European Railroad Discussion > ONE 20 years on

April 2024 marks the twentieth anniversary of one of the more colourful passenger franchises in Britain, National Express's ONE Railway. ONE was an amalgam of two and a half franchises; Anglia Rail, First Great Eastern and the West Anglia part of the existing West Anglia Great Northern franchise. The intention behind this consolidation was to have a single service provider for almost all services in East Anglia. Franchise improvements that were promised included new through services from Lowestoft and Peterborough to London, refurbished passenger cars for the London Liverpool St to Norwich Inter-city services and upgraded locomotives (class 90s).

The name ONE was pretty silly. When announcements were made passengers were never quite sure whether it was the 08:20 ONE service or the 08:21 service.

But the design team behind ONE came up with quite an imaginative blue-based colour scheme for locomotives, coaching stock and multiple units. I liked it a lot.

Sadly it didn't last, in 2008 National Express began a re branding exercise using their corporate identity and ONE became National Express East Anglia (NXEA). In 2012 NXEA was replaced by the Dutch operator Abellio, who's Abellio Greater Anglia (AGA) became the franchisee. Sadly both NXEA and AGA used a predominantly grey livery, the days of ONE were over.

1: A class 170 on a Lowestoft to Liverpool Street service displaying both the original and the later, lighter, shade of blue

2: 90009 in original ONE livery on a train of Anglia Rail aquamarine Mk2f stock.

3: On the West Anglia section a pair of 317/6s on a Cambridge to Liverpool Street stopping train.

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4: Here's another 170 on a Liverpool Street to Peterborough train at Beggar's Bridge. I don't think ONE expected many Peterborough to Liverpool Street through passengers, these trains provided a through service to London for residents of Whittlesey, March and Bury St Edmunds.

5: Class 156s provided ONE's local services, this is a Cambridge to Ipswich train.

6: Class 321s were the mainstay of the longer distance commuter services out of Liverpool Street. To my knowledge only one received ONE livery, the rest remained in their First Great Eastern colours.

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7: 90013 crossing Haughley Junction on a Norwich to Liverpool Street train. 90013 is in the later, lighter blue base livery. The 'new' Mk3 stock was cascaded from Virgin West Coast (VWC). At least one rake was pressed into service before it had been overhauled and refurbished.

8: 90003 Raedwald of East Anglia crossing the Stour with one of the refurbished Mk3 sets

9: Final shot, 90008 and train in full ONE warpaint approaching Colchester on the 13:00 ex-Norwich

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Is it getting better?
 

#6 is a very cool shot!  And agree - very nice color scheme.

SD70M Wrote:
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> Is it getting better?

Lots of new Stadler and Bombardier trains so probably on balance, yes.

Great set!

texchief1