Retro rail brands

[yorksrob]

It's calling a spade a spade, nothing wrong with that. I'm sure many people got fed up with most long distance services being called Intercity in the 80s. At least there's a little variety and colour now.

'InterCity' seemed impossibly modern and exotic, growing up in Kent at the time.

 

[westv]

Seeing as they call themselves Greater Anglia and not East Anglia Railways I'd say it's about right.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

'InterCity' seemed impossibly modern and exotic, growing up in Kent at the time.

Growing up in South London, even after privatisation, I always remember how heart stoppingly exciting I thought “Network SouthEast” sounded and looked

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Growing up in South London, even after privatisation, I always remember how heart stoppingly exciting I thought “Network SouthEast” sounded and looked

“Kent Link Networker”-could barely read and had no idea what the words meant, but it sounded serious to a five year old.

 

[yorksrob]

“Kent Link Networker”-could barely read and had no idea what the words meant, but it sounded serious to a five year old.

It was indeed serious - the death knell of the EPB's !

 

[Fincra5]

I'd be happy for all of the TOCs to be branded as 90s BR . Loved the colours and the names Network SouthEast and Intercity. Even when I was a kid and NSE became Network SouthCentral. Good Times.
I can see why TOCs are opting for dated/ retro names. Like Southern, LNER, GWR etc. It reflects the by-gone golden age of Rail Travel.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Growing up in South London, even after privatisation, I always remember how heart stoppingly exciting I thought “Network SouthEast” sounded and looked

I've always thought that Network South East sounded dynamic, Network North West though didn't sound as dynamic as NSE did but it did appeal to me as the northern version of it. All we had in Yorkshire was either MetroTrain (focusing on West Yorkshire), Network South Yorkshire (which sounded more of a Tesco Value version of NSE) and in North Yorkshire and the-then Humberside, Regional Railways.

Network South East use to have the "flash" on the entrance totem poles (as did Network North West), yet Regional Railways didn't and I think that they should have as it would have sold the brand a bit better.

When Northern are on strike you do often hear the Guard Manager often state that its a MetroTrain service to... in West Yorkshire or a Network South Yorkshire service to... in South Yorkshire but I've never heard it being announced as a Regional Railways or Provincial service to... outside of South or West Yorkshire. I'd imagine that for the north west that Network North West would be used.

 

[transmanche]

Maybe because their was already an Anglian Railways until relatively recently?

There was a Northern until even more recently, but it didn't stop Northern being called Northern. If you see what I mean...

 

[westv]

There was a Northern until even more recently, but it didn't stop Northern being called Northern. If you see what I mean...

Ahh! Just noticed my spelling error. Their?! Amended.

 

[bastien]

Growing up in South London, even after privatisation, I always remember how heart stoppingly exciting I thought “Network SouthEast” sounded and looked

Imagine being in Weymouth at the time, it was like the Martians had just landed. We weren't accustomed to bright colours.

 

[modernrail]

That is a

One of my favourites was the Grand London and Dublin Approximation Railway of 1845. (That's approximation as in making the two places closer (in proximity) to each other by speeding up travel.)

Great name! Would you happen to know of anywhere I might find more information? Google appears to be easily defeated on this one!

 

[GoneSouth]

It's calling a spade a spade, nothing wrong with that. I'm sure many people got fed up with most long distance services being called Intercity in the 80s. At least there's a little variety and colour now.

I don’t particularly want a variety of colour or a random selection of Gs, As, Rs, Ws, Ns and Ls in my train operators name, just some joined up thinking, pricing and timetabling. Who cares what colour the trains are and it could just be called BR!

Oh hang on, what about Great Britain’s Railway, GBR! That could work

 

[Mikey C]

Growing up in South London, even after privatisation, I always remember how heart stoppingly exciting I thought “Network SouthEast” sounded and looked

The NSE livery didn't really work for me on the older slam door stock, but the version on the Networkers and 442s was very stylish and better than any of the liveries they've worn since

 

[krus_aragon]

That is a

Great name! Would you happen to know of anywhere I might find more information? Google appears to be easily defeated on this one!

I came across it in a book (possibly Peter Baughan's history of the Chester & Holyhead Railway, but I'm not able to check at the moment), but there's a brief mention online at http://www.winslow-history.org.uk/twentiethc-1845railways.shtm

 

[Terry Tait]

I don't think that modern train companies should use old big four sounding names because after travelling on Southern, LNER and GWR rolling stock in preservation the new stuff feels like cheap and uncomfortable plastic.

 

[xotGD]

I don't think that modern train companies should use old big four sounding names because after travelling on Southern, LNER and GWR rolling stock in preservation the new stuff feels like cheap and uncomfortable plastic.

PT&RUR

The Plastic Tat & Rancid Unit Railway

Obviously this no longer applies to TPExpress!