WSMR - New livery scheme.

[General Zod]

I saw the new livery on the carriages yesterday and was mighty impressed. Looks very smooth , sleek and professional and gives one a sense of luxury. I hope the recent shenanigans with the parent companies do not result in the dumbing down of the route. Good quality food, a comfortable travelling environment and a smooth and pleasant journey should remain as a selling point for WSMR.
I've noticed that loadings , especially at weekends, seem to be reasonably healthy. Has the enthusiasm for the route shown signs of weekday improvement ?

Z

 

[Greenback]

The 1633 ex Marylebone on 24 September was pretty full, but I would expect that given the time of the service...and there weren't so many on board by Shrewsbury, a lot of people got off at Wolverhampton etc

 

[MCR247]

I thought they could only pick up at Wolves, if people are getting off VT wont be happy!

 

[Greenback]

People definitely got on at Wolves - perhaps I should have said there were less people on board after Tame Bridge Parkway, quite a few definitely got off there!

 

[Lampshade]

I thought they could only pick up at Wolves, if people are getting off VT wont be happy!

Thought it was pick up only northbound and set down only southbound.

 

[MCR247]

Yeah thats it

 

[TDK]

I saw the new livery on the carriages yesterday and was mighty impressed. Looks very smooth , sleek and professional and gives one a sense of luxury. I hope the recent shenanigans with the parent companies do not result in the dumbing down of the route. Good quality food, a comfortable travelling environment and a smooth and pleasant journey should remain as a selling point for WSMR.
I've noticed that loadings , especially at weekends, seem to be reasonably healthy. Has the enthusiasm for the route shown signs of weekday improvement ?

Z

It's not a new livery it is THE LIVERY that was designed before the company was launched, the locos and DVT's have been in that livery for quite a while

 

[merlodlliw]

I saw the new livery on the carriages yesterday and was mighty impressed. Looks very smooth , sleek and professional and gives one a sense of luxury. I hope the recent shenanigans with the parent companies do not result in the dumbing down of the route. Good quality food, a comfortable travelling environment and a smooth and pleasant journey should remain as a selling point for WSMR.t ?

Good Morning,Herr General.

I have spoken to a few W/S employees, one of them contributes to Rail Forums,also we were party to the pre media release.
It is the opinion of all locally that W/S is now in a stronger position,the brand & strapline remain,this is the key to its success. As for dumbing down the route, thats another story and another toc.
It really is a pleasure to see the new livery on a complete train in the stables.

 

[Dampflok]

I understand that quite a lot of trouble was gone to in order to get the locos that have run with the new set so far, 67010 during testing and 67015 on the first public runs, facing the right way for the livery style - i.e. with the darker end outwards. Several shunt moves had to be undertaken at Crewe to achieve this - not sure if track access charges were payable for these moves!

67010 is now with a different set, but is still the right way round for the livery, it will be interesting to see whether all the locos will be kept this way round eventually - 67012 and 67013 are the "wrong" way round at the moment with the lighter end outwards.

Cheers, Geoff

 

[merlodlliw]

I understand that quite a lot of trouble was gone to in order to get the locos that have run with the new set so far, 67010 during testing and 67015 on the first public runs, facing the right way for the livery style - i.e. with the darker end outwards. Several shunt moves had to be undertaken at Crewe to achieve this - not sure if track access charges were payable for these moves!

67010 is now with a different set, but is still the right way round for the livery, it will be interesting to see whether all the locos will be kept this way round eventually - 67012 and 67013 are the "wrong" way round at the moment with the lighter end outwards.

Cheers, Geoff

Track access charges, an interesting point you bring up Geoff, depends who control NR, real rail people at Crewe or faceless accountants,I realise every movement is supposed logged.

 

[Drsatan]

Compared to many TOCs they definitely care about the passenger. I read an article in RAIL magazine last month about WSMR: the hack who wrote it travelled onboard one of their services with an AP ticket. He was even greeted by name! And yes, most passengers would definitely prefer a MK3 to a Voyager. Hopefully one day they'll be able to stop at Birmingham New Street and pick up/set down at ALL of the stations they use.

Sorry for going off topic, but which authority has stated that WSMR can only pick up northbound/ set down southbound at Banbury and a few other stations to avoid "stealing" revenue from Chiltern, XC and others?

 

[LondonLarry]

Thought it was pick up only northbound and set down only southbound.

They might advertise that on information screens at stations, but there's not a lot they can do about it if you do get off at a pick up station, or vice versa!

 

[Geezertronic]

They might advertise that on information screens at stations, but there's not a lot they can do about it if you do get off at a pick up station, or vice versa!

I've seen quite a few people do it on the Watford Junction or Milton Keynes Pick Up stops that VirginTrains do. Like you say, there's not a lot that anyone can do about it in reality

 

[Pumbaa]

I've seen quite a few people do it on the Watford Junction or Milton Keynes Pick Up stops that VirginTrains do. Like you say, there's not a lot that anyone can do about it in reality

Most MK stops are now just normal stops. WJ remains wholly pick-up/set down, and platform staff are very pro-active about it. I've tried it before, and got chinged for a Rugby - London fare by an eagle-eyed TM, and I know others have too. MK staff aren't as fussed, mainly because the majority of the trains there are now free to get on and off. I think it remains that Chester terminators are PU/SD still, any North Wales trains that go beyond are free for all.

 

[Dampflok]

67014 worked 1P01 today and 1J82 this afternoon northbound with the new set. This loco is the "wrong" way round for the livery, the lighter end is outwards, so perhaps now the stock is in normal use there might not be attempts to get locos the "right" way round, as it could be an operational nightmare - fortunately, the set still looks very good even with the loco facing the wrong way...

Cheers, Geoff

 

[bengley]

I saw a Wrexham set with a DVT and 67 at Aylesbury depot today.

 

[Dampflok]

67015 worked a set to Aylesbury depot this morning, passing through Princes Risborough around 09:00 according to some of the regulars there (I didn't see it myself), though I don't know which DVT was involved. Apparently, the set is there for tyre-turning, but how many sets of wheels to be done and how long it will be there I don't know.

Also, it seems that 82302 (Chiltern DVT) failed this afternoon and 1J83 did not run, passengers being conveyed to Banbury by Chiltern, and 1P33 turned round at Banbury to return north, its passengers continuing to Marylebone by Chiltern. So whether trains are in the right places for tomorrow's services, I don't know...

Cheers, Geoff

 

[barrykas]

Incidentally, the set that was spun at Banbury yesterday was the "Silver Streak" as it's become known.

The failure eventually left Marylebone at around 8:30 IIRC, with a driver in both the loco and the DVT.

The irony being that the failed set had been brought off Wembley to replace the stock from 1P13 (11:27 ex-Wrexham) as that had a problem with the batteries on one of the coaches.

Cheers,

Barry