use sometimes. The whole teasing Eurostar with banners outside of the terminal was golden, regardless of who designed it or approved it.

Was the added "d" accidental or deliberate? Neat comment if deliberate

 

[Tetchytyke]

Even during his time at his flagship VTWC, Virgin Group were a distant entity and Branson little more than a mascot who toured the office once every few years.

Branson’s never been one about the operational details, definitely. He’s the mascot who comes and poses at the opening of an envelope. Virgin are very very protective of their brand and senior people at Virgin will have been involved in the branding because they always are, even where they have no stake in the business and it’s just a branding agreement. I suppose it depends if we mean Branson personally has involvement or whether we’re taking him as the public face of Virgin senior management.

 

[fwsmVor]

Japanese railways have their reputation and LNER want to ride those coat-tails by pretending they use a Japanese train? (as opposed to a DfT train inflicted on a Japanese company)

 

[dosxuk]

Virgin's involvement with the Stagecoach operation was almost entirely for branding / marketing purposes - of course they will have been closely involved with the branding and marketing of the new trains.

 

[moleman212]

The name "Azuma" was originally coined by Virgin Trains East Coast and is Japanese for "east". When LNER took over from VTEC the name stuck as it had been advertised all over the East Coast that the new 80x trains would be branded thus. The only thing LNER tweaked on the trains was the livery slightly.

Also note that LNER call them IEP - InterCity Express Program, whilst GWR call them IET - InterCity Express Train.

Except "Azuma" isn't the Japanese word for "East"

 

[AlterEgo]

Except "Azuma" isn't the Japanese word for "East"

It is an archaic and more florid word for "east", as opposed to "higashi", the more literal name for the compass point and direction.

 

[moleman212]

It is an archaic and more florid word for "east", as opposed to "higashi", the more literal name for the compass point and direction.

Very archaic. Nobody uses that word in Japan anymore. Some Virgin manager probably just plugged it into Google translate and thought nothing more of it.

 

[AlterEgo]

Very archaic. Nobody uses that word in Japan anymore. Some Virgin manager probably just plugged it into Google translate and thought nothing more of it.

The name was the result of a competition run among VTEC's staff, and someone was probably a manga fan.

Do you speak Japanese natively? I feel you're making a similar assumption that because Wessex isn't a place any more and is an archaic name for part of the country, that word has fallen from use - but it hasn't.

 

[35B]

Japanese railways have their reputation and LNER want to ride those coat-tails by pretending they use a Japanese train? (as opposed to a DfT train inflicted on a Japanese company)

At the time, Japanese railways were being held up as the example - including by the civil servant who was central in setting the direction of the programme.

 

[Midland340]

IIRC LNER or there predecessor‘s named the units Azuma after the Azuma winds from Mount Azuma in Japan. Go like the wind as to emphasise there better rates of acceleration over the 225/125’s they largely have replaced.

 

[thomalex]

Very archaic. Nobody uses that word in Japan anymore. Some Virgin manager probably just plugged it into Google translate and thought nothing more of it.

Without stating the obvious the older term was used because it also implies speed, ‘a zoomer’, which was one of the main selling points of the new trains. Quite a clever play on words.

 

[tbtc]

It's a good name. Solid. One of the few that I've genuinely heard normal people use (along with Pacer and Voyager)

No doubt it'll be phased out in our bland railway of the future but it was a good marketing term, conveying East/ fast/ Japanese, a new era to the 1970s trains that they replaced

Compared to some of the names that operators have tried to give stock (like the cringe worthy "Happy Trains" for the 365s Scottish adventure), Azuma works really well IMO

Obviously people on here will sneer at any marketing that attempts to attract new passengers though

 

[Haywain]

like the cringe worthy "Happy Trains" for the 365s Scottish adventure

I don't see that as cringeworthy - it simply related to the appearance of the train front with the 'smiley' grille.

 

[Mikey C]

SWR are doing the same with Arterio, it's simply irritating nonsense. I pray that TfL don't get the idea in their head for buses - "Welcome aboard this BYD Flammable 123 to Waffletown".

Or Southeastern with City Breeze for the 707s they took from SWR.

Southeastern still use the Networker name on their platform screens, so that name has stuck 30 years on. Useful to know if you need a train with a toilet!

 

[nilvaj395]

Was the added "d" accidental or deliberate? Neat comment if deliberate

It was accidental, DOH!

 

[Wallsendmag]

The Azuma name was the winner of a staff competition,didn’t come from corporate marketing at all.

 

[AJD]

A

The Azuma name was the winner of a staff competition,didn’t come from corporate marketing at all.

