Matt Harrison
@mattpharrison.bsky.social
I do public transport comms, marketing & design. And the occasional bit of blogging. Mancunian. European.
transportdesigned.com
transportdesigned.com
On your marks…get set…race!
November 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
On your marks…get set…race!
First time spotting Rail Clock in the flesh!
November 5, 2025 at 10:07 AM
First time spotting Rail Clock in the flesh!
There's a new timepiece in town! Rail Clock is a masterclass in meaningful simplicity.
It's not every day the railway gets a new clock - this is something very special.
I've penned a few quick thoughts about it for @transportdesigned.com:
transportdesigned.com/theres-a-new...
It's not every day the railway gets a new clock - this is something very special.
I've penned a few quick thoughts about it for @transportdesigned.com:
transportdesigned.com/theres-a-new...
October 16, 2025 at 8:15 PM
There's a new timepiece in town! Rail Clock is a masterclass in meaningful simplicity.
It's not every day the railway gets a new clock - this is something very special.
I've penned a few quick thoughts about it for @transportdesigned.com:
transportdesigned.com/theres-a-new...
It's not every day the railway gets a new clock - this is something very special.
I've penned a few quick thoughts about it for @transportdesigned.com:
transportdesigned.com/theres-a-new...
Now appearing at stations all over the North - these lovely new leaflets promoting destinations across the network.
Pick one up from a station near you!
Pick one up from a station near you!
October 8, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Now appearing at stations all over the North - these lovely new leaflets promoting destinations across the network.
Pick one up from a station near you!
Pick one up from a station near you!
This must be relatively rare - don’t think I’ve ever seen an Avanti on P2 at Piccadilly before!
September 4, 2025 at 9:04 AM
This must be relatively rare - don’t think I’ve ever seen an Avanti on P2 at Piccadilly before!
Utterly bizarre seeing 802s picking up at Brighouse!
September 1, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Utterly bizarre seeing 802s picking up at Brighouse!
🤔 Well this is new…
TPE and Northern working together to deliver for customers whilst Huddersfield station is closed as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
It means a 6-car Class 185 to Brighouse for me this morning!
TPE and Northern working together to deliver for customers whilst Huddersfield station is closed as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
It means a 6-car Class 185 to Brighouse for me this morning!
September 1, 2025 at 7:45 AM
🤔 Well this is new…
TPE and Northern working together to deliver for customers whilst Huddersfield station is closed as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
It means a 6-car Class 185 to Brighouse for me this morning!
TPE and Northern working together to deliver for customers whilst Huddersfield station is closed as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
It means a 6-car Class 185 to Brighouse for me this morning!
Signed, sealed and delivered with a Routemaster. Would it really have been a Harrison wedding without a double decker bus?
August 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Signed, sealed and delivered with a Routemaster. Would it really have been a Harrison wedding without a double decker bus?
No prizes for guessing where I am today!
August 1, 2025 at 9:57 AM
No prizes for guessing where I am today!
🚨 BIG NEWS - we're throwing open the doors to Northern's Heaton TrainCare Centre on 20 & 21 September!
As part of #Railway200 and to celebrate 150 years of the historic depot, we'll be welcoming thousands of visitors to Heaton for a mega-rare look behind the scenes.
As part of #Railway200 and to celebrate 150 years of the historic depot, we'll be welcoming thousands of visitors to Heaton for a mega-rare look behind the scenes.
June 23, 2025 at 10:44 AM
🚨 BIG NEWS - we're throwing open the doors to Northern's Heaton TrainCare Centre on 20 & 21 September!
As part of #Railway200 and to celebrate 150 years of the historic depot, we'll be welcoming thousands of visitors to Heaton for a mega-rare look behind the scenes.
As part of #Railway200 and to celebrate 150 years of the historic depot, we'll be welcoming thousands of visitors to Heaton for a mega-rare look behind the scenes.
I drove a train today.*
* OK, it wasn’t a real train. But it was about the closest thing you can get to a real train.
This is the first of Northern’s incredible, state of the art, mind-blowingly realistic Class 195/331 simulators which are quite simply - a game changer.
* OK, it wasn’t a real train. But it was about the closest thing you can get to a real train.
This is the first of Northern’s incredible, state of the art, mind-blowingly realistic Class 195/331 simulators which are quite simply - a game changer.
April 23, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I drove a train today.*
* OK, it wasn’t a real train. But it was about the closest thing you can get to a real train.
This is the first of Northern’s incredible, state of the art, mind-blowingly realistic Class 195/331 simulators which are quite simply - a game changer.
* OK, it wasn’t a real train. But it was about the closest thing you can get to a real train.
This is the first of Northern’s incredible, state of the art, mind-blowingly realistic Class 195/331 simulators which are quite simply - a game changer.
I have an uncanny ability - which is to sniff out a vintage bus on any given day out. Nice to see this old girl at Bowland Brewery!
March 29, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I have an uncanny ability - which is to sniff out a vintage bus on any given day out. Nice to see this old girl at Bowland Brewery!
You can always rely on there being something of interest in York on any given day, but even I was surprised to find ROG’s 37884 ‘Cepheus’ purring away idly on P7 yesterday!
