doublearrow.co.uk
@doublearrow64.bsky.social
British Rail Corporate Identity 1965-1994
Some notes on the design of the Inter-City 125 logotype (and the rationale for the dodgy chubby symbol version)
November 11, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Some notes on the design of the Inter-City 125 logotype (and the rationale for the dodgy chubby symbol version)
Rail symbol socks available from the Design Museum Shop…
designmuseumshop.com/collections/...
designmuseumshop.com/collections/...
November 7, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Rail symbol socks available from the Design Museum Shop…
designmuseumshop.com/collections/...
designmuseumshop.com/collections/...
Banner unfurled at Ibrox (Rangers) on Thursday night…
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
November 7, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Banner unfurled at Ibrox (Rangers) on Thursday night…
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
November 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Some of the biggest symbols from the British Rail era were those attached to the funnels of the shipping fleet
(Currently on eBay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28691109...)
(Currently on eBay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28691109...)
November 6, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Some of the biggest symbols from the British Rail era were those attached to the funnels of the shipping fleet
(Currently on eBay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28691109...)
(Currently on eBay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28691109...)
There always used to be a relationship between the parallel tracks of the symbol and the lowercase x-height; this is nonsense (just like making the whole symbol the same as cap-height, which makes the symbol too small)
Suppose it’s Rail Alphabet 2 so could be worse :)
Suppose it’s Rail Alphabet 2 so could be worse :)
November 5, 2025 at 11:10 AM
There always used to be a relationship between the parallel tracks of the symbol and the lowercase x-height; this is nonsense (just like making the whole symbol the same as cap-height, which makes the symbol too small)
Suppose it’s Rail Alphabet 2 so could be worse :)
Suppose it’s Rail Alphabet 2 so could be worse :)
It’s because this sign follows the totem design (which is the only one which has the arrows on the left) where it makes sense to have the arrows aligned for the sake of neatness, this one on the pillar at Euston just doesn’t have as much info so the messInes problem doesn’t really exist!
November 4, 2025 at 10:12 AM
It’s because this sign follows the totem design (which is the only one which has the arrows on the left) where it makes sense to have the arrows aligned for the sake of neatness, this one on the pillar at Euston just doesn’t have as much info so the messInes problem doesn’t really exist!
They sometimes do…
(Photograph: Paul Johnson)
(Photograph: Paul Johnson)
October 25, 2025 at 9:35 PM
They sometimes do…
(Photograph: Paul Johnson)
(Photograph: Paul Johnson)
This sign uses principles from the original Wayfinding Design Manual; cap-height vertical alignment gives an u&lc legend that sinking feeling plus the symbol is rather small relative to the name (the cap-height actually sits below halfway on this particular sign!)
(Photograph: Jason Carthy-Torbitt)
(Photograph: Jason Carthy-Torbitt)
October 25, 2025 at 6:18 PM
This sign uses principles from the original Wayfinding Design Manual; cap-height vertical alignment gives an u&lc legend that sinking feeling plus the symbol is rather small relative to the name (the cap-height actually sits below halfway on this particular sign!)
(Photograph: Jason Carthy-Torbitt)
(Photograph: Jason Carthy-Torbitt)
In the true spirit of Fibonacci, the numerals (that is, the cap-height) to sign height ratio is 5:8…
October 17, 2025 at 7:56 PM
In the true spirit of Fibonacci, the numerals (that is, the cap-height) to sign height ratio is 5:8…
Also there were cupcakes and merch (which can also be obtained from the Design Museum)
October 16, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Also there were cupcakes and merch (which can also be obtained from the Design Museum)
On my way back north after attending the unveiling of the new rail clock at London Bridge; the timepiece is all at once disarmingly simple and delightfully ingenious…
October 16, 2025 at 12:44 PM
On my way back north after attending the unveiling of the new rail clock at London Bridge; the timepiece is all at once disarmingly simple and delightfully ingenious…
Love this pillar (totem) signage treatment at London Euston, very clean and clear
October 16, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Love this pillar (totem) signage treatment at London Euston, very clean and clear
One of five Stratford-painted 87s, I think (012/020/021/030/032) and it should have had a white symbol on the dark grey band (opposite the nameplate)
87021 had an unusually small symbol which might suggest the Stratford had run out of the proper ones
flic.kr/p/FZyFT1 (Alan Tait)
87021 had an unusually small symbol which might suggest the Stratford had run out of the proper ones
flic.kr/p/FZyFT1 (Alan Tait)
October 14, 2025 at 10:41 PM
One of five Stratford-painted 87s, I think (012/020/021/030/032) and it should have had a white symbol on the dark grey band (opposite the nameplate)
87021 had an unusually small symbol which might suggest the Stratford had run out of the proper ones
flic.kr/p/FZyFT1 (Alan Tait)
87021 had an unusually small symbol which might suggest the Stratford had run out of the proper ones