Exactly. With another one being held for the Class 897 fleet. Of the suggestions I've heard, there's one that I hope will be selected unless Lockheed's legal department take issue with it

 

[Ellwill]

Or Southeastern with City Breeze for the 707s they took from SWR.

Southeastern still use the Networker name on their platform screens, so that name has stuck 30 years on. Useful to know if you need a train with a toilet!

Correction: City Beam. SE are somewhat inconsistent with their fleet names. Networkers and City Beams are advertised as such on platform displays, whereas Javelins are not. As far as I know they don't use the Electrostar name for marketing either.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Avanti make little to no fuss that their new 805/7s are ‘Everos’

That’s because they’re so inferior to the Pendolinos that work the bulk of their services

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Dec 2025 ==

The predecessors of Virgin were East Coast and National Express East Coast, both of whom had their name on every carriage. LNER trains look rather anonymous save for the dual branding on the end cars.

Virgin Trains East Coast did not have their name on any of the passenger carriages at all.

 

[Dave W]

Interesting regarding station announcements/displays - I'm pretty sure I have ingrained in my mind New Street Phil Sayer announcing "Virgin [Voyager/Pendolino] service to..." - perhaps other announcers too. Certainly *on* the trains it was that way.

 

[janahan]

SWR are doing the same with Arterio, it's simply irritating nonsense. I pray that TfL don't get the idea in their head for buses - "Welcome aboard this BYD Flammable 123 to Waffletown".

Not everyone calls the "Arterio" branding a complete nonsense. My Wife who is hardly a train nerd (unlike me), actively looks for the Arterio name on any announcements, or screens, and entirely on her own accord after discovering them one day coming home from work. In her view she prefers them for many reasons including space, ability to "walk through", toilets and AC (unlike her hated "red trains"/455), and many other reasons she feels they are better.

She is not the only one

Therefore the branding has actually worked well in this case, and provided a real world use during the transition.

 

[orestad]

I don’t really see why it’s a big fuss. LNER operate their services with two train classes, one of them being the Azumas which operate the Bradford Forster Square, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, Harrogate, Lincoln and Hull services. The 225 locos operate only the York and Leeds routes as of 12/12/25.

Most people find it helpful to know what service of LNER trains they’ll be getting on, especially if your Leeds train is either the 225 or Azuma. Also helps to differentiate the two trains and create an identity for the different routes if you’re a frequent traveller.

Southwestern use Arterio on their CIS boards like LNER do, so I don’t understand why Azumas are getting the bad end of the stick. I don’t mind SWR promoting their Arterio services either because they have 3 trains they use to operate their services and it’s nice knowing which service I’m getting on is on an Arterio or not, as I don’t travel from Waterloo that often.

You tend to block out “(…) the LNER Azuma service to (…)” on the announcement after some time so I genuinely forget they differentiate their fleet.

 

[azOOOOOma]

I could understand if they were in any way impressive but they’re uncomfortable, the ride quality is terrible, the interiors are shades of angry red, the WiFi is awful, the toilets are tiny and unreliable, there’s no space for bags, numerous seats have a wall for a window and the lighting is akin to an operating theatre. Oh and the pan in neutral sections sounds like the train has been shot at.

 

[bramling]

I don't see that as cringeworthy - it simply related to the appearance of the train front with the 'smiley' grille.

I’m never sure where the name came from, as I don’t remember it being used during their time on GN. If anything it seems to have just been an enthusiast thing, so surprising Scotrail latched onto it. For GN users, the 365s were exactly that, though those commuters with long memories and around during their introduction will remember the Networker term was promoted at the time, but seemed not to stick with regular users - perhaps in the same way that GN users don’t seem to refer to 387/379s as Electrostars.

 

[JohnMcL7]

It's a good name. Solid. One of the few that I've genuinely heard normal people use (along with Pacer and Voyager)

I think it's been a remarkably successful term in that regard since I find most friends know the term but I don't think could name any other modern train.

 

[saismee]

GN users don’t seem to refer to 387/379s as Electrostars

Because they don't show up most of the time.

 

[azOOOOOma]

Have operators of 80X trains made any changes that have become apparent on the Azumas? For example the shocking ride quality that has become obvious in years of use at LNER or the sensors for the tap being behind the tap (and creating puddles on the floor) instead of in front. Or the UAT doors that can’t make it to London and back without failing to close at least once? Or more ‘robust’ plumbing to avoid blockages in the toilets?

 

[devonexpress]

Never understood LNER to be honest, it's basically Virgin Trains coining off a respected legacy name of LNER. I just hope when it all becomes GBR we have more management from GWR than LNER. Getting back on topic, I don't get the whole "Azuma" thing it just sounds weird and stupid in terms of being used on the British Railway.