Northern contract?

[BurtonM]

Northern's direct award expires on Saturday. But there's no franchise any more, and it's already with the DfT, so what happens? It all seems a bit quiet.

Why no GBR?
Will we see the back of Arriva's branding any time soon? Guessing unfortunately not.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Northern's direct award expires on Saturday. But there's no franchise any more, and it's already with the DfT, so what happens? It all seems a bit quiet.

Why no GBR?
Will we see the back of Arriva's branding any time soon? Guessing unfortunately not.

Well nationalisation is default so it just continues as is

 

[Geeves]

They already said no more livery changes unless it's more trains joining the fleet and even those 323s extra didn't look to be getting painted at first!

There's been a lot of internal news none of making much sense that we are officially (unofficially?). Shadow GBR - Northern soon to be GBR - Northern.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Some kind of ongoing contract or terms of reference will be needed.
You can't just let a major slice of the railway be left unmanaged and without targets and budget control.
But that's down to DFTO now, the new name for DOHL/OLR, and with the details less likely to be in the public domain.
Franchise contracts were at least published (eventually), even if somewhat redacted for commercial confidentiality.

 

[800001]

Northern's direct award expires on Saturday. But there's no franchise any more, and it's already with the DfT, so what happens? It all seems a bit quiet.

Why no GBR?
Will we see the back of Arriva's branding any time soon? Guessing unfortunately not.

Where is the Arriva branding?

 

[Clarence Yard]

The existing contract does not end this weekend. There is an extension provision for up to 2 years which, presumably, has already been exercised.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Where is the Arriva branding?

They probably just don't like the logo/livery (I have no problems with it) although I do see a number of Guards with Arriva still on their uniforms (and some station signs still say Arriva, and you can still see where it used to say it on the side of some trains).

 

[Snow1964]

The existing contract does not end this weekend. There is an extension provision for up to 2 years which, presumably, has already been exercised.

Per section 5.2 on page 89 of the contract, extension had to be exercised by 23:59 on 31st December 2024

However DfT has not publicly published anything saying it was extended so can't be 100% certain it has been done. The most recent thing DfT chose to publish about Northern was a breach notice (which is more or format of current status isn't working, and cannot continue in this way )

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/637cb685e90e076b8043d8b8/dolr-holdings-northern-trains-services-contract.pdf

 

[12LDA28C]

Northern's direct award expires on Saturday. But there's no franchise any more, and it's already with the DfT, so what happens? It all seems a bit quiet.

Why no GBR?
Will we see the back of Arriva's branding any time soon? Guessing unfortunately not.

GBR doesn’t really exist yet for a start and Northern hasn’t been Arriva for some time.

 

[Allwinter_Kit]

In defence of it not being Arriva for some time, in terms of branding they just replaced the lowercase "n" with a capital "N" and peeled the "by arriva" vinyls off the sides. The rest of it (lots of n's in circles, etc.) remains stubbornly affixed to the rolling stock.

So it isn't, officially (or crucially, legally), Arriva's branding, but it is still identifiable as the old stuff.

I guess the question is when would we see 195s and 331s or 333s or 15Xs etc. in something that isn't that? And I suspect the answer is quite some time away because it's a cost that isn't perceived as fundamental.

 

[Leyland Bus]

In defence of it not being Arriva for some time, in terms of branding they just replaced the lowercase "n" with a capital "N" and peeled the "by arriva" vinyls off the sides. The rest of it (lots of n's in circles, etc.) remains stubbornly affixed to the rolling stock.

So it isn't, officially (or crucially, legally), Arriva's branding, but it is still identifiable as the old stuff.

I guess the question is when would we see 195s and 331s or 333s or 15Xs etc. in something that isn't that? And I suspect the answer is quite some time away because it's a cost that isn't perceived as fundamental.

As mentioned in various other threads on this forum, the new GBR branding will start to be rolled out in May this year. Although the article linked below says it will start with SWR, C2C and Greater Anglia, staff I know at Manchester Oxford Rd have been told Northern branding will start to be replaced at the same time aswell (so I assume any TOC already "nationalised" will be done the same)...

New Great British Railways logo for nationalised trains to be unveiled in May

It is thought that the logo will feature the colours of the Union Jack

www.independent.co.uk

A new Great British Railways logo that will “restore pride” in the British train network is set to be unveiled in May on the first trains to be nationalised under the Labour government.

Government officials are currently in the process of finalising the new branding for Great British Railways, with the Union Jack set to feature prominently, The Times reported.

Great British Railways is the train body to be set up by the government, which is currently working on renationalising the railways.

Similar to British Rail, the state-owned company that operated the rail network across the country until 1997, Great British Railways will be the public sector body overseeing trains once they come back into public ownership. Starting with South Western Railways, trains will be brought back under public control, followed by C2C which shuttles between London and south Essex, and Greater Anglia, the train network covering East Anglia and operating the Stansted Express. As each operator is nationalised, it is understood that old logos will be dropped and all trains will carry a new Great British Railways logo instead.

 

[Allwinter_Kit]

So excited to see them desperately cobble together the Union Flag colours and the BR double arrow to - somehow - represent both terribly.

As other threads on here have said - just use the double arrow, as is, everyone knows it means trains. Likewise I really hope the cringeworthy "Great" from "Great British Railways" gets dropped as it is just embarrassing, not to mention a hostage to fortune.

I guess that would leave.... "British Rail" once the inevitable shortening of "Railways" takes hold?

Anyway. That's dangerously close to off-topic. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with and how long it takes to replace things. Given I'm pretty sure there is still serco branded stuff around the network in some places, not to mention NSE colours all over the SE, and Virgin Trains branding all over the West Coast, we should have a coherent corporate image together by 2096 in time for the next privatisation.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Anyway. That's dangerously close to off-topic. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with and how long it takes to replace things. Given I'm pretty sure there is still serco branded stuff around the network in some places, not to mention NSE colours all over the SE, and Virgin Trains branding all over the West Coast, we should have a coherent corporate image together by 2096 in time for the next privatisation.

To add to that list, a luggage cart at Wilmslow (Who even uses these) has First North Western on it, given that name hasn't been used since 2003, that must be older than me!