Some notes on the design of the Inter-City 125 logotype (and the rationale for the dodgy chubby symbol version)

This is just a fascinating, knowledgeable, and occasionally withering survey, telling the story a #Ukrailways icon. So glad I bought it!

‘Arrows of desire’ is a rather different animal, 210 x 210mm softback with 96 pages of historical design analysis and cultural commentary, dealing with sectorisation and privatisation (i.e. the 50+ years since the lion’s share of the Manual was published) the-modernist.org/products/arr...

Rail symbol socks available from the Design Museum Shop… designmuseumshop.com/collections/...

Banner unfurled at Ibrox (Rangers) on Thursday night… www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Just going to pop this here for the maths boffins… #RailSymbol2 #Pythagoras

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...)

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 :)

5 November 1979 & the new winter timetable for British Rail's East Coast Main Line between Scotland, NE England & York & not long fully operated by the HST 125 train sets. #railways #transport @doublearrow64.bsky.social ↘️ flic.kr/p/2kguRbg

Lovely Flame Red and Pacific Blue accents #RailAlphabet

When I’m not thinking about railway-related design, I’m usually immersed in multi-script typeface design; here’s my latest offering—Aeropa PE—available now from Rosetta Type…

‘Special’ indeed :) (Note the first generation ‘Danger overhead live wires’ sticker)

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)

I could be wrong but I think TfL probably treat these green signs (e.g. ‘Fire exit’ etc) as a different animal from general wayfinding/information; it’s also a bit odd that there is no obvious ‘Way out’ sign (which could be different locations from any fire exits)

Style versus substance :)

This is gorgeous and strikingly unlike the SBB clock, which I had as an app back in the day (this should also be an app)

Okay, whatever people think about "GBR" this is actually staggeringly good branding work.

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

This is fascinating; presumably not a North Wales service so not sure why an electric locomotive would be detached on Platform 5 unless it’s going further north via Manchester and Bolton (Also of interest is the large symbol on the new signal box on the left)

Salford Central has recently been resigned to this spec...

My favourite British Rail traction by a country mile (and the most powerful and fastest* locomotive of its day) *I‘m not counting Class 43 (HST) which came in pairs or the Class 90 (effectively a restyled Class 87)

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…

Look what just pulled in; the Class 91 is surely still one of the best looking bits of kit on our railways :)

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 :)

@icarfaem.bsky.social @rclongauthor.bsky.social dear friends, you remember this (over on the other channel where I no longer like to post)…

Unbelievable 🤦‍♂️ Big board’s looking good, if a bit busy, and why not Rail Alphabet 2?

Lovely educational booklet (Also here as a medium resolution pdf… www.doublearrow.co.uk/pdfs/British...)

This can’t be right… (stunning image btw)

But we should definitely cancel the northern two thirds of HS2 🙄

Wow, frightening on a number of levels!

Original positive version of the British Rail symbol, I reckon :)

Looks like a model…

This is very special, especially the GEC logotype, a thing of rare typographic poise and beauty :) #Class91

I hadn’t appreciated this brochure was translated into Germany; you can find the English version here… Coming out in new colours www.doublearrow.co.uk/railfreight....

APT APT APT APT APT APT Ah aha aha

Paging @doublearrow64.bsky.social someone has picked up version 3 of the Wayfinding guidance in the North West! Salford Central has had its second resign in 18 months and looks much better for it.

Ah bless…

Not strictly rail related but the liverbird is seriously not working in those shields, a reminder that negative space is ultra important in any given design and that applies across the whole of the design realm

Yes!! @doublearrow64.bsky.social

Is this a Deportivo La Coruña thing?

Dont think I’ve ever seen this before, looks a bit like a double arrow of sorts… #RutasNacionales #RUN #Cuba

I found a similar appropriation in Santiago De Compostela last week.

Nothing to see here, just a Scandinavian football team appropriating a British transport classic in Cheshire…

Which reminds me… the-modernist.org/products/red...

A whole bunch of Rail Alphabet (or very similar)…

@doublearrow64.bsky.social ?

I suppose it’s right if you’re coming down the road the other way :)

@doublearrow64.bsky.social Despite the recent works at #Salisbury, this survives...