Express livery
Express livery |
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| Provincial • Express • Central • White • 'one' | |
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156.416 at Peterborough 28.June.2003 |
| 20 units |
156.401,402,403,404,405,406,407,408,409,410, 156.411,412,413,414,415,416,417,418,419,422 |
| First | 156.402 (September 1995) |
| Last | 156.409 (June 2005) |
When its 20 class 156s were refurbished between 1995 and 1998, Central Trains chose to have them painted into Express livery to match its fleet of class 158 units, with which they shared long distance duties.
The livery was designed in the late 1980s for the 90mph air-conditioned Class 158s then being built for BR Provincial sector 'Express' duties. When Provincial became Regional Railways, the Express brand was dropped.
Base colour of the livery is silver white, with a dark grey band at window level. There are separate dark and light blue waist stripes, a beige lower bodyside and a beige stripe above window level.
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The cab ends feature areas of black paint to mimic the glass panels on the front of the class 158 units. To compensate, the light clusters are painted yellow. 156.409 and 158.795 at Shrewsbury April 30, 1999. Photo: Steve Jones |
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Earlier repaints, whilst Central was still part of British Rail, featured 'Regional Railways' branding towards the cab ends of each vehicle 156.402 at Worcester Shrub Hill, June 6, 1996. This unit features a light blue stripe above window of the parcels area; this was absent from other units.Photo: Pat & David Othen |
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The one line Regional Railways branding applied to trains. |
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Following privatisation, Central Trains branding branding appeared from the autumn of 1997 156.403 and 156.422 depart Wolverhampton for Aberystwyth on June 23, 2001. |
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The Central Trains branding as applied on Express livery. |
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From 2001 onwards units have received replacement all-yellow gangway door covers. 156.422 at Nottingham July 22, 2003 |
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156.409 at Norwich May 24, 2005 This unit was the last of the class to retain Express livery. It received new style black headlight clusters prior to transfer to 'one' in April 2005. Following accident repairs, car 52409 returned to traffic in June 2003 minus branding. Car 57409 has a yellow gangway door cover and retains Central branding. |