Overground brand 'to be rolled out across Britain'

[telstarbox]

Don't think anyone saw this coming!

The London Overground graphic identity is to be rolled out across the National Rail network under ambitious plans announced by ATOC and Transport for London today.

By 2019 (the end of Network Rail's Control Period 5), the orange colour scheme already familiar to suburban Londoners will be applied to trains, station signs, maps and all other visual elements.

"TfL and ATOC commissioned nationwide research last year which showed that the Overground enjoys a high level of brand recognition both in the capital and further afield - many passengers already use the term 'Overground' informally to mean any non-Underground rail service," said Chris Almond, Head of Brand at ATOC.

"Following further technical discussions with TfL, and a limited trial in Essex, it was agreed to adopt the Overground brand nationwide over the next five years.

"This process of simplification means that passengers will only need to choose between "Overground" and "Underground" by 2019, reducing the risk of confusion at the station."

Train Operating Companies will continue to operate services as at present, but will be required to apply the Overground brand identity to rolling stock and at stations, mandated via franchise commitments.

ENDS

http://www.atoc.org/news/26821144

 

[33056]

 

[edwin_m]

Either Boris taking over the world or someone hasn't looked at the calendar.

 

[steevp]

ROFL!
What about where the "Overground" is partially underground such as Liverpool? Or as is the case in East London where the Overground is under the Underground line? How does the term translate into Welsh? I think there is much scope for confusion here

 

[Darandio]

One of the better ones I have seen so far this morning. I love April 1st.

 

[CdBrux]

ROFL!
What about where the "Overground" is partially underground such as Liverpool? Or as is the case in East London where the Overground is under the Underground line? How does the term translate into Welsh? I think there is much scope for confusion here

Well if Overground was Underground that would need a Womble logo!

 

[jon0844]

Who says this is a joke? It's a good few years early, but expect London Overground to gradually spread outside of London, into the suburbs, towards Wales and Scotland, and then the world....

I just pity those people who will have to travel all stations from King's Cross to Aberdeen on a 378.

 

[Emyr]

How does the term translate into Welsh? I think there is much scope for confusion here

Overground and Underground would be "Dros-ddaear" and "Dan-ddaear" respectively. Abbreviations would collide, so directly-translated branding wouldn't work, but as Wales has limited tunnelling, this would remain a non-issue.

 

[steevp]

Overground and Underground would be "Dros-ddaear" and "Dan-ddaear" respectively. Abbreviations would collide, so directly-translated branding wouldn't work, but as Wales has limited tunnelling, this would remain a non-issue.

Thanks Emyr for the clarification - it was a tongue-in-cheek question, but I thought it wouldn't work like Trenau Arriva Trains which kind of works for me.

 

[talltim]

, but as Wales has limited tunnelling, this would remain a non-issue.

I thought the Welsh all lived underground?

 

[eisenach]

It ocurred to me at the week-end, making a rare visit to London, and using the North London line, that the Overground is to London what the S-Bahn is to many a German city, and for which we have no convenient equivalent term.
Perhaps "Overground" would do it (even though most of our cities don't have an U-Bahn!).

 

[rf_ioliver]

Overground, underground....at first I thought it was a bizarre reference to the Wombles.

As for calling Overground "U-bahn", I can already imagine a certain UKIP leader's apoplexy

As for the Welsh translations, possibly some former lines in mid/north Wales would be "Dan-ddwr", though I think this could be applied to much of the Machynllech-Pwllheli branch after the last storms....

t.

Ian

 

[telstarbox]

It ocurred to me at the week-end, making a rare visit to London, and using the North London line, that the Overground is to London what the S-Bahn is to many a German city, and for which we have no convenient equivalent term.
Perhaps "Overground" would do it (even though most of our cities don't have an U-Bahn!).

Liverpool's Merseyrail is similar to the Overground and benefits from consistent branding which extends outside Merseyside to Chester and Ellesmere Port. Birmingham has "Network West Midlands" which is halfway there.

 

[Darren R]

...As for calling Overground "U-bahn", I can already imagine a certain UKIP leader's apoplexy

It's got to be worth doing for that reason alone! What would the Daily Express have to say!

 

[Tim R-T-C]

As for calling Overground "U-bahn", I can already imagine a certain UKIP leader's apoplexy

Wow, it would be almost as bad as if it turned out that Britain had turned control of most of its railway network to the German Government...

 

[joeykins82]

Perhaps, since London metro & suburban commuter railway services cater to a specific need they could all be grouped together for the purposes of setting strategy for the area in terms of rolling stock and infrastructure improvements. Since it'd spread beyond the M25 calling it London Overground wouldn't make much sense as a brand, but perhaps something like "Network South East" would be a good fit?

 

[jon0844]

London Overground could work for many services coming into London (that aren't Intercity services) and run alongside the faster services.

With so many franchises merging around London, we could be slowly on our way to a return to NSE too - although I'm not sure the name itself would ever return.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Let "us up north" fight back by insisting that any Euston or Kings Cross services have to have the front ends of the Class 142 Pacer fleet fitted as standard to any of the Virgin Pendolino or East Coast fleets...

 

[Emyr]

have the front ends of the Class 142 Pacer fleet fitted as standard to any of the Virgin Pendolino or East Coast fleets...

I know the Green lobby would support recycling, but having the aerodynamics of a brick beyond 200kph would cause so much turbulence the drivers wouldn't hear a thing... Could Pacerlinos be routed Euston - Chester - Altrincham - Stockport? We could use the availability of wifi, tables and powerpoints to deny George Osbourne any housing-related expenses claims and get him to spend more time in his consituency...

As you can see sky from the Circle Line and mainline services tunnel their way under the bustle, branding aligned to journey types makes more sense. Intercity, Metro etc. Use Wombles to market metropolitain people-movers. Paddington for international and inter-hub formats (Northern Hub, HS1/2/3, Heathrow Express). Village-dweller Rupert Bear could be the face of the stoppers.

 

[junglejames]

Let "us up north" fight back by insisting that any Euston or Kings Cross services have to have the front ends of the Class 142 Pacer fleet fitted as standard to any of the Virgin Pendolino or East Coast fleets...

Not a problem at all. In fact, id go one extra, just for you Northerners. Send the Pacers themselves to Virgin, and you can have the bendy pendies. At least then you have stock for Liverpool to Manchester.

Id be more likely to travel on the WCML as well. Pacers to Glasgow Ah, fantastic.

 

[jon0844]

They'd be more spacious (the Pacers).

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Darren R]

And you'd definitely get a seat with a window!

 

[jon0844]

So it's decided then!

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