Well I wish all EWS employees the best. I've read in the industry mags that aggregate and car transporter markets have stopped dead in the water, whereas coal flows are growing steadily. (This situation of course applies equally to FL, GBRf, DRS & all).

I do hope that 2009 isn't going to be another of those 'annus horriblis' things.

Still it won't stop me saying.......Merry Christmas everyone ! :p

Stupid bit of thinking i think,EWS is a well known name by companies around the world,if a new company wants to ship freight by rail they won't know who this "DB Schenker" lot is! Oh well.......

DB is well known internationally!

Apparently they are the second largest land based freight company in the world.

Yes i know DB is known everywhere but do companies here know that,some of them might not of heard of DB,then again.......

Personally I liked the EWS name and logo, it was very much a traditional-style name for a railway company, plus the Lion, Dragon and Stag logo is awesome.

Pssh DB Schencalankadanka. Too European.

It seems to be one of the trends these days that companies like to keep changing their identities. The days when companies built a reputation with an easily identifiable and remembered brand name are seemingly gone and I am not at all convinced it's a sensible thing to do......unless they have something they want to hide behind of course.

All thats changing at the moment is the name, as far as anyone is concerned its business as usual.

The company headed paper etc will remain EWS until all stock has been used so as letters etc are posted out the customers at first should not see any differance, then only when DB Schenker post marked mail drops through their doors will the differance be noticed and by then I would imagine that all customers would have had a letter detailing the company name change.

For the staff at the company the new year is not starting well with around 500 job losses anounced. I understand that the numbers will be confirmed in the first two weeks of January.

As a member of DB Schenker/EWS staff I personally feel that the company under the Germans can only go one way 'upwards' providing we can get some forward thinking managers that are willing to see our trains run and give their support to train crews that are trying to see the company succeed no matter what the name is

I wish all staff, customers and anyone reading this a very happy new year and all the best for 2009 in everything that we/you do.

Positive thinking Les. DB Cargo/Railion/DB Schenker, call them what you like, have taken full advantage of the open access rules in mainland Europe and are going from strength to strength. Lets hope they can do the same in the UK and that 2009 will be a positive year for the company, it's staff and railfreight in general.

I liked the EWS livery, logo and image, in my view one of the best of the privatised Railway Companies (along with GNER). Sadly they are both now gone!

DB will probably do a great job .......................