Apparently a quick stopover en route from Derby to Doncaster…
Apparently a quick stopover en route from Derby to Doncaster…
March 28, 2025 at 1:44 PM
You can always rely on there being something of interest in York on any given day, but even I was surprised to find ROG’s 37884 ‘Cepheus’ purring away idly on P7 yesterday!
Apparently a quick stopover en route from Derby to Doncaster…
Apparently a quick stopover en route from Derby to Doncaster…
What a fantastic day on the Northumberland Line! The sun has shone on Newsham as we celebrate the opening of the newest station on our network. Smiles all around!
March 17, 2025 at 1:53 PM
What a fantastic day on the Northumberland Line! The sun has shone on Newsham as we celebrate the opening of the newest station on our network. Smiles all around!
Spotted from a train at Halifax - very impressed that Nestlé have turned this trailer sat in their yard into a giant tube of Rolos. But what is it transporting? Ginormous Rolos? Gallons of molten caramel? Filled to the brim with liquid milk chocolate? I need to know!
March 17, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Spotted from a train at Halifax - very impressed that Nestlé have turned this trailer sat in their yard into a giant tube of Rolos. But what is it transporting? Ginormous Rolos? Gallons of molten caramel? Filled to the brim with liquid milk chocolate? I need to know!
🗞️ So, a bit of personal news... 🚉
Super excited to share that after three years working on comms for The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), I'll very shortly be taking up a new role at Northern as Senior Media Relations Manager!
Super excited to share that after three years working on comms for The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), I'll very shortly be taking up a new role at Northern as Senior Media Relations Manager!
March 14, 2025 at 3:05 PM
🗞️ So, a bit of personal news... 🚉
Super excited to share that after three years working on comms for The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), I'll very shortly be taking up a new role at Northern as Senior Media Relations Manager!
Super excited to share that after three years working on comms for The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), I'll very shortly be taking up a new role at Northern as Senior Media Relations Manager!
Lovely bit of ‘66’ action on my way in to work this morning! Hebden Bridge looking as glorious as ever.
March 6, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Lovely bit of ‘66’ action on my way in to work this morning! Hebden Bridge looking as glorious as ever.
Did you happen to pass through Manchester Victoria this morning? If so, you might have been lucky enough to bag yourself a freebie or two…
#RandomActsOfKindness
#RandomActsOfKindness
February 17, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Did you happen to pass through Manchester Victoria this morning? If so, you might have been lucky enough to bag yourself a freebie or two…
#RandomActsOfKindness
#RandomActsOfKindness
Getting ready to ‘Azuma’ down to London with @lner.co.uk on a very special mission. But more to come on that later…
@transportdesigned.com
@transportdesigned.com
February 6, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Getting ready to ‘Azuma’ down to London with @lner.co.uk on a very special mission. But more to come on that later…
@transportdesigned.com
@transportdesigned.com
‘And it was all (almost) yellow…’
Side note, utterly bizarre to see my GNW-branded B9s soldiering on in South Manchester. Never thought I’d see one on a 255!
Side note, utterly bizarre to see my GNW-branded B9s soldiering on in South Manchester. Never thought I’d see one on a 255!
January 7, 2025 at 9:56 AM
‘And it was all (almost) yellow…’
Side note, utterly bizarre to see my GNW-branded B9s soldiering on in South Manchester. Never thought I’d see one on a 255!
Side note, utterly bizarre to see my GNW-branded B9s soldiering on in South Manchester. Never thought I’d see one on a 255!
To be fair, random typefaces were all the rage in 1984, it seems!
I don’t recall seeing that InterCity Europe mark before, either - will have to check my copy of the manual! @doublearrow64.bsky.social
I don’t recall seeing that InterCity Europe mark before, either - will have to check my copy of the manual! @doublearrow64.bsky.social
December 8, 2024 at 4:29 PM
To be fair, random typefaces were all the rage in 1984, it seems!
I don’t recall seeing that InterCity Europe mark before, either - will have to check my copy of the manual! @doublearrow64.bsky.social
I don’t recall seeing that InterCity Europe mark before, either - will have to check my copy of the manual! @doublearrow64.bsky.social
It’s a rather quirky ad for special fares and railcards!
December 8, 2024 at 10:23 AM
It’s a rather quirky ad for special fares and railcards!
So pleased that I managed to get hold of a copy of the 1984 BR Passenger Timetable today, courtesy of @motgm.uk.
Beautiful use of linear two-point perspective and referenced in the excellent book by @doublearrow64.bsky.social, my copy even came with bookmark and pullout map!
Beautiful use of linear two-point perspective and referenced in the excellent book by @doublearrow64.bsky.social, my copy even came with bookmark and pullout map!
December 7, 2024 at 8:21 PM
So pleased that I managed to get hold of a copy of the 1984 BR Passenger Timetable today, courtesy of @motgm.uk.
Beautiful use of linear two-point perspective and referenced in the excellent book by @doublearrow64.bsky.social, my copy even came with bookmark and pullout map!
Beautiful use of linear two-point perspective and referenced in the excellent book by @doublearrow64.bsky.social, my copy even came with bookmark and pullout map!