Blue Pullman Returns

[birchesgreen]

Love the livery, it has such a wonderful retro-futuristic feel to it. Like how people in the 30s and 40s imagined trains of the future would look!

 

[Bessie]

So great to wake up to this on a Saturday morning and escape into the YouTube videos to see this fine sight. Well done to all involved

 

[43096]

The spirit of two of the greatest trains lives on in one and that has to be a good thing- good luck to them!

That’s the thing, it’s classic rose tinted glasses marketing about the Blue Pullman. Those sets were really a technical and commercial failure.

 

[VEP3417]

does this mean we might see more authentic original liveries now if you dont have to have yellow warning panels if you fit brighter lights?

yellow warning panels really do ruin some original liveries

looks very smart!

 

[50039]

I think it looks fab... well done to all who got photos and videos yesterday... I’m looking forward to seeing it in action for real, whenever that may be.

 

[Phil Atack]

Movement from Eastleigh was last night:

Realtime Trains - 503R 1555 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) to Crewe H.S.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Crew training runs? 5Z43/44/45

Realtime Trains - 599R 0818 Crewe H.S. to Carnforth D&U.G.L.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains - 510S 1111 Carnforth D&U.G.L. to Rugby

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains - 511S 1356 Rugby to Crewe H.S.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[swt_passenger]

Would it be awfully rude of me to plug my photograph and video of it at decently high speed through Winchester?
View attachment 85296

Interesting that your first commenter thinks it’s the “first HST on the southern”...

That’s the thing, it’s classic rose tinted glasses marketing about the Blue Pullman. Those sets were really a technical and commercial failure.

I’d been wondering about that myself. They didn’t last long at all and seem an odd train to simulate...

 

[John Luxton]

That’s the thing, it’s classic rose tinted glasses marketing about the Blue Pullman. Those sets were really a technical and commercial failure.

Blue Pullmans might have been a failure but they certainly captured the public imagination at the time. Whilst I never travelled on one as they didn't operate out of my area my father bought me a Triang one in the 1960s for my trainset! (Yes even that had faults such as Mark 1 bogies and no kitchen cars! ) He wasn't really into railways but indulged my interest and they certainly caught his imagination when he could have bought me some other rolling stock!

I have seen quite a few pictures on Flickr and must say the HST looks stunning. One wonders why, looking a this, BR didn't reintroduce a limited number of premium HSTs as a second generation Blue Pullman in the 1970s!

John

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Interesting that your first commenter thinks it’s the “first HST on the southern”...

I trust the correct bogies are fitted to this set...

 

[Journeyman]

I have seen quite a few pictures on Flickr and must say the HST looks stunning. One wonders why, looking a this, BR didn't reintroduce a limited number of premium HSTs as a second generation Blue Pullman in the 1970s!

At the time it was introduced, BR were very keen to emphasize the HST being a train for everyone, and a lot of publicity specifically pointed out that no supplements or compulsory reservations were required to travel on it - this was contrasted with Concorde, which obviously appeared around the same time, and was in a completely different league regarding exclusivity.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

does this mean we might see more authentic original liveries now if you dont have to have yellow warning panels if you fit brighter lights?

yellow warning panels really do ruin some original liveries

looks very smart!

That depends on which you feel is less authentic... the yellow panel or the great big miner's headlamp!

 

[fgwrich]

does this mean we might see more authentic original liveries now if you dont have to have yellow warning panels if you fit brighter lights?

It's a bit of a yes and a bit of a no, perhaps a case of Be Careful What You Wish For. Eg. see Mr H's other involvement, the Brighton Belle and it's new Cyclops appearance.

That’s the thing, it’s classic rose tinted glasses marketing about the Blue Pullman. Those sets were really a technical and commercial failure.

Indeed, it'll certainly be down to marketing with this one. The Blue Pullman brand never seems to have much in the way of luck either with the original failing, the FM / Cotswold version failing, at least the 3rd re-incarnation should be more reliable. What's also interesting to note though is that, with the addition of this, LSL really will have the Pullman market sown up (Blue Pullman, Statesman, Brighton Belle - I believe they are down to operate this?).

 

[John Luxton]

At the time it was introduced, BR were very keen to emphasize the HST being a train for everyone, and a lot of publicity specifically pointed out that no supplements or compulsory reservations were required to travel on it - this was contrasted with Concorde, which obviously appeared around the same time, and was in a completely different league regarding exclusivity.

Yes I recall that - but many people like a bit of exclusivity- I know I do and always have done even as a youngster!

One of the highlights of my rail roving in the late 70s as celebration of school leaving was travelling over to Manchester for a few trips to and from Euston on the Manchester Pullman!

