Great British Railways - First Train in New Livery

[Many2Audi]

C2C has 720601 debranded (no colour on the sides or logos) with GBR Coming soon stickers.

The name plates on the 720s are also different to the 357s. They are vinyls, rather than a metal frame. 601 is also named after Julian Drury, their former managing director.

 

[Mollman]

The red sounds like GBR rather than Thameslink, but the landmarks from along the route I personally don’t like the sound of, because the point of the GBR livery should surely be that every train will look exactly the same as every other train across the whole of GBR, which, apart from just consistency, would also enable more seamless cascades of rolling stock, and save money by not having different types of moquette - a universal moquette can be used everywhere, thus enabling economies of scale.

But surely you would give a train being cascaded at least some kind of refresh which would include new seat covers.

 

[RUK]

But surely you would give a train being cascaded at least some kind of refresh which would include new seat covers.

There are plenty of examples of trains which have been cascaded and which haven’t received interior refurbishments for many years, or yet at all - what were GWR’s Class 387s which are now at Southern, as just one example, which are fairly new and hence don’t require new seat covers, one of which was the first train in GBR external livery but still retains its GWR interior at Southern, and I think also many Class 170s, 158s, and I think maybe some Class 172s as well, have all moved between various TOCs, and still carried their previous TOCs moquettes for many years before refurbishment. Great Northern’s Class 387s were ordered and went into service originally with Thameslink, but with green Southern doors and interior, which has never been changed - the Class 717s are Great Northern’s only original trains which have the pale blue Great Northern/Thameslink doors and dark blue moquette. The Class 387/3s were ordered in Porterbrook livery, and have carried that during their time at c2c, Great Northern, and Southern.

 

[Russel]

...The Class 387/3s were ordered in Porterbrook livery, and have carried that during their time at c2c, Great Northern, and Southern.

What is the reason for these having Southern interior?

(If I'm thinking of the correct subclass here of course.)

 

[RUK]

What is the reason for these having Southern interior?

(If I'm thinking of the correct subclass here of course.)

I believe it was a speculative order by Porterbrook, who just ordered them because there was a general demand for EMUs at the time, without having a specific TOC arrange with Porterbrook beforehand to finance them, to order the last Electrostars to be able to have an off-the-shelf product which shouldn’t have teething problems to offer to customers which was available and could be put into service quickly, before Bombardier switched to the Aventra platform, so they probably didn’t have a specific TOC in mind, so presumably it was probably cheaper for them to have them fit out in the same interior as the previous batch which they followed-on from.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I believe it was a speculative order by Porterbrook, who just ordered them because there was a general demand for EMUs at the time, without having a specific TOC arrange with Porterbrook beforehand to finance them, to order the last Electrostars to be able to have an off-the-shelf product which shouldn’t have teething problems to offer to customers which was available and could be put into service quickly, before Bombardier switched to the Aventra platform, so they probably didn’t have a specific TOC in mind, so presumably it was probably cheaper for them to have them fit out in the same interior as their previous batch which they followed-on from.

Hence the Porterbrook blue doors.

 

[Amos390]

Just seen this video of 387172 being vinyled into GBR, confirms that it is just a wrap (pretty sure that was common knowledge anyways) but it’s nice that they do fill in the chips and dents beneath the wrap before applying it:

 

[Goldfish62]

Just seen this video of 387172 being vinyled into GBR, confirms that it is just a wrap (pretty sure that was common knowledge anyways) but it’s nice that they do fill in the chips and dents beneath the wrap before applying it:

I don't think there was ever any debate that it wasn't a wrap. Look close up and you can easily see the joins in the sheets.

 

[Leyland Bus]

I don't think there was ever any debate that it wasn't a wrap. Look close up and you can easily see the joins in the sheets.

How they just blathered a coat of gloss paint onto the bits too hard to wrap... eek, that'll wear well!!! I suppose I should be grateful they atleast sanded the area down first...

 

[Goldfish62]

How they just blathered a coat of gloss paint onto the bits too hard to wrap... eek, that'll wear well!!! I suppose I should be grateful they atleast sanded the area down first...

