Class 710 Front Design

Is there any safety reason now for yellow ends?

The (half) red fronts of LU trains perform the same function though - likewise the bright red buffer beams on many steam locomotives (although they also provide a much more significant auditory warning of their presence than modern trains)

Given that trains with suitably bright headlights are no longer required to have yellow ends at all, I see no reason why 378s should not be allowed to replace yellow with orange (which I suspect will have very similar visual properties to the yellow anyway)

Also, of course, there would have been the situation where there was another engine on an adjacent track making a lot of noise, masking the sound of an engine approaching on the track on which you were standing.

I might be wrong, but my understanding is that only trains meeting a higher standard of lighting are able to go without the yellow front end, which the 387s do not, as far as I'm aware. Clause 3.3.1 of GM/RT2131 gives the following lighting cases which must be met to be able to drop the yellow panel:

a) Marker lamps only (white marker lamps at the front of the train and red tail lamps at the rear of the train).
b) Day time running (1 or 2 ‘Full beam’ head lamps, with a total of 3 white front end lights in a triangle arrangement as defined in the OPE TSI, the remainder being marker lamps).
c) Night time running (2 ‘Dimmed’ head lamps and one top marker lamp).
d) Tail lamps only.

Whilst the Class 378s can meet points a and d, I think that they wouldn't be able to pass points b or c without modifications to the way in which the lights work, assuming that the lights themselves are suitably bright (according to BS EN15153-1* and the TSI for Locomotives and Passenger Rolling Stock). Indeed, the only units in the country that I can think of that meet these requirements are the 700s (and derivatives), 800s (and derivatives), 345s (and derivatives) and the 385s.

I would be surprised if the livery was developed with orange fronts in mind, given that it was introduced in 2009, way before there was even any plan to switch to this latest lighting system. That said, I think that whilst orange sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the current LO fleet, it would be the most sensible colour to go with if they wanted to ditch yellow. You can claim similarity to the LU livery through the front being the same colour as the doors, and to the Tramlink livery by the front being the same colour as the line (would piping be a more suitable description?) that runs along the top of the blue band at the bottom of the bodyside.

*I've looked it up in the interests of completeness, and the minimum requirements for the headlights are 150mm illuminated diameter and minimum 40,000 candela luminous intensity on full beam (12,000cd dimmed). Marker lights are minimum 110mm illuminated diameter and 300cd on full beam for the lower marker lights.

One fleet of 710s will be fitted with third rail shoes for use on the Watford - Euston line, but other than that, nothing major pops out (that isn't already covered by the length issue). Maybe some tweaks to the design based on early experience building and testing 345s.

The class 345 and 710 will incidentally be the first new Post-Brexit trains to be introduced onto the UK railway network!!

The 710 will have walk through but no access to the cab which is the same as the 378's

Well, how about that then, they will be orange fronted!

Looks like the panel containing the headlight clusters is separate from the rest of the cab shell, so the (in my opinion) ugly cylindrical headlights of the Crossrail 345's can be changed to this much nicer angular design. Wishful thinking perhaps...

Am I the only one who actually prefers the original design!?
And I'm not keen on that Orange. Perhaps it's just not being used to it, but it just doesn't look right! Although I do like the idea of it tying into the LO branding better, much like the Red ends of the Underground does.
Perhaps it'll be a grower...!

As long as we don't get teal-fronted DLR trains...

Actually this is an odd one for me, I have always wondered why the DLR doesn't quite follow the standard TFL style of livery when its trains were refurbished/b07 stock introducted, for which i would have expected a similar livery to the underground/overground but with teal doors and maybe teal front instead. As like this:

www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/20709-dlr-tfl-corporate-livery/

Ok so maybe the front of the train could be kept as the current black....

Update: