The peculiar world of NXEA

[SprinterMan]

Since its origin in 2008, NXEA has developed a repuataion as being quite poor (quite unlike 'one', despite both being NX comapnies). I understand the order to rebrand service came from above (higher management) but why were c2c not renamed also? And why did they go to such an effort to remove the rainbow stripes from all their trains, using the wrong shade of paint in quite a few cases, not covering them completely in others, and in most cases completely ruining the apperance of the train (see 321446) while just removing the word 'one' and putting on the white stripe would have sufficed, especially as they have 156s still in Central colours.

Trains are now being 2 different national express liveries, as the plain white livery is soewmthing like £20,000 cheaper than the grey & white livery, but why was the plain white livery not used from the start? Stock that has been repainted has then had the "national express" logo sanded off for uknown reasons, which seems massively odd. Does anyone know why?

There are some timetabling discrepancies such as the 321 service to Norwich (which has been discussed before and hopefully will go over to lovely 317/7 operation soon), but there is also a northbound peak-hour service that starts from Ingatestone at 1600. I didn't think a train could start from Inagtestone as there is no turn-back siding, and what is the point of starting a train from Ingatestone (it is a 12-car 321 for those who are interested). Also the new sundays Walton-Colchester services terminate at Colchester town instead of running through to Colchester (Mainline) as they do any other days of the week (which seems to render the service pointless as it loses most of it's connections). Why has this been done.

I personally cannot wait until this TOC dies and is repalced by GoVia, Stagecoach or NS who will no doubt give a better service, as they at least seem to care about customers a little. Any information on the questions mentioned abovewould be very welcome, as would any other NXEA peculiarities . . .

 

[90019]

And why did they go to such an effort to remove the rainbow stripes from all their trains, using the wrong shade of paint in quite a few cases, not covering them completely in others

The stripes will have been vinyls that have just been removed, so no repainting involved.
The paint that wasn't under the vinyl has been exposed to the elements and will have changed colour slightly, the stuff that was under the vinyl will be the original colour the train was painted in.

 

[gordonthemoron]

do NXEA have any white DMUs? If so, are they filthy?

 

[SprinterMan]

The stripes will have been vinyls that have just been removed, so no repainting involved.
The paint that wasn't under the vinyl has been exposed to the elements and will have changed colour slightly, the stuff that was under the vinyl will be the original colour the train was painted in.

The rainbow stripes have been painted over beacuse i saw on the driver's side wondow frames on a 156, the piant had become chipped and the original stripe colours (red & yellow in this case) cold be seen.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

do NXEA have any white DMUs? If so, are they filthy?

156419 is in NX white & grey:
http://members.madasafish.com/~dysgraphyk/156/photo/TC_156419_nx-launch_Norwich_100308.jpg

and 156402 is in white advertising livery:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4433663493_58aa291a07.jpg

I have never seen either of these in the flesh as it were, but just about every NX DMU I have been on has been utterly disgusting.

 

[317666]

I believe they were vinyled over, not painted.

 

[lemonic]

The reason there are 2 liveries is because the original livery is the livery they ideally wanted. Then, with their franchise nearing its end, and with a guarantee that they won't be running it anymore, they thought there was no point using their ideal livery and now just use the white 'polar bear' livery so that the next operator doesn't have to debrand as much.

I have heard that the reason for the Ingatestone starter is for school children or something similar. It is probably only 12 carriages because after arriving at Colchester it goes to London for the peak time workings. They are not just running this train for no reason!

Also you say NXEA is worse than 'one', but you could argue that many franchises put less of an effort in in their last few years as opposed to their first few years as there is less of an incentive to improve. At the end of the day it's only a name, it's still the same people working there.

Living firmly in NXEA land, I know a lot of people don't think favourably of NXEA, but I don't think they are that bad personally. The most annoying thing is the constant Sunday engineering works on the Great Eastern Main Line, but that is a Network Rail problem and nothing to do with the operator.

 

[GB]

...but there is also a northbound peak-hour service that starts from Ingatestone at 1600. I didn't think a train could start from Inagtestone as there is no turn-back siding, and what is the point of starting a train from Ingatestone (it is a 12-car 321 for those who are interested).

Ingatestone is Bi-Directional and has a loop Shenfield side of the level crossing.

 

[fgwrich]

And then of course, theres NX's rancid 153s...Still in Anglia Livery with a NX White Stripe, Still with their lovely almost brown windows that you can just about see out of because someone in NX Can't be botherd to clean the dam things! :roll:

 

[87015]

There are some timetabling discrepancies such as the 321 service to Norwich (which has been discussed before and hopefully will go over to lovely 317/7 operation soon), but there is also a northbound peak-hour service that starts from Ingatestone at 1600. I didn't think a train could start from Inagtestone as there is no turn-back siding, and what is the point of starting a train from Ingatestone (it is a 12-car 321 for those who are interested). Also the new sundays Walton-Colchester services terminate at Colchester town instead of running through to Colchester (Mainline) as they do any other days of the week (which seems to render the service pointless as it loses most of it's connections). Why has this been done.

