Why does LNER use the Azuma branding?

[35B]

Never understood LNER to be honest, it's basically Virgin Trains coining off a respected legacy name of LNER. I just hope when it all becomes GBR we have more management from GWR than LNER. Getting back on topic, I don't get the whole "Azuma" thing it just sounds weird and stupid in terms of being used on the British Railway.

No, the LNER brand was introduced after Virgin left the franchise.

 

[FGW_DID]

I don't get the whole "Azuma" thing it just sounds weird and stupid in terms of being used on the British Railway.

Brand new trains from Hitachi (a Japanese company) for the East Coast Mainline.
Azuma is one variation in Japanese for the word East.

What does the name “Pendolino’ mean? Did anybody question that when they were introduced?

 

[Haywain]

it's basically Virgin Trains coining off a respected legacy name of LNER.

It's absolutely nothing to do with Virgin. The name was changed to LNER after Stagecoach and Virgin gave up the franchise.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Dec 2025 ==

Have operators of 80X trains made any changes that have become apparent on the Azumas? For example the shocking ride quality that has become obvious in years of use at LNER or the sensors for the tap being behind the tap (and creating puddles on the floor) instead of in front. Or the UAT doors that can’t make it to London and back without failing to close at least once? Or more ‘robust’ plumbing to avoid blockages in the toilets?

Any changes to the trains would be subject to renegotiation of contracts. LNER have nothing to do with maintenance of the trains and cannot make changes to them.

 

[azOOOOOma]

No I mean other operators. Ones that have introduced them literally years after LNER. Have they learned from the in service experience of LNER?

Another issue is the bulk storage. Is there any meaningful two level storage and not the flimsy rail that isn’t used at LNER so you either have a mass of bags piled one on top of the other or you have one level of bags only.

 

[Ellwill]

What does the name “Pendolino’ mean? Did anybody question that when they were introduced?

Pendolino = Pendulum. Unlike with Azuma however, the term was actively used by the likes of Trenitalia and Renfe long before the Class 390 first made it off the drawing board.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Brand new trains from Hitachi (a Japanese company) for the East Coast Mainline.
Azuma is one variation in Japanese for the word East.

What does the name “Pendolino’ mean? Did anybody question that when they were introduced?

They tilt, like a Pendulum. Italian word for Pendulum is Pendolo. They introduced a fleet of tilting trains to Italy known as Pendolinos, and Branson was impressed by them and specified a British-capable version.

 

[devonexpress]

It's absolutely nothing to do with Virgin. The name was changed to LNER after Stagecoach and Virgin gave up the franchise.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Dec 2025 ==


Any changes to the trains would be subject to renegotiation of contracts. LNER have nothing to do with maintenance of the trains and cannot make changes to them.

Maybe you misunderstood what I was saying.

• Same management continued in place as was in VTEC
• Same red colour scheme adopted onto the new trains just tweaked and LNER name instead of Virgin.
• Same uniforms from VTEC
• Same corporate attitude and culture as when it was VTEC.

Hence essentially it is still Virgin trains, just under the LNER branding and owned by the government.

 

[YorksLad12]

What does the name “Pendolino’ mean? Did anybody question that when they were introduced?

"She who leans", I read at the time.

 

[sharpener]

They tilt, like a Pendulum. Italian word for Pendulum is Pendolo. They introduced a fleet of tilting trains to Italy known as Pendolinos, and Branson was impressed by them and specified a British-capable version.

More or less. The root is the "pend" bit which means hang in Latin (cf. our suspend, depend). -ulum is a diminutive, so a pendulum is a little thing that hangs. -ino is a further diminutive in Italian so pendolino means a (very) little thing that hangs, or small or toy pendulum. A bit contrived but it has certainly caught on.

 

[35B]

Maybe you misunderstood what I was saying.

• Same management continued in place as was in VTEC
• Same red colour scheme adopted onto the new trains just tweaked and LNER name instead of Virgin.
• Same uniforms from VTEC
• Same corporate attitude and culture as when it was VTEC.

Hence essentially it is still Virgin trains, just under the LNER branding and owned by the government.

As has been the case with most franchise changes

 

[Haywain]

Maybe you misunderstood what I was saying.

• Same management continued in place as was in VTEC
• Same red colour scheme adopted onto the new trains just tweaked and LNER name instead of Virgin.
• Same uniforms from VTEC
• Same corporate attitude and culture as when it was VTEC.

Hence essentially it is still Virgin trains, just under the LNER branding and owned by the government.

The first three were all sensible low cost decisions. I think the fourth reflected that VTEC was not a failed business by any means and, as they say, "if it ain't broken, don't fix it".

 

[thomalex]

Brand new trains from Hitachi (a Japanese company) for the East Coast Mainline.
Azuma is one variation in Japanese for the word East.

What does the name “Pendolino’ mean? Did anybody question that when they were introduced?

Don't forget it also sounding like 'A zoomer', meaning fast.

It's a clever play on words