The government has announced the biggest shake-up in the UK's railways since privatisation in the mid-1990s. with trains running possibly in the same way as busses and trains do in London under TFL with everything using the same livery regardless of operator. The questions is what that will mean for DTG and the current content for TSW2, and whether it will make things easier to obtain licenses for future content in the UK? Rail services to come under unified state control - BBC News
At the moment we don't know - It'll be a couple of years before it takes effect (currently the TOCs are being put on contracts expiring between 2023 and 2027 for a phased transition) I'm guessing we'll find out more when the minster is up in the commons later this morning, but I suspect for anything meaningful we'll have to wait for the next time he's up before the Transport Select Committee for a good grilling
If it’s going to operate in a similar way to Transport for London, we might not see different liveries anymore. They might have a standard livery like BR Blue or DB Red across the entire fleet again. That way trains can be moved to different parts of the UK nice and easily without requiring repaints.
Hopefully not BR Blue - that was depressing, especially on a dull day - something bright and modern is needed livery wise - compare Blue/Blue+Grey with NSE or IC for example for example. GWR Green is a great example of something that looks good in good light, but on a dull day looks depressing! Yes a lot of enthusiasts want a return to the past, but things have moved on.
I believe we will see less operators with each one running a region something like the big four from the 50's.. I wander how it will affect open access agreements, both Hull Trains & The North York Moors Railway both pay the network rail to run regular timetables services on the mail line.
I believe that we will still see regional livery's but they all will display the same corporate branding in the same way that the Bullseye is used in London.
I imagine it'll be white with the TOC logo and probably TOC specific doors (perhaps each getting a designated colour) going by recent liveries, with yellow on the front where necessary - I'm thinking of the current Thameslink/Great Northern livery. I do, however, think ScotRail and TfW will keep their own liveries - did the report say anything about them?.
Of what I understood this is basically just a rebranded National Rail with a little more power and more centralised in London. The only thing that bugs me (as a Scot) Is the fact that, under the current arrangement, National Rail & Scotrail are in the "Scotland's Railway" scheme which is overhauling our rail infrastructure, also sponsored by the Scottish Government & Transport Scotland. Currently Scotrail's head oversees all of National Rail operations in Scotland. However now that this GBR is formed, not only does that say over our railways go, and it rather sneakily undermines the devolved power of Transport to Scotland (but I won't get into that), it also means the Scottish scheme will go down the drain. After all it's a complex issue, and the White Paper didn't mention Scotland at all...
Yes Twitter is trending with the news. Here's one ... On Thursday, the government announced the creation of a new state-owned body called Great British Railways, which will manage rail infrastructure, set timetables and prices and sell train tickets in England. The government also announced that starting in late June, flexible tickets will be available for some people who commute two or three times per week.
Great British Railways. That has a ring of nostalgia to it. Couple that with a gaudy stripe infested national livery, in the colours of our national flag and we will have a huge patriotic brand to hide the private companies running the same inefficient service. It will be referred to as Late British Railways from before it happens, as its implementation will be delayed just like all the trains will be afterwards. Contracts for running the trains will be given to friends of government ministers who have no experience in the industry (the same ones who had a go at providing PPE for nurses this time last year) and it will all be terribly terribly British, with an endless stream of apologies for its multiple failures. Or... it could work out really well and be just what we have been waiting for since, erm, forever. And DTG will be able to license all the trains in the UK. Hurrah.
More from LBC The rail network will be rebranded Great British Railways (GBR) and shall see the creation of flexible season tickets for passengers from next month. It will also effectively end the franchise system that has been in place for roughly a quarter of a century, however trains will still be run by private companies under new "passenger service contracts". GBR will be responsible for controlling trains, tracks, timetables and stations as part of the sweeping reforms, the Department for Transport (DfT) said. The new public sector body will also manage rail infrastructure, issue contracts to private firms to run trains, set most fares and sell tickets. Network Rail will be subsumed to end the current "blame-game system" between train and track operations when disruption occurs. However, GBR, whose logo will be an updated version of British Rail's double arrow, will not be established until 2023, although many reforms will be introduced before then. The plan is contained in a white paper and is based on recommendations from a review of the UK's railways carried out by former British Airways chief executive Keith Williams in light of the chaotic introduction of new timetables in May 2018. It was initially due to be published in autumn 2019 but was delayed by the general election and the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "I am a great believer in rail, but for too long passengers have not had the level of service they deserve. "By creating Great British Railways, and investing in the future of the network, this Government will deliver a rail system the country can be proud of." There's lots more on their website but that gives the jist.
Yes, so do I. I used to love the old Southern Railways green livery as well ... remembering the outside corridor to the individual 'cubicles' type trains. Oh memories.
Honestly if there was a 'national livery' remotely like the Union flag I would just avoid all trains as much as possible.
Their "modernising" the logo. How will that work? It's just 5 lines, what is there to change? That's what I don't understand.
This was nicked from Twitter. The black 'double arrows' is the original one BR used, the red one is what has been proposed it seems.
What next? A return to the old National Bus Company logo on all service buses. Personally I think this new GBR railway idea is a step in the right direction but no doubt it will have its problems. What doesn’t?
And how much do all these logo changes cost? Millions I bet, such as when BP paid millions after adding shading to give the letters a kind of 3D effect whilst keeping the existing letters exactly as they were before. Bloody ridiculous.
