FGW - W announcement

[Noddy]

Indeed! Considering GWR is an old name I'm sure the insults that commuters from the 19th and early 20th century will soon re-appear! Nothing new under the sun and all that

Yep, we all know they were known as the Great Way Round, I'm sure there were others which were less polite!

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

As I understand it the original GWR, The Great Western Railway Company, continued to exist as a legal entity for nearly two more years after the grouping, being formally wound up on 23 December 1949 - as did the LNER and LMS, whereas Southern went into voluntary liquidation on 10 June 1949, having satisfied the requirements of Sections 12, 13 and 24 of the Transport Act 1947.

GWR and its associated trademarks were not taken up until a new company was formed with the same name on 1st December 1994. From looking around, I can see no references to any GWR trademarks being maintained during the BR era

 

[infobleep]

As I understand it the original GWR, The Great Western Railway Company, continued to exist as a legal entity for nearly two more years after the grouping, being formally wound up on 23 December 1949 - as did the LNER and LMS, whereas Southern went into voluntary liquidation on 10 June 1949, having satisfied the requirements of Sections 12, 13 and 24 of the Transport Act 1947.

GWR and its associated trademarks were not taken up until a new company was formed with the same name on 1st December 1994. From looking around, I can see no references to any GWR trademarks being maintained during the BR era

If someone had brought the trademarks in 1993, could they have sold them on and made a profit I wonder?

 

[Michael.Y]

Science Museum own the GWR roundel for purposes of making things like clocks and jewellery.
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00002636701

The now defunct GWR-FM / GCap / Capital Group owned the text "GWR" for a few things, but have now lost that right, so technically I guess anyone could relaunch a radio station called GWR if they wanted to. (On board entertainment? )
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00002290097

But you couldn't call it GWR FM
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00002504533

DfT owns "Great Western"
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00001517034

Great Western Trains (1994) logos are long dead.
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00001587716

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

If someone had brought the trademarks in 1993, could they have sold them on and made a profit I wonder?

Yes, they would have been allowed to

I recall something like this happened just before the turn of the century when a guy in the USA purchased the trademark "21st Century Fox". When Fox went to register the name for its films and wanted the name, they were refused on the basis the name was already in use. The guy had wanted to sell it to make money but Fox were too smart, although they did take him to court to try and force the courts to make him sell it - its why some 2000 - 2002 tv shows show 20th Fox

 

[HowardGWR]

I think the Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railway needs to watch out. Some of their people have a habit of abbreviating the name and without the S to boot. Whilst I support the railway, I don't like to see it done.

 

[yorksrob]

I think the Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railway needs to watch out. Some of their people have a habit of abbreviating the name and without the S to boot. Whilst I support the railway, I don't like to see it done.

Why not ? Isn't it Great Western territory anyway !

 

[michael74]

Well, he certainly wasn't on Twitter to deal with complaints.

Service updates 1800's style

- .... . / .---- .---- ---... ..--- ----- / - --- / -... .-. .. ... - --- .-.. / - . -- .--. .-.. . / -- . .- -.. ... / .. ... / -.. . .-.. .- -.-- . -.. / -.. ..- . / - --- / .. -.- -... ... / - .- .-.. .-.. / .... .- - / ..-. .- .-.. .-.. .. -. --. / --- -. / - .... . / .-.. .. -. . ...

 

[ainsworth74]

Service updates 1800's style

- .... . / .---- .---- ---... ..--- ----- / - --- / -... .-. .. ... - --- .-.. / - . -- .--. .-.. . / -- . .- -.. ... / .. ... / -.. . .-.. .- -.-- . -.. / -.. ..- . / - --- / .. -.- -... ... / - .- .-.. .-.. / .... .- - / ..-. .- .-.. .-.. .. -. --. / --- -. / - .... . / .-.. .. -. . ...

Crickey and people whinge about leaves on the line causing delays!

 

[Trog]

All right, I'll take the bait. As the baulk road was still there more than six decades later, it could not have been that bad.
.

As originally built there were vertical piles driven into the formation supporting the baulks, this gave very uneven support as the ground between them settled and they then had to be removed. Or at least have the tops cut off them so they were separated from the baulks.

Also in an age where trains had little suspension, softer track was an advantage. To the extent that the L&M noticed that the transverse sleeper track they had across Chat Moss needed much less maintenance than the harder riding stone sett track they had on firmer ground.

 

[455driver]

They are the newest sets back from refurbishment. Instead of painting green, they were painted FGW Blue, but without the Dynamic Lines. (Or so I have heard.)

Correct as been posted 4 or 5 times, it's nice to know somebody has remembered.

 

[coppercapped]

I have often wondered about the original application (to several lines, Great Northern, Great Central, etc). Could those have just meant 'large' as opposed to the modern interpretation?

You are right. Many early railways used the word 'Grand' with the meaning of 'large', as in Grand Junction Railway. The original Great Western Railway was one of the early adopters of the word 'Great' with the same meaning. A still current usage of Great in the sense of large is in the name of the island of 'Great Britain' originally so-called to distinguish it from 'Lesser (or Little) Britain' - now known as Brittany.

 

[jon0844]

Being clever with words reminds me of when Enfield Council said it was the 'top London Borough'...

Well, it wasn't (isn't) lying!

 

[krus_aragon]

You are right. Many early railways used the word 'Grand' with the meaning of 'large', as in Grand Junction Railway.

And they, in turn, were following in the footsteps of the likes of the Grand Union Canal...

 

[Helvellyn]

As it is now GWR... Any chance of some Kings and Castles out of Paddington?

Haven't you heard? 43002 has been named King Kong and 43003 has been named Bouncy Castle.

 

[alb1]

I had my first trip on a GWR branded train this morning.

I think they did a good job with the refit and it looks very smart, but the colours make the interior look quite drab and dark. Being on a train to work at that time in the morning is miserable enough as it is!

 

[yorksrob]

Very pleased to see that they've brought back the West of England timetable which includes all of the branch lines.

They'd stopped doing this for a couple of years but it is very handy.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Very pleased to see that they've brought back the West of England timetable which includes all of the branch lines.

They'd stopped doing this for a couple of years but it is very handy.

Ah that's Good, Never understood why they stopped doing that.

 

[yorksrob]

Ah that's Good, Never understood why they stopped doing that.

I was told by the booking clerk at Penzance that too many people were taking one just for a mainline journey and not using it again.

Good that they've seen sense.

 

[berneyarms]

Very pleased to see that they've brought back the West of England timetable which includes all of the branch lines.

They'd stopped doing this for a couple of years but it is very handy.

That's been available on the FGW website as a pdf all along.

I've been downloading it each timetable change.

 

[387star]

Is it not a tad messy that there is no concerted effort to remove fgw branding from inside and outside trains? Guess it is a bit like virgin taking over east coast with two brands on the go

Must be confusing for passengers though

Even simply removing the 'first' part of the branding would make more sense as that is what this is all about

 

[yorksrob]

Is it not a tad messy that there is no concerted effort to remove fgw branding from inside and outside trains? Guess it is a bit like virgin taking over east coast with two brands on the go

Must be confusing for passengers though

Even simply removing the 'first' part of the branding would make more sense as that is what this is all about

Having travelled on the green 125, they seem to have made a good effort at rebranding the interior, including the buttons on the backs of the seats.


And wandering around the by-ways of Cornwall last week, a lot of the posters and timetables have the new branding.

 

[387star]

Does anyone know when the 158 refresh is to start as well?

Someone on wnxx reckons it is going to be a major transformation?

 

[SephenWorceste]

I travelled on a HST with blue outside but with the new GWR first class (2 1/2 coaches plus full size buffet). These trains will be leaving at some point yet GWR is stitched in the seat cushion and part of the wall covering pattern. Surely that will just mean extra work for the new operator.

I was a bit dark for me inside the carriage. I like to read. One of the power doors stuck and the new at seat electric supply was not working. My seat was one of the airline style singles. A table seat turned round with half of the view taken up by the pillar between the windows. I could have been on a Pendalino.

I have yet to see a green train. I keep looking. I wonder if they will do anything with the 180s. Are staff getting green uniforms. It is not a colour I would like to wear.

All this money, effort, paint and advertising that has been spent on the refurbishments and rebrandings. Things must be going really well at First if they can do all this rather than improve their train services.

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

[CapitalStar378]

It would seem to make sense to keep the GWR branding irrespective of operator. It's not company specific and will be costing a lot of money to implement and would cost a lot to replace.

 

[SephenWorceste]

It would seem to make sense to keep the GWR branding irrespective of operator. It's not company specific and will be costing a lot of money to implement and would cost a lot to replace.

True. Though if the trains are sold or leased to an operator in say Scotland would that be possible.

 

[southern442]

Having just seen the new network map, I think it looks far too cluttered around the London area. Do they really have to include every SWT route?

 

[infobleep]

I notice my 10.10 from Guildford to Gatwick Airport today had working WiFi for a change. I so noticed that the WiFi name is FGW and scrolling message in the train CiS said First Great Western.

How easy or even difficult is it to update CISs and WiFi names?

 

[yorksrob]

I travelled on a HST with blue outside but with the new GWR first class (2 1/2 coaches plus full size buffet). These trains will be leaving at some point yet GWR is stitched in the seat cushion and part of the wall covering pattern. Surely that will just mean extra work for the new operator.

I was a bit dark for me inside the carriage. I like to read. One of the power doors stuck and the new at seat electric supply was not working. My seat was one of the airline style singles. A table seat turned round with half of the view taken up by the pillar between the windows. I could have been on a Pendalino.

I have yet to see a green train. I keep looking. I wonder if they will do anything with the 180s. Are staff getting green uniforms. It is not a colour I would like to wear.

All this money, effort, paint and advertising that has been spent on the refurbishments and rebrandings. Things must be going really well at First if they can do all this rather than improve their train services.

Best wishes, Stephen.

I've just read in Rail Magazine that no more HST's are to be refurbished in the new livery precisely because they will be moving on shortly.

Personally I'm glad they've done one as it acknowledges that they are still the flagship fleet for the time being.

As for the others, well trains need a refresh from time to time, so as long as they rebrand when this is due I suppose it's not too much money.

 

[jon0844]

I notice my 10.10 from Guildford to Gatwick Airport today had working WiFi for a change. I so noticed that the WiFi name is FGW and scrolling message in the train CiS said First Great Western.

How easy or even difficult is it to update CISs and WiFi names?

Not sure about CIS, but the Wi-Fi service should be dead easy and quick. I'm sure they can all be done remotely too.