No difference from any other train wrap I've seen being applied.

 

[Russel]

How they just blathered a coat of gloss paint onto the bits too hard to wrap... eek, that'll wear well!!! I suppose I should be grateful they atleast sanded the area down first...

Thought that has been standard procedure for 20+ years?

 

[TRAX]

No difference from any other train wrap I've seen being applied.

Yeah I would expect Aura to know what they're doing better than a random train buff on a forum...

 

[Leyland Bus]

Yeah I would expect Aura to know what they're doing better than a random train buff on a forum...

Well, I suppose my 20 odd years as a time served coach painter doesn't count for anything as i'm just a randomer..!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Sep 2026 ==

Thought that has been standard procedure for 20+ years?

For a kick off undercoat would keep the gloss up for longer and roller finishes are just naff...

 

[Russel]

For a kick off undercoat would keep the gloss up for longer and roller finishes are just naff...

Oh I'm not saying it's the right way, or wrong way, I know very little about painting trains, my only experience of vehicle painting is when I resprayed the rear bumper on our car after the wife reversed into a two foot wide pillar in a multi storey carpark that she "hadn't seen"...

I just meant that painting certain parts that would be too hard to wrap is pretty standard.

 

[Goldfish62]

Well, I suppose my 20 odd years as a time served coach painter doesn't count for anything as i'm just a randomer..!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Sep 2026 ==


For a kick off undercoat would keep the gloss up for longer and roller finishes are just naff...

I think what some of us are trying to point out is that the way the GBR livery is applied in this video is the same as for any train wrap and not specific to the GBR livery application.

Maybe a new topic on the the quality and methodology of vinyl wraps on trains could be started as a separate discussion.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Oh I'm not saying it's the right way, or wrong way, I know very little about painting trains, my only experience of vehicle painting is when I resprayed the rear bumper on our car after the wife reversed into a two foot wide pillar in a multi storey carpark that she "hadn't seen"...

I just meant that painting certain parts that would be too hard to wrap is pretty standard.

I'm sure you're absolutely right and the way they vinyl the whole train is an artform in itself. Just for me, that specific bit, looked alittle "slapp-dash" but perhaps that is just a sign of the times...

 

[jamster47]

Another two c2c units completed and may be out and about. I think that means 8 now?
One of the pink ones has also been redone slightly into a charity livery. Not sure if any GBR branding on this.

 

[Amos390]

Another two c2c units completed and may be out and about. I think that means 8 now?
One of the pink ones has also been redone slightly into a charity livery. Not sure if any GBR branding on this.

Oh that does bring up a valid question, will GBR have 'celeb' trains (like that charity livery one you mentioned) or will they just stick to their standard livery? Would be a shame if there's no celeb liveries so I hope there are, but it will be interesting to see.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Oh that does bring up a valid question, will GBR have 'celeb' trains (like that charity livery one you mentioned) or will they just stick to their standard livery? Would be a shame if there's no celeb liveries so I hope there are, but it will be interesting to see.

Oh please no. You all hate the GBR livery -- I love the GBR livery -- what I hate is the ridiculous Avanti special liveries.
I personally hope GBR doesn't follow suit.

Anyway, it's pie in the sky as we don't know yet. Let's wait and see.

 

[Amos390]

Oh please no. You all hate the GBR livery -- I love the GBR livery -- what I hate is the ridiculous Avanti special liveries.
I personally hope GBR doesn't follow suit.

You have got a point with the Avanti example, they are very bold to say the least, something like LNWR's 'Spirit of Invictus' livery though is nice I think, stands out but not too overpowering, that was more the likes of what I was thinking.

 

[RUK]

So it seems that 357 210, 357 205, and maybe 357 325 are in the GBR | Anglia livery now, if there are 8 of them in total, those having been the units under preparation.

