Great British Railways - First Train in New Livery

[TT-ONR-NRN]

So for this variant of the GBR livery, the bottom red diagonal stripe extends further up and along, pushing the “Great British Railways | Chiltern” branding to the other side of each carriage. Also, we can see 4 vehicles, more than half a set, but with the pattern running in the same direction on every vehicle seen, instead of being mirrored, either with a plain blue vehicle in the middle of the 5-carriage set as with the GBR | Anglia Class 720s, or with the 4th vehicle being mirrored, if the addition of the locomotive makes it count as a 6-vehicle set instead. The orientation in which the locomotive is coupled to the coach set might make a difference to the overall pattern of the livery, depending on how the livery turns out to be like on the Class 68.

What might be an interesting deliberate design choice is the branding being in one direction on the coaches, and the opposite on the lo o.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2026 ==

It's worth bearing in mind that the previously reliveried trains have all had doors at thirds, so it makes sense that the logo is centred there, breaking up what would otherwise be a blank space in between the doors (and avoiding a relatively limited space in between the door and carriage end), whereas this is the first example with end doors. That might be why the logo is at the side, rather than due to inconsistency.

 

[RUK]

What might be an interesting deliberate design choice is the branding being in one direction on the coaches, and the opposite on the lo o.

Can the locomotive not couple either way around to the coaching set, if necessary (one of the driving cabs of the locomotive having a fault, perhaps)? So if the livery on the loco is asymmetrical, then it might not always be the same relative to the coaches.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2026 ==

It's worth bearing in mind that the previously reliveried trains have all had doors at thirds, so it makes sense that the logo is centred there, breaking up what would otherwise be a blank space in between the doors (and avoiding a relatively limited space in between the door and carriage end), whereas this is the first example with end doors. That might be why the logo is at the side, rather than due to inconsistency.

I get what you’re saying, though the original mock-up of the livery on a Class 80x, which also has end-doors, had the name in the centre of each carriage.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Can the locomotive not couple either way around to the coaching set, if necessary (one of the driving cabs of the locomotive having a fault, perhaps)? So if the livery on the loco is asymmetrical, then it might not always be the same relative to the coaches.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2026 ==


I get what you’re saying, but the original mock-up of the livery on a Class 80x, which also has end-doors, had the name in the centre of each carriage.

Weirdly enough there’s actually a rather grating inconsistency in the current Chiltern livery, the DMSO has the logo at one end, way lower down than in the rest of the carriages, and slightly larger.

 

[physics34]

I think its still quite loud for every coach to have that

 

[L+Y]

Have yellow ends been added to the mk5a set, does anybody know?

 

[GoneSouth]

I mean, I don't think any GBR-to-be TOCs have locos other than Chiltern, right? I guess LNER has the 91s but given their age and impending replacement, I don't think they're going to get the livery anyway. By that measure, it would have to be a Chiltern 68.

I hope so.

I hate that WM livery. You can never please everybody can you

 

[172007]

Have yellow ends been added to the mk5a set, does anybody know?

What is this hysterical obsession with yellow ends?

They will look fine in blue or whatever colour matches the rest of the livery.

With the intensity of the headlights in the day time they can be viewed from low earth orbit so visibility is not an issue.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

What is this hysterical obsession with yellow ends?

They will look fine in blue or whatever colour matches the rest of the livery.

With the intensity of the headlights in the day time they can be viewed from low earth orbit so visibility is not an issue.

I agree usually. I'm glad we've been moving away from yellow ends where yellow isn't a part of the livery. I also think it was a stupid rule in the first place -- if your eyes are poor enough that you can only see a train if it's yellow, your vision probably isn't good enough to safely work on tracks anyway?

BUT -- I think why people are asking it here, is for consistency -- which of course is what GBR is supposed to be all about -- as the current GBR liveried stock all has yellow ends. The 357s and 387 have to, of course, and the 701 and 720s have also been done that way to match.

 

[43096]

I agree usually. I'm glad we've been moving away from yellow ends where yellow isn't a part of the livery. I also think it was a stupid rule in the first place -- if your eyes are poor enough that you can only see a train if it's yellow, your vision probably isn't good enough to safely work on tracks anyway?

Not sure you understand quite what a difference a yellow end made when trains had no bright headlights.

BUT -- I think why people are asking it here, is for consistency -- which of course is what GBR is supposed to be all about -- as the current GBR liveried stock all has yellow ends. The 357s and 387 have to, of course, and the 701 and 720s have also been done that way to match.