flic.kr/p/FZyFT1 (Alan Tait)
I guess the two windows must have improved visibility, not much difference otherwise to my mind (apart from cables etc)
Not much wrong with this though…
flic.kr/p/cusWK5 (Ian Docwra)
Not much wrong with this though…
flic.kr/p/cusWK5 (Ian Docwra)
October 14, 2025 at 7:21 PM
I guess the two windows must have improved visibility, not much difference otherwise to my mind (apart from cables etc)
Not much wrong with this though…
flic.kr/p/cusWK5 (Ian Docwra)
Not much wrong with this though…
flic.kr/p/cusWK5 (Ian Docwra)
You also get a lamp in the first class lounge; whilst I was responsible for finessing these pictograms for version 3 of the Wayfinding Design Guidelines, I wasn’t responsible for the design idiom itself (their ‘look and feel’)
October 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
You also get a lamp in the first class lounge; whilst I was responsible for finessing these pictograms for version 3 of the Wayfinding Design Guidelines, I wasn’t responsible for the design idiom itself (their ‘look and feel’)
Lastly on the Doncaster signs: This sign’s dividing line is so thin it may as well not be there and probably won’t be there for users with even slightly impaired vision; it’s meant to be 0.125x (one eighth of the legend x-height), not really sure how these things are so easily missed/ignored…
October 14, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Lastly on the Doncaster signs: This sign’s dividing line is so thin it may as well not be there and probably won’t be there for users with even slightly impaired vision; it’s meant to be 0.125x (one eighth of the legend x-height), not really sure how these things are so easily missed/ignored…
And I know blue is a ‘Leeds colour’ but it represents a serious colour clash with LNER oxblood; red (LNER or BR Flame Red) plates would look so much better
October 14, 2025 at 8:57 AM
And I know blue is a ‘Leeds colour’ but it represents a serious colour clash with LNER oxblood; red (LNER or BR Flame Red) plates would look so much better
I can just about forgive the BR Flame Red buffer beams on both No.1 and No.2 ends (but not the ridiculous white buffer lining which always makes the buffers look wonky); compare BR Flame Red (much more orange) with LNER Red btw…
October 14, 2025 at 8:57 AM
I can just about forgive the BR Flame Red buffer beams on both No.1 and No.2 ends (but not the ridiculous white buffer lining which always makes the buffers look wonky); compare BR Flame Red (much more orange) with LNER Red btw…
Look what just pulled in; the Class 91 is surely still one of the best looking bits of kit on our railways :)
October 14, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Look what just pulled in; the Class 91 is surely still one of the best looking bits of kit on our railways :)
This 2x1 tablet is particularly interesting consisting as it does of a square pictogram and a (new-style, thicker) arrow
October 14, 2025 at 8:42 AM
This 2x1 tablet is particularly interesting consisting as it does of a square pictogram and a (new-style, thicker) arrow
Although there is quite a lot of old signage still in evidence, great to see Doncaster has a modicum of new signs, largely using Network Rail Wayfinding Design Guidelines (v3); well done @lner.co.uk :)
October 14, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Although there is quite a lot of old signage still in evidence, great to see Doncaster has a modicum of new signs, largely using Network Rail Wayfinding Design Guidelines (v3); well done @lner.co.uk :)
There was evidently a scene in S1E6 that was filmed at Bewdley (Severn Valley Railway) under the guise of ‘Leigh Bridge’ (see below) which is what I think that sign says (even though it’s Goring and Streatley!)
www.svrwiki.com/Sorry! (needs the exclamation mark for link to work)
Hope this helps :)
www.svrwiki.com/Sorry! (needs the exclamation mark for link to work)
Hope this helps :)
October 11, 2025 at 7:21 PM
There was evidently a scene in S1E6 that was filmed at Bewdley (Severn Valley Railway) under the guise of ‘Leigh Bridge’ (see below) which is what I think that sign says (even though it’s Goring and Streatley!)
www.svrwiki.com/Sorry! (needs the exclamation mark for link to work)
Hope this helps :)
www.svrwiki.com/Sorry! (needs the exclamation mark for link to work)
Hope this helps :)
The sign where Timothy Lumsden is writing next to the woman is at the east end of the up slow line platform (cf. the planters) and shows a fictional name (one can tell it’s made up because (a) the legend is too light; (b) black not blue; and (c) the spacing isn’t right)
flic.kr/p/KbH9Q1
flic.kr/p/KbH9Q1
October 11, 2025 at 7:21 PM
The sign where Timothy Lumsden is writing next to the woman is at the east end of the up slow line platform (cf. the planters) and shows a fictional name (one can tell it’s made up because (a) the legend is too light; (b) black not blue; and (c) the spacing isn’t right)
flic.kr/p/KbH9Q1
flic.kr/p/KbH9Q1
Apparently Sorry! was filmed in Wallingford, Oxon, and these stills are from Goring and Streatley station (between Reading and Didcot, not far from Wallingford). One can see the real 2-line platform repeater sign on the left as the DMU is coming under the bridge…
flic.kr/p/Jpvcy3
flic.kr/p/Jpvcy3
October 11, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Apparently Sorry! was filmed in Wallingford, Oxon, and these stills are from Goring and Streatley station (between Reading and Didcot, not far from Wallingford). One can see the real 2-line platform repeater sign on the left as the DMU is coming under the bridge…
flic.kr/p/Jpvcy3
flic.kr/p/Jpvcy3