Rebrand EMR Connect to Luton Express with a separate livery?

[Cdd89]

there was a Luton to Stansted flight on Sunday. It was in the air about 12 minutes.

A few years ago I was on a flight that diverted to Luton. Most people disembarked but a small number stayed on board for the reposition to Stansted. It felt like taking off and landing immediately (if an empty Ryanair flight wasn’t enough of a novelty!).

 

[paul1609]

You need to go to Papa Westray in Orkney you can see your scheduled aircraft take off from its origin on the next island, who needs flight radar?

 

[A0]

The whole route is, to be honest. Luton, Bedford and Corby... not much to say about any of them, really! (Wellingborough and Kettering are reasonably OK though).

I'm not sure Wolverton, Bletchley of most of the rest of Milton Keynes are much more salubrious.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm not sure Wolverton, Bletchley of most of the rest of Milton Keynes are much more salubrious.

Nor to be fair is Northampton. But there are some lovely places along the south WCML (e.g. Berko, Tring) and some nice scenery through the Chilterns.

 

[A0]

Nor to be fair is Northampton. But there are some lovely places along the south WCML (e.g. Berko, Tring) and some nice scenery through the Chilterns.

Having travelled both, each have their nice points from a scenery perspective, but it wasn't the scenery you were having a pop at.

 

[Horizon22]

We should really bring continental-style train classification here.

Not sure how helpful that will be as - using my example - all Thameslink trains all look the same but do a variety of services. Might actually cause more confusion as it is a deviation from the norm.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not sure how helpful that will be as - using my example - all Thameslink trains all look the same but do a variety of services. Might actually cause more confusion as it is a deviation from the norm.

The TOC pretty much does it here with the exception of GWR, TfW, GA, EMR and ScotRail, and the latter two do have the Euro-style train categories to some extent. I think if GBR goes for uniform branding rather than keeping the idea of TOCs, then we will see something back, at least the return of InterCity or a similar brand.

(That is, Avanti, LNER and TPE are "InterCity" and the rest is regional/commuter)

 

[cle]

The TOC pretty much does it here with the exception of GWR, TfW, GA, EMR and ScotRail, and the latter two do have the Euro-style train categories to some extent. I think if GBR goes for uniform branding rather than keeping the idea of TOCs, then we will see something back, at least the return of InterCity or a similar brand.

(That is, Avanti, LNER and TPE are "InterCity" and the rest is regional/commuter)

I think that having arrival times listed on screens is a big help. As are 'first train for X' sections too.

At a certain point, you have to leave something up to human intelligence and savvy. Some folks will look at the timetable, via Google maps or however these days, and see which train arrives first. Other humans are more doddery or just wouldn't think to look, and will board a stopping train as it says Gatwick. Will always be thus.

 

[supervc-10]

The boards with 'Next fastest train' displayed are very handy at busy stations. Especially when the alternative is to hunt through the departures boards looking for your destination!

Cannot see the point of rebranding EMR Connect into 'Luton Express' though. Especially as Luton is just one stop on the route up to Corby!

 

[nw1]

Luton is pretty decent these days. Not all of the extremities/gates, not least the domestic EZ ones - but the overall passenger experience is 100X what it was. It feels more like a real airport and less like a tin shed. Have to say, the multi-story gives it more of an 'urban', busier feel. DART will add to this immensely.

Used Luton last year on an outbound journey and it was mostly fine, but one member of staff got a bit impatient when I struggled to present all the Covid-related bureaucracy (of which there was still a lot) quickly. But I don't blame the member of staff, it must have been quite a bit of stress to deal with all of that.

 

[MML]

Thameslink services to Bedford do appear with via Luton Airport Parkway when displayed at London stations.
But I agree, it still doesn't prevent the bemused traveller boarding the all stations service to Luton.

If we are going to rebrand the EMR Connect service, can we please finish painting the 360s in their new EMR Connect livery, before starting all over again with a newer livery.
After all us travellers don't care about high fares, grubby interiors, short formed or cancelled services so long as we stand on a platform and marvel at the exterior livery the brand people have selected.