What BR should have done was just a have a few Blue Pullman style HSTs for key named services such as Cornish Riviera, Flying Scotsman, South Wales Pullman etc.

It is quite clear that there is a demand for luxury rail travel as the normal product has become so dummed down, hence the popularity of various luxury train offerings in the UK and overseas, and on a much more modest scale the new build Pullmans which operate on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway.

 

[Tobbes]

There are no FOs in the set...

It has 6 TFs, a TGF (ex-TGS) and a converted TRFB which has been heavily modified and is effectively now a Trailer Kitchen.

Fair! And thanks....

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Is one permitted to have a dissenting opinion and to state that it looks absolutely bloody atrocious ?

I know I'm ancient but they always really suited their original livery and they especially suited IC Swallow with the silver window frame surrounds.

 

[CW2]

What BR should have done was just a have a few Blue Pullman style HSTs for key named services such as Cornish Riviera, Flying Scotsman, South Wales Pullman etc.

One of the benefits of HSTs was the faster journey times enabled more trips per day to be worked by a single set. Dedicating some sets as "Pullmans" would have been an expensive and inefficient use of resources. Some early HSTs had two dining cars so they could be used on the premium dinner / breakfast services. That idea soon got dropped in favour of a standardised fleet as much as possible. So the set that worked the Down Cornish Riviera Express returned as a normal un-named Penzance to Paddington service. You couldn't have done that with dedicated Pullman HSTs.

 

[Journeyman]

Is one permitted to have a dissenting opinion and to state that it looks absolutely bloody atrocious ?

I know I'm ancient but they always really suited their original livery and they especially suited IC Swallow with the silver window frame surrounds.

It's certainly...different. I really like it myself, but can completely understand why some will find it hard to stomach.

It's an interesting concept, though, and we'll see what the market makes of it.

 

[ThameslinkUser]

That’s the thing, it’s classic rose tinted glasses marketing about the Blue Pullman.

Considering how much British consumers love vintage stylised products, I'm sure this marketing will pay off.

 

[VEP3417]

It's a bit of a yes and a bit of a no, perhaps a case of Be Careful What You Wish For. Eg. see Mr H's other involvement, the Brighton Belle and it's new Cyclops appearance.

euh yes id forgotten about that , im sure there would be another way to install them in a more sympathetic manor

 

[Essexman]

I think it looks great.
Look forward to travelling on it one day.
HSTs would seem to be an excellent train for charters.

 

[HarryL]

It's not at all bad, though it is an odd choice to paint it into this style. Surely the original IC125 livery would have been a more iconic option, albeit slightly less nostalgic.

Is the interior done up? The locomotives came from EMR, is the same true of the carriages?

 

[32475]

Eastleigh have done a fantastic job although the cab shape still grates with me - the original with split windscreen had a slightly sad facial expression.
Anyway, having watched a few YouTube clips from yesterday evening followed by a trip to the kitchen, I couldn’t help but make a comparison with our Cornish Ware crockery. I do hope they use it on board!!

 

[Western Sunset]

I trust the correct bogies are fitted to this set...

SSL fitted all round, otherwise there might've been snap, crackle and pops as it left Eastleigh last evening.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Also note that on each cab end, the bottom third of the side window is also now painted over.

 

[Journeyman]

Can't wait to see what the interior looks like.

 

[43096]

SSL fitted all round, otherwise there might've been snap, crackle and pops as it left Eastleigh last evening.

The risk with LSL bogies is actually very small - it's in certain failure modes at some locations.

It's not at all bad, though it is an odd choice to paint it into this style. Surely the original IC125 livery would have been a more iconic option, albeit slightly less nostalgic.

Is the interior done up? The locomotives came from EMR, is the same true of the carriages?

Trailers are ex-GWR.

 

[Killingworth]

I like the external looks, although understand those who'd have preferred a restoration of an original livery. Recalling my first encounter with an HST in 1977 at Paddington it seemed special at the time, but soon became standard. Over the following 40 years many liveries have been carried and most younger users will never have known them as they were when new. For that reason a livery that was never carried, but reminds of a prestigious former service, seems a fair solution.

I know the interiors will be top class and service should be superb. However, having seen the external scratches collected by other restored rolling stock running on similar journeys I fear that pristine blue paintwork will soon be carrying scars from rampant lineside vegetation. Get the best pictures while it remains pristine.

 

[midland1]

Only the western Pullmans used the "milkman" uniform the midland men used a boiler suit, blue I think.

 

[fgwrich]

Oh well, that wont be out on the 14th of November then!

 

[Royston Vasey]

Tut tut... missing cantrail stripes on three trailers