This is not a heritage trains post, more showing photos of the special liveries Chiltern Railways and Virgin Trains did to some of their trains around the Christmas period and at other times of the year. Chiltern Railways seen at Birmingham Moor Street Station. Virgin Trains seen at Birmingham New Street Station and at Coventry Station.

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Special liveries on Chiltern Railways and Virgin Trains seen in Birmingham


Special liveries on Chiltern Railways and Virgin Trains seen in Birmingham


This is not a heritage trains post, more showing photos of the special liveries Chiltern Railways and Virgin Trains did to some of their trains around the Christmas period and at other times of the year. Chiltern Railways seen at Birmingham Moor Street Station. Virgin Trains seen at Birmingham New Street Station and at Coventry Station.


Chiltern Railways

Runs trains on the Chiltern Mainline between Birmingham Snow Hill and London Marylebone. There main fast trains are the Class 68's with the Mark 3 carriages and driving van trailer (numbered as 823xx). Here we will look at a pair of 823xx trains at Birmingham Moor Street Station.

The Chiltern Santa Train seen at Birmingham Moor Street during December 2017. The driving van trailer was numbered 82302. Titan 68009 was at the front (but it's livery was not changed at the time).

Seen from platform 3. It had arrived at platform 4.

dndimg alt="Chiltern Santa Train" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chiltern Railways Santa Train (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Behind is Moor Street Car Park, Selfridges and the Rotunda.

dndimg alt="Chiltern Santa Train" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chiltern Railways Santa Train (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Heard that there was some nice views from Moor Street Car Park. So headed up to see. This was several floors up but not high enough.

dndimg alt="Chiltern Santa Train" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chiltern Railways Santa Train (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This view of the Santa Train from the top floor of the car park as a London Midland Class 172 arrived at platform 2 (West Midlands Railway would take over from London Midland a few days later).

dndimg alt="Chiltern Santa Train" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chiltern Railways Santa Train (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In November 2018 driving van trailer 82303 was in the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal temporary livery. Seen at Birmingham Moor Street.

I noticed a Chiltern train arriving at Moor Street from a bus I was on in Digbeth, so after I got off the bus outside of Selfridges, went up to the top of Moor Street Car Park for these views. Lamppost in the way. It was at platform 3.

dndimg alt="Chiltern Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chiltern Railways Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Headed right for a clearer view of the Poppy train. Derelict buildings in the background was used as a filming location for Ready Player One! (filmed in 2016 released in 2018).

dndimg alt="Chiltern Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chiltern Railways Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Close up look at the Poppy train. As I headed over the parametric bridge into Selfridges, the train started to leave for London.

dndimg alt="Chiltern Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chiltern Railways Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Virgin Trains

Runs trains on the West Coast Mainline between Birmingham New Street and London Euston (and also up to Scotland). They use Class 390 Pendolino's between Birmingham and London (and to other major cities along the West Coast Mainline such as Manchester and Liverpool).

Seen in late December 2014 at Birmingham New Street Station was the Traindeer. Virgin Trains Pendolino 390 112 (also known as Virgin Star). Was made to resemble a Christmas Reindeer! This livery was temporary. The train is currently unnamed.

dndimg alt="Virgin Trains Traindeer" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Virgin Trains Traindeer.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen at Coventry Station during October 2017 was Virgin Trains Pendolino 390 040 in the Virgin Radio livery. This was temporary between April 2016 and November 2017.

dndimg alt="Virgin Trains Virgin Radio" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Virgin Trains Virgin Radio (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

We're Back Virgin Radio.

dndimg alt="Virgin Trains Virgin Radio" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Virgin Trains Virgin Radio (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen at Birmingham New Street Station from the Moor Street link bridge during December 2016 was Virgin Trains Pendolino 390104. Alstom Pendolino. Formerly named "Virgin Scot". The co-branding between Alstom and Virgin was since September 2010.

dndimg alt="Virgin Trains Alstom Pendolino" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Virgin Trains Alstom Pendolino.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Another Moor Street link bridge view. This time it was Virgin Trains Pendolino 390103 (Virgin Hero). It was carrying the Royal British Legion livery commemorating the centenary of World War 1. Seen during March 2018.

dndimg alt="Virgin Trains Royal British Legion" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Virgin Trains Royal British Legion.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

One more view from the Moor Street link bridge. Virgin Trains Pendolino 390151 (Virgin Ambassador), seen with the Business is Great livery during September 2017. Also known as the Virgin Trains Poppylino!

dndimg alt="Virgin Trains Business is Great" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Virgin Trains Business is Great (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The reflection of Business is Great in the shiny panels at New Street Station.

dndimg alt="Virgin Trains Business is Great" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Virgin Trains Business is Great (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Photos by Elliott Brown