The reason for the 701s and 720s is probably to make it easier and cheaper to relivery as they already had yellow ends - and redoing the ends with vinyls and/or touching up with paint is probably the most awkward bit to do.

 

[TRAX]

I agree usually. I'm glad we've been moving away from yellow ends where yellow isn't a part of the livery. I also think it was a stupid rule in the first place -- if your eyes are poor enough that you can only see a train if it's yellow, your vision probably isn't good enough to safely work on tracks anyway?

BUT -- I think why people are asking it here, is for consistency -- which of course is what GBR is supposed to be all about -- as the current GBR liveried stock all has yellow ends. The 357s and 387 have to, of course, and the 701 and 720s have also been done that way to match.

The yellow ends aren't part of the livery though.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The yellow ends aren't part of the livery though.

No but the point is, if there’s supposed to be one consistent livery for pretty much every train, well, every train built before 2017 is going to be required to be yellow-fronted as they don’t have the new gen ultra bright headlights, therefore it’s either have everything with yellow fronts and consistency, or only pre-2017 trains with yellow fronts and INconsistency.

TPE for example operate 397s and 802s without them, and 185s with them. And Avanti, 805/807s without them, and 390s with them. When they’re lined up next to each other it does look a bit odd.

 

[Kite159]

Will that Chiltern Mk5 set have any external markings to identify First Class, like a simple classic yellow line high up?

 

[trainswitheddy]

if your eyes are poor enough that you can only see a train if it's yellow, your vision probably isn't good enough to safely work on tracks anyway?

Pardon me if wrong but does it not also take into consideration pedestrians and such who need to cross at unmanned foot crossings?

 

[saismee]

Pardon me if wrong but does it not also take into consideration pedestrians and such who need to cross at unmanned foot crossings?

Yes, which was the leading reason for the yellow ends on the GA fleet.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Pardon me if wrong but does it not also take into consideration pedestrians and such who need to cross at unmanned foot crossings?

That’s so true and how daft I feel now

 

[trainswitheddy]

That’s so true and how daft I feel now

Oh gosh don't!! I've done far dafter things
If am honest...I do get into the yellow ends a bit but it is PURELY a nostalgia thing, trains without them just look odd to me!!

 

[Ben Anslow]

View attachment 210666
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Works on intercity I would say and I like it on this but on regional nope still don’t like it

 

[YorkshireBear]

View attachment 210666
Not my photo.

I've tried to mellow and like the livery but I still don't. Too much going on, too obviously GB news in style, don't understand why we are using the union jack. It isn't going to suddenly make the country patriotic to railways they will still hate them.

Simple liveries work well at identifying a brand. Springing to mind the DB liveries (long distance white and local/regional red) and CalMac black and white with red chimneys. I really don't think this livery is going to age anything other than poorly. That's before I get to my frustration around the costs and also the impact such a darker livery may have on things like air conditioning efficiency.

 

[Leyland Bus]

I've tried to mellow and like the livery but I still don't. Too much going on, too obviously GB news in style, don't understand why we are using the union jack. It isn't going to suddenly make the country patriotic to railways they will still hate them.

Simple liveries work well at identifying a brand. Springing to mind the DB liveries (long distance white and local/regional red) and CalMac black and white with red chimneys. I really don't think this livery is going to age anything other than poorly. That's before I get to my frustration around the costs and also the impact such a darker livery may have on things like air conditioning efficiency.

I really struggle to understand this obsession with the cost of repainting trains... Trains are always repainted, they're done in cycles, its an inbuilt cost of the railways. British Rail painted trains, private TOCs painted trains and GBR will paint trains. What would folk prefer? Never paint trains again and let everything decent into a scruffy, faded, weathered mess to save afew quid? People need to remember that the trains themselves are the railways "shop window". Clean, good looking, tidy trains give a good impression. You wouldn't buy from a bakery whose shop window was dirty, dusty and full of dead flies would you??

 

[172007]

Correct me please if i am wrong.
All the Chiltern Mk5a sets were and Class 68 locos were re-liveried earlier this year from base coat blue and grey. Now the Chiltern Vinyls have been removed/covered over by GBR ones. This goes against what we were told about the GBR livery only appearing when required.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Correct me please if i am wrong.
All the Chiltern Mk5a sets were and Class 68 locos were re-liveried earlier this year from base coat blue and grey. Now the Chiltern Vinyls have been removed/covered over by GBR ones. This goes against what we were told about the GBR livery only appearing when required.

Well it doesn’t though, does it, as so far we have nothing to suggest it’s going to happen to more than one MK5a set. She made quite clear all renationalised TOCs would get one done up for now, that’s what this is*, and then it’d be a slow measured roll out drom there.

