September - Intercity Railway Society

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The first franchise operator under privatisation was Great North Eastern <strong>Railway</strong> (GNER) owned by Sea Containers Ltd who took over in April 1996 and successfully had a franchise extension in 2003 and then a renewal in 2005. The renewal was originally intended to run until 2015 but with lower than expected income and the parent company in severe financial trouble, the DoT gave notice to terminate GNERs franchise from Dec 2006. Putting the politics and financial issues aside what GNER did do was to continue the strong InterCity reputation built up by BR and enhance it with one of the best corporate liveries and marketing strategies seen under privatisation. A dark blue livery was introduced on all stock with a thin red waist high stripe, full length on coaches but only partly on HSTs, Cl.91s and DVTS across the guards/luggage section. HSTs, Cl.91s and DVTS also carried large GNER letters behind the cab doors with running numbers on the red stripe. The GNER letters were originally in silver but latter changed to gold. The coaches carried GNER and numbers on the stripe and a crest midway along each side below the stripe with the wording ‘The Route of the Flying Scotsman’. The small numbers on the stripe were not very visible and not enthusiast friendly. The big downside of the livery was that HST power car and Cl.91 nameplates were removed in favour of normal stick-on lettering in line with the red stripe. Starting in 2003 all IC225 stock was upgraded to ‘Mallard’ standard. Refurbishment of the HST sets was also started as part of the new franchise renewal, but not completed. Towards the end of the franchise several HST power cars carried advertising for online discounts, events or routes. 43008 showing the number position, Aberdeen, 15 March 2007 82217 with ‘Off to the Races’ advertising logo, Glasgow Central, 23 February 2007 10
43367 ‘Deltic 50 1955-2005’ with advertising for 10% online booking, Peterborough, 11 Sep 2007 On 9 th Dec 2007 the National Express Group (NEx) took over the franchise under the brand National Express East Coast (NExEC) and the much admired GNER livery was ‘butchered’ overnight with the addition of a white stripe overlaying the red stripe carrying the NExEC brand. as the changeover happened and the white stripe was frantically applied, rolling stock ran in service with no identification or branding as with 43316, King’s Cross, 6 December 2007 or as with 91110 with new number applied but not the white stripe, York, 6 December 2007 three days after changeover, the removed GNER lettering clearly shows on 43309 as it currently still does on several Cl.91s, Doncaster, 12 December 2007 11
Page 1 and 2: Tracks the monthly magazine of the
Page 3 and 4: Society Notice Board Editor’s Com
Page 5 and 6: ICRS Yahoo Group: address is: finan
Page 7 and 8: Gatwick Express liveried 73202 ‘D
Page 9: Valenta engines were replaced by MT
Page 13 and 14: the only Cl.91 liveried in NExEC si
Page 15 and 16: all three current liveries can be s
Page 17 and 18: What happened next is a typical of
Page 19 and 20: The month ended with another short
Page 21 and 22: Liverpool Bulk Terminal-Fiddlers Fe
Page 23 and 24: Out & About by James Holloway To be
Page 25 and 26: Doncaster: 66191/250, 321902 York:
Page 27 and 28: Gloucestershire Sightings by Nigel
Page 29 and 30: Stirlingshire & Gloucestershire Sig
Page 31 and 32: JAPAN, 12 th - 27 th May 2011 - Par
Page 33 and 34: In the afternoon, the railway peopl
Page 35 and 36: Freight Corner WAGON UPDATES by Sco
Page 37 and 38: Stock Changes It is hoped that all
Page 39 and 40: ATW 158838 in the latest revised li

September - Intercity Railway Society

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