The 1600 Ingatestone is a school train, it starts there as Ingatestone is where the passengers come from!! The 1538 Colchester Town is right behind it so it takes all the kiddies off that as well as absorbing pressure from Chelmsford - it only runs as a 12 car to get it in position for the peak.

The Sunday service to Walton is extra to the franchise and runs as passengers want to go to Colchester Town not North as had been requested by the user groups etc, it can't run round to North without requiring extra traincrew which would make it even less financially successful than it currently is.

 

[SprinterMan]

And then of course, theres NX's rancid 153s...Still in Anglia Livery with a NX White Stripe, Still with their lovely almost brown windows that you can just about see out of because someone in NX Can't be botherd to clean the dam things! :roll:

They are dreadful aren't they. I was on one in the rain last year and despite the fact the windows were shut, quite alot of rain got in, so much so in fact that you couldn't sit next to the window without getting rained on quite heavily.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The 1600 Ingatestone is a school train, it starts there as Ingatestone is where the passengers come from!! The 1538 Colchester Town is right behind it so it takes all the kiddies off that as well as absorbing pressure from Chelmsford - it only runs as a 12 car to get it in position for the peak.

The Sunday service to Walton is extra to the franchise and runs as passengers want to go to Colchester Town not North as had been requested by the user groups etc, it can't run round to North without requiring extra traincrew which would make it even less financially successful than it currently is.

Oh right, thanks

 

[dk1]

In the early days when NX altered the timetable there was a particular problem with overcrowding on the 15.38 DMU from Liv St to Lowestoft & with providing a service for kids from the Anglo-American school at Ingatestone. An additional 15.32 Liv St-Colchester was hastily arranged with stock returning for a peak working. This became permanent AND allowed the busy 15.30 Norwich to omit Stratford.

The Dec 2011 changes now see ecs approx 15.00 from Ilford to Ingatestone down loop to form the 16.00 Colchester.

If Shenfield is blocked with engineering works trains frequently turnround at Ingatestone in both platforms & return north using the fully signalled bi-di & the crossovers at Church Lane.

 

[W-on-Sea]

And then there the 321s *still* in the old (pretty horrid) blue/grey/green Great Eastern livery with a NX white stripe, and the 360s in the purple First livery plus NX white stripe...

c2c have now, effectively, been rebranded as National Express c2c (at least as far as the livery on the trains goes). I kind of suspect doing so is a desperate last-minute attempt to try and salvage NX's reputation (or at any rate image) as a train operator.

And while it's not solely down to them this poor reputation is added to by the fact many of NXEA's stations (at least in the bit I am most familiar with - which is the Great Eastern portion) have been badly neglected and have become increasingly shoddy and rather unkempt.


The problem is that c2c (who are indeed, excellent) are more or less the only seriously competent TOC that NX have run for years. OK Midland Mainline and, perhaps, Scotrail, weren't so bad, but NXEA (handicapped though they are by their aging stock) have long struck me as being right down there...well, NEARLY right down there with Silverlink in terms of quality of service and "travel experience"..

One positive thing to say about NXEA: the newer uniforms their staff have are probably the most professional-looking (and genuinely attractive) among TOCs in the land. (The absence of gimmicky shades of green or purple or pink found elsewhere helps immeasurably)

The only other positive thing I would say about NXEA; they'll be gone soon. Sad to say that, but that really seems to me how it is. (I really hope that NX retain c2c, none the less, although I will have moved away from Southend before their current contract expires)

 

[EM2]

Maybe I'm lucky, but I rarely have problems with NXEA on the Metro services. Any disruption I've suffered has been outside of their control (fatalities, signal failures etc.)

 

[tbtc]

I personally cannot wait until this TOC dies and is repalced by GoVia, Stagecoach or NS who will no doubt give a better service, as they at least seem to care about customers a little

I don't think the short-term franchise holder will be around for long enough to change anything, will it even be worth changing the vinyls for such a daft short franchise?

However, I do like the information given on this thread about the school train and the Sunday service at Colchester Town - this is why places like this are great as you get to understand the reasons behind puzzling timetables etc.

Lastly, National Express did a lot of good at Midland Mainline and Scotrail and were partly responsible for a significant number of the 170s on the national network (without which we'd have serious capacity problems) - its a shame that they seem to be leaving railway franchises, especially on such a downbeat note.

 

[SprinterMan]

its a shame that they seem to be leaving railway franchises, especially on such a downbeat note.

Are they definitely losing c2c then?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The Sunday service to Walton is extra to the franchise and runs as passengers want to go to Colchester Town not North as had been requested by the user groups etc, it can't run round to North without requiring extra traincrew which would make it even less financially successful than it currently is.

Why is an extra traincrew needed, it is only 1 stop further on?

Thanks

 

[90019]

and the 360s in the purple First livery plus NX white stripe

Isn't that something to do with the original paint, rather than not wanting to rebrand them?

 

[tbtc]

Are they definitely losing c2c then?

Its certainly been heavily rumoured that this will form part of the "Anglia" franchise in future. Not 100% yet.

