SWT Livery + branding

[BrazilguyAlex]

I'm writing a dissertation on the branding + livery of South West Trains from the points of view of Online facilities, customer service, rolling stock (new+old), rolling stock refurbishment. Also Ray Stenning who apparently made the livery working for 'Best Impressions' Anyway thing you guys know would be greatly appreciated

[AlistairW]

Hi BrazilguyAlex

What exactly are you looking to find out from us, just our options on the livery/branding or if we know anything about how it came about etc?

Cheers,
Ali

[GlennMitchell]

SWT liveries. Why do they have so many??

[gswindale]

why not?
Inner suburban
Outer suburban (and Portsmouth runs)
Longer distance trains.

Makes sense to me - you have an idea what sort of train you're getting on.

[GlennMitchell]

I can understand that but I think for people that are not "train people" it can be a little confusing. Getting on a train one day that is blue, then the same train the next day is white some people may get confused. Although I do see that it can make sense, even if SWT doesn't always use the trains on the route they were for (e.g. 444s on Basingstoke/Alton runs and 450s on Weymouths)

Glenn

[thenudehamster]

At least SWT have tried to make it easier for people to identify the type of train they're about to get on. As far as I can see, the likes of Southern and FGW rely on you being able to identify the train from its shape and model. Operational difficulties sometimes make substitutions necessary, but the basic idea is good.
Bus companies, notably Stagecoach and Nottingham City Transport, do similar things with added livery details for specific routes, but occasionally I see a 'Jazz3' bus on route 5, for instance, and have to look twice to make sure it's the right one; still better than central London where all buses are red!

[alexnick]

Are you going to mention the original SWT liveries as well?
- How they were vaguely based on Stagecoach bus liveries, as well as the old BR NSE toothpaste.
- Or all the trains that were running around for years with just SWT decals over their BR livery.

Just a thought.

AN

[GlennMitchell]

Didn't SWT just paint their slam doors and 455s a lighter blue and add an orange stripe as well as the red one, and as far as I know that the wessex units and 159s were painted into red and white quite early after privatisation (then again I was about 4 years old and may be wrong )

Glenn

[ForburyLion]

why not?
Inner suburban
Outer suburban (and Portsmouth runs)
Longer distance trains.

Makes sense to me - you have an idea what sort of train you're getting on.

Only if you know what the different livery's signify, which I doubt the vast majority of commuters will.

If you want a unified corporate identity then one livery works best, If you want to operate as seperate sectors then different colour schemes help the public distinguish between them, since SWT are calling all these services SWT I think it just causes confusion.... especially on the Reading - Waterloo service that has trains in the original white base colour and the dark blue both running the same services.

[ForburyLion]

At least SWT have tried to make it easier for people to identify the type of train they're about to get on. As far as I can see, the likes of Southern and FGW rely on you being able to identify the train from its shape and model.

The station annoucements and digital displays on the platform (and in some cases, trains/carraiges) tend to help also as well as using different platforms for fast intercity services and local commuter/suburban services where possible.

[MoonKid47]

Im just happy that Northern are repainting in full swing. Think how hard its been for us up here with WY Metro, Northern Spirit, FNW Barbie, FNW Star, Unbranded Blue and im sure a few others...

[GlennMitchell]

Today I saw a 444 and a 450 connected together - a 9 carriage train

Glenn

[phill70]

Today I saw a 444 and a 450 connected together - a 9 carriage train

Glenn

Its not often that that happens, but I came up from Southampton a couple of weeks ago with the same formation.

Got a couple of free tickets to see Southampton play Charlton.

[Pompeyfan]

Today I saw a 444 and a 450 connected together - a 9 carriage train

Glenn

Its not often that that happens, but I came up from Southampton a couple of weeks ago with the same formation.

Got a couple of free tickets to see Southampton play Charlton.

Why would you want them (tongue in cheek)

[phill70]

Today I saw a 444 and a 450 connected together - a 9 carriage train

Glenn

Its not often that that happens, but I came up from Southampton a couple of weeks ago with the same formation.

Got a couple of free tickets to see Southampton play Charlton.

Why would you want them (tongue in cheek)

That's what I thought after we had watched the game