Oh that does bring up a valid question, will GBR have 'celeb' trains (like that charity livery one you mentioned) or will they just stick to their standard livery? Would be a shame if there's no celeb liveries so I hope there are, but it will be interesting to see.

c2c is under GBR | Anglia now, and this new Gold Geese livery is more minimal than the previous all-over-golden-yellow-wrap one, which was replaced by the GBR | Anglia livery on 357 008 (which was originally said to be one of the last trains due to be re-painted, since it was carrying the special charity livery):

New, apparently 357 010:


Previous, launched on 1st September 2022, and done by Stewart Signs Rail (who also wrapped the GBR Class 701, and have also done work for Southeastern, TPE, CrossCountry, ScotRail, London Underground, Eurostar, Virgin Trains, Luas, and Edinburgh Trams over the last decade) - I’m a bit surprised that they didn’t clean the dirty body-work before just putting the vinyl on top of the dirt, though they did take the Trenitalia logo off first rather than covering it with the new vinyl, since you can see the clean shadow of where it used to be:

Given that LNER have been publicly-owned for quite a while now and have had quite a few special liveries, and I think Northern, which has also been publicly-owned for quite a while, has also had some I believe, perhaps that’ll continue under GBR.

c2c under public ownership also renewed their sponsorship of Southend United football club, which I was a bit surprised by, since the c2c brand is set to disappear.

 

[TreacleMiller]

Internal confirmation that LNER will be GBR | LNER with GBR branding being added onto each end of Azuma and 91 fleet over next few months. No change to branding as I understand it, just LNER decals removed and replaced with GBR ones.

 

[720144]

Sorry for the late post, been extremely busy for 2 weeks. Here's the latest GBR livery list.

68021 - GBR Chiltern
357008 - GBR Anglia
357020 - GBR Anglia
357201 - GBR Anglia
357202 - GBR Anglia
357203 - GBR Anglia
375822 - GBR South Eastern
387172 - GBR Southern
701006 - GBR South Western
720144 - GBR Anglia
720501 - GBR Anglia
CH09 (12809+12727+12726+12725+11509) - GBR Chiltern

Updated.

68021 - GBR Chiltern
357008 - GBR Anglia
357020 - GBR Anglia
357201 - GBR Anglia
357202 - GBR Anglia
357203 - GBR Anglia
357210 - GBR Anglia
357205 - GBR Anglia
357325 - GBR Anglia
375822 - GBR South Eastern
387172 - GBR Southern
701006 - GBR South Western
720144 - GBR Anglia
720501 - GBR Anglia
CH09 (12809+12727+12726+12725+11509) - GBR Chiltern

Still expecting 357210 to join at some point as that was sent to Ilford a few weeks before 205 did to have the repaint done.

 

[positron]

Temporary rollout coming soon.....

*Surely* they're not keeping the Avanti name? GBR | West Coast would be perfectly good. Especially when the Avanti brand has so much negativity attached to it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Sep 2026 ==

Internal confirmation that LNER will be GBR | LNER with GBR branding being added onto each end of Azuma and 91 fleet over next few months. No change to branding as I understand it, just LNER decals removed and replaced with GBR ones.

Keeping LNER rather than changing to East Coast is also a bit odd but it's a recognisable brand and historical name so I can see why it might be kept at least during the transition.

I hope eventually these TOC names are all dropped and we just get unified branding based on service type. GBR | Intercity would work fine.

 

[Zakaria Fadel]

Temporary rollout coming soon.....

What’ll happen to the special liveries then (e.g those on 390119, 390121, 807010 etc) when Avanti enters public ownership on the 7th March 2027?

 

[Russel]

What’ll happen to the special liveries then (e.g those on 390119, 390121, 807010 etc) when Avanti enters public ownership on the 7th March 2027?

Probably nothing, until the units are re-liveried into GBR.

 

[Rick1984]

Great British Railways - London North Eastern Railway is a bit of a mouthful!

 

[Goldfish62]

Great British Railways - London North Eastern Railway is a bit of a mouthful!

Surely it will be LNER as that is what the company is known as.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Surely it will be LNER as that is what the company is known as.

Or even GBR East Coast. But that would probably be too sensible, despite being two syllables shorter.

 

[Goldfish62]

Or even GBR East Coast. But that would probably be too sensible, despite being two syllables shorter.

My comment was on the basis that it's been reported that the LNER name is staying.