European Railroad Discussion > Privatisation - fallen flags

Date: 01/28/15 11:57
Privatisation - fallen flags
Author: 86235

20 years ago British Rail was going through an upheaval unprecedented in it's 50 year history and although the resultant organisation looked spectacularly different, it remained (indeed, remains) dependent on the public purse. However what the travelling public saw was very different, old trains wearing a whole host of new liveries. Since then franchises and their owners have come and gone, some missed (like GNER) others of whom we were well rid (Connex).

Here from my slide collection are three liveries which have been consigned to the history book.

Taken in 2002 from the terminal platforms of London Bridge, and just before a storm broke a pair of Connex 4VEPs approaching on the South Eastern through lines, bound for Charing Cross on a stopping train from the Kent Coast.

WAGN - West Anglia-Great Northern was rather a 'forced' franchise, consisting of two separate operations - the Great Northern lines out of King's Cross and Moorgate and what BR had dubbed 'West Anglia' - the services out of the north side of Liverpool Street, which met (physically) at Shepreth Branch Junction just south of Cambridge. They never re-liveried their entire fleet but their phase 2 317s were turned out in this rather handsome ensemble. A subsidiary of National Express WAGN was rolled up into the First Capital Connect franchise but without the West Anglia bit which was rightfully restored to what is now Abellio Greater Anglia.

At privatisation services out of Liverpool Street were in three hands - WAGN, First Great Eastern and Anglia (part of Great Britain Railways - the original owner of GBRf, the rail-freight operator now owned by Eurotunnel). FGE and WAGN were essentially commuter operations whilst Anglia ran the long distance and country services. When the West Anglia portion of WAGN was rolled up with Anglia and First Great Eastern, to form a single franchise for (most of) East Anglia it was won by another National Express subsidiary - ONE. Much ridiculed ONE did at least have a colourful livery, here applied to a class 90 - although the passenger cars (Mk2d/e/f) remain in Anglia aquamarine. The picture was taken in either 2004 or 2005, in October during the leaf fall season, hence the 'bow wave' effect of dirt around the front of the loco.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/15 00:06 by 86235.