*And there’s not exactly a fair reason to complain about one train now and then getting revinyled up as part of a wider attempt to get consistency, when TOCs like Avanti and LNER are doing it every five minutes. “Together We Roll” and “Our World Means The World” and the Pride train would have cost a fortune, and LNER seems to introduce new vinyls for the driving cabs of a new Azuma practically every week.

 

[172007]

Well it doesn’t though, does it, as so far we have nothing to suggest it’s going to happen to more than one MK5a set. She made quite clear all renationalised TOCs would get one done up for now, that’s what this is*, and then it’d be a slow measured roll out drom there.

*And there’s not exactly a fair reason to complain about one train now and then getting revinyled up as part of a wider attempt to get consistency, when TOCs like Avanti and LNER are doing it every five minutes. “Together We Roll” and “Our World Means The World” and the Pride train would have cost a fortune, and LNER seems to introduce new vinyls for the driving cabs of a new Azuma practically every week.

They could have done a couple of 165's then as they progress through their upgrade, think the 168's are still being refreshed too.

Point taken on the Avanti and LNER stuff.

 

[Fokx]

Will that Chiltern Mk5 set have any external markings to identify First Class, like a simple classic yellow line high up?

It will be identified purely by sound alone, being next to the loco, you'll hear it before you can visually see it

 

[Goldfish62]

I really struggle to understand this obsession with the cost of repainting trains... Trains are always repainted, they're done in cycles, its an inbuilt cost of the railways. British Rail painted trains, private TOCs painted trains and GBR will paint trains. What would folk prefer? Never paint trains again and let everything decent into a scruffy, faded, weathered mess to save afew quid? People need to remember that the trains themselves are the railways "shop window". Clean, good looking, tidy trains give a good impression. You wouldn't buy from a bakery whose shop window was dirty, dusty and full of dead flies would you??

It's also a tiny, tiny cost compared with the overall cost of running the railways.

People who have absolutely no idea of how much it costs to run buses have the same obsession with the cost of repainting buses.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I really struggle to understand this obsession with the cost of repainting trains... Trains are always repainted, they're done in cycles, its an inbuilt cost of the railways. British Rail painted trains, private TOCs painted trains and GBR will paint trains. What would folk prefer? Never paint trains again and let everything decent into a scruffy, faded, weathered mess to save afew quid? People need to remember that the trains themselves are the railways "shop window". Clean, good looking, tidy trains give a good impression. You wouldn't buy from a bakery whose shop window was dirty, dusty and full of dead flies would you??

Because — I may be wrong here — but I reckon a lot of people who have a problem with the trains being reliveried ACTUALLY have a problem with GBR. And the cost of repainting is just an easy take down.

I completely agree with your post btw

 

[Leyland Bus]

Because — I may be wrong here — but I reckon a lot of people who have a problem with the trains being reliveried ACTUALLY have a problem with GBR. And the cost of repainting is just an easy take down.

I completely agree with your post btw

I think you're likely right on that one...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Because — I may be wrong here — but I reckon a lot of people who have a problem with the trains being reliveried ACTUALLY have a problem with GBR.

That or they have a problem with the loss of the interesting aspect of multiple, frequently changing brandings and liveries on the railway, as that's an item of interest for enthusiasts.

 

[Leyland Bus]

It's also a tiny, tiny cost compared with the overall cost of running the railways.

People who have absolutely no idea of how much it costs to run buses have the same obsession with the cost of repainting buses.

Quite, happened on the Bee Network just after launch, a large article in the papers about how much was being spent painting the buses yellow...

 

[RyanOPlasty]

Doesn't actually look that bad to be fair.

It will when it's going the other way!

 

[physics34]

I really struggle to understand this obsession with the cost of repainting trains... Trains are always repainted, they're done in cycles, its an inbuilt cost of the railways. British Rail painted trains, private TOCs painted trains and GBR will paint trains. What would folk prefer? Never paint trains again and let everything decent into a scruffy, faded, weathered mess to save afew quid? People need to remember that the trains themselves are the railways "shop window". Clean, good looking, tidy trains give a good impression. You wouldn't buy from a bakery whose shop window was dirty, dusty and full of dead flies would you??

Exactly. I do however think during privatisation there should have been more default / universal liveries to avoid the extra cost im painting trains if they were to change operators. Theres been alot of silliness over the years.. great eastern had about 6 different liveries on its units at one point. Now though with a new corporate identity its good to get everything the same when units are due for repaint. A few trains vinyled in the new livery will not break the bank.