However, since National Express used to operate

• ScotRail
• Midland Mainline
• Central Trains
• Wales & West
• Valley Lines
• Wessex
• WAGN
• NXEC

...running only C2C is a huge comedown (no disrespect to the people of Essex).

 

[shinkansen1966]

who pays for these periodic changes to TOC liveries, station signage and uniforms ? Does it come from the taxpayer or the rail passenger ? And is it really necessary ?

 

[cle]

who pays for these periodic changes to TOC liveries, station signage and uniforms ? Does it come from the taxpayer or the rail passenger ? And is it really necessary ?

I agree. It's a total waste - nobody gives a damn about their brand or corporate colours particularly (except maybe enthusiasts!) and yet it's always the first (and often only) thing a new TOC will invest in.

 

[87015]

Why is an extra traincrew needed, it is only 1 stop further on?

The current turnaround at the Town is 19 minutes, which is just short of being long enough to get the unit up to Colchester North and back. You can't really retime it as it needs to connect into the Clacton at Thorpe for the Walton branch, and the Clacton is pretty much set where it is due to GEML factors.

So, to extend the service through to Colchester North you would need to bring an extra unit into play (which isn't really an issue) and you'd need extra drivers to drive the extra unit at £££!

Hope that helps!

 

[GB]

Does the Sunday Clacton - LST (and return) run to a different time than it does on a saturday?

 

[87015]

Its certainly been heavily rumoured that this will form part of the "Anglia" franchise in future. Not 100% yet.

IMO - Unlikely to be merged as it stands, unless vertical integration, which has been mooted for Anglia, comes to the fore. Can't really see much justification for it otherwise, getting rid of a high performance franchise (and all the 'look how good we are ATOC/PF/DfT/TOC press releases that lends itself to) would be a bit of a PR own goal...

That said from February there is going to have to be a lot of changes as many functions are shared between NXEA and c2c, so there will have to be extra jobs created there

 

[YorkshireRider]

Think it depends on if you agree, if a company defaults on one franchise, should it be allowed to carry on with others? Sounds like through comments on here they do a great job with c2c but they has to be some penalty for making idiotic business decisions. However i suppose they did get rid of the f*ckwit Bowker who was surely the one who signed off the EC franchise bid:roll:

 

[lemonic]

Does the Sunday Clacton - LST (and return) run to a different time than it does on a saturday?

Yes. For example, on Monday-Saturday LST-CLT departs LST at 18 minutes past the hour, whereas on Sunday's it departs LST at 32 minutes past the hour.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Isn't that something to do with the original paint, rather than not wanting to rebrand them?

Yes, they had a special anti-graffiti treatment.

Which actually reminds me.... As regards unremoved graffiti from the front, or external roofs of trains - NXEA must be far the worst offender in the south-east, if not the whole of the UK. See it more often than not should I have reason to be on their services. Conversely, I see it next-to-never on most other operators I use around the London area. Another thing that contributes to the general air of shambolic neglect and unkemptness of their operation.

Some of the 360s have been rebranded now, though.

 

[GB]

Whats worse, running a train with graffiti on it or taking the unit out of service and thus cancelling many services?

 

[313103]

This alone tells you about NEG. A one (pardon the pun) big identity crisis. DMUs in Anglia and Central livery, class 90s and MK3s along with some class 315s, 317s and 321s in ONE livery, Class 317s in various Stansted express livery's, Class 321s in First Great Eastern Livery, Class 321s in Silverlink County livery, class 360s in that garish blue livery and that is what you will see at Stratford (with the exception of the DMUs) in a 20 minute window. Even Stratford Station has an identity problem because when you arrive at on Platforms 1 and 2 two station signs clearly show Stratford (ONE) on one side and Stratford (NEG) on the other side.

 

[Mojo]

Whats worse, running a train with graffiti on it or taking the unit out of service and thus cancelling many services?

Why does it result in a cancellation? NXEA's trains seem to have a lot of graffiti on them whereas I very rarely or never see graffiti on other company's trains.

The policy of many companies is to remove trains from service if they are vandalised. There were delays throughout the morning on the Waterloo & City line a few weeks ago after 2 out of the 5 trains were graffitied.

 

[387star]

What good did they do at ScotRail?

Wessex Trains, Central Trains, Wales and Borders, Silverlink etc always came across as a sick joke.

The entire Silverlink fleet never had new upholstery apart from maybe the 150s!

 

[fgwrich]

This alone tells you about NEG. A one (pardon the pun) big identity crisis. DMUs in Anglia and Central livery, class 90s and MK3s along with some class 315s, 317s and 321s in ONE livery, Class 317s in various Stansted express livery's, Class 321s in First Great Eastern Livery, Class 321s in Silverlink County livery, class 360s in that garish blue livery and that is what you will see at Stratford (with the exception of the DMUs) in a 20 minute window. Even Stratford Station has an identity problem because when you arrive at on Platforms 1 and 2 two station signs clearly show Stratford (ONE) on one side and Stratford (NEG) on the other side.

And some of the stations ive come across still had Anglia Branding! :roll: