GWR at war with SWT

[14sutton]

GWR have issued a press release, and are not happy with comments made by SWT regarding their change in brand. It is very rare for TOCs to put their dirty linen in public!


https://www.gwr.com/about-us/media-centre/news/2015/december/gwr-responds-to-south-west-trains

SWT press release

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/stations-development.aspx

 

[IanXC]

The GWR press release says:

GWR responds to South West Trains

Thursday 10th December 2015
In response to questions following another train operator's recent advertising campaign, a Great Western Railway spokesman said: "This is exactly the kind of thing that so frustrates passengers - they want train companies focusing on delivering faster, more frequent train services and more seats, not bickering in public. Our own approach is to concentrate on our own business and to get on with delivering the substantial improvements we are delivering for customers as part of our journey to becoming GWR.

"That's why we're focused on delivering three brand new train fleets for passengers, creating an additional 156,700 additional seats a week, cutting journey times to key locations by as much as 20 minutes and creating 2,100 additional car park spaces at our stations.

"We're surprised South West Trains' bosses at Stagecoach - which rebranded their East Coast trains earlier this year - sanctioned such a self-critical move."

The SWT one seems to have been taken down...

 

[14sutton]

Sorry there was no SWT press release, the comments are shown on the boxes at the top and bottom of the SWT link

 

[IanXC]

Ah that makes much more sense. The perils of being on a mobile!

If someone has chance some screen grabs would be good before SWT change their mind!

 

[hassaanhc]

Ah that makes much more sense. The perils of being on a mobile!

If someone has chance some screen grabs would be good before SWT change their mind!

Direct link to the images:

But yes, screenshot would probably be better

 

[Domh245]

57,000 extra seats a week
(More useful than a logo redesign)

+ some sarcastic annotations to their logo

*beaten to it by hassanhc

 

[ainsworth74]

If someone has chance some screen grabs would be good before SWT change their mind!

Here we go:



For those that who might not be able to access the image the first says:

57,000 extra seats a week (More useful than a logo redesign)

and the second:

1,400 extra car parking spaces (More helpful than changing the shade of all our trains)

A bit of a zinger there from GWR in their press release!

 

[yorksrob]

How exciting to have a bit of a public ding dong !

To be fair, I haven't seen any trains in toothpaste livery on the South Western for a while, so they're all at it

 

[Bertie the bus]

GWR management need to get out more. They obviously missed Northern’s posters mocking thetrainline.com and their fees and Chiltern’s massive billboard next to Moor St which constantly attacks and mocks Virgin. Or perhaps they are just a bit over sensitive when their press release shows they know what passengers want but would rather spend time and money on a pointless, half arsed rebranding exercise because it’s cheaper and easier than delivering what passengers want.

 

[yorksrob]

To be fair, all trains need a refresh and repaint once in a while, so I see no harm in a change in livery etc when this time comes.

Looking at the dirty grey/white livery on the East Coast that's been past its sell by date ever since National Express introduced it, TOC's refusing to paint their trains for decades on end seems to be more of an irritation at the moment.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Is that the same South West Trains that paid Best Impressions an absolute fortune to change an orange line into an orange swoosh?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is that the same South West Trains that paid Best Impressions an absolute fortune to change an orange line into an orange swoosh?

That did occur to me (as well as the new "speed teeth" livery[1]). FWIW I thought it was an amusing piece of promotion, no great harm done.

[1]

 

[richw]

Can't beat a good bit of friendly banter!

Where is the competition anyway, GWR is quicker than. SWT along all competing routes,

 

[adrock1976]

Am I right that the London & South Western Railway and the Great Western Railway were not friendly rivals in days gone by?

 

[yorksrob]

Can't beat a good bit of friendly banter!

Where is the competition anyway, GWR is quicker than. SWT along all competing routes,

Although I find that those 159's do make for a more comfortable and less crowded trip to the West Country sometimes.

 

[bnm]

Well done SWT!

 

[geoffk]

This is all very childish. No surprise that they're both bus operators. As bus operators, they run commercial networks so having a go at the "opposition" is to be expected, but rail franchise are, in effect, government contracts.