Great British Railways: A New Logo on the Horizon
01. A Nod to the Double Arrow
The Double Arrow logo was designed in 1964 by lettering artist Gerry Barney and has been present in British Rail branding since 1965. This logo is for many synonymous with British Rail and is a strong, graphically solid mark that many will recognize. It feels like it’d be a bit of a waste not to at least nod to this logo in the new Great British Railways branding.
02. Inclusion of the Union Jack
GBR could choose to incorporate the Union Jack into its new logo. This could work, as long as it doesn’t look too forced or brash, which is quite hard to do with the Union Jack. The logo the Conservatives put forward used both the Double Arrow and the Union Jack together. The result is quite, well… shouty. I think it could be stripped back much more, and might even look chic if done well. To be honest, even just using the colors of the Union Jack might be enough.
03. A Simple Abbreviation
My favorite train logo is the DB (Deutsche Bahn). The simple two-letter logo was modernized by 1994 Kurt Weidemann, with typographer Erik Spiekermann designing the font, DB Type. This simple graphic style is (most importantly) legible, recognizable, and works across a range of touchpoints. I think GWR in the UK also works really well, and paired with the dark green, it also looks rather chic.
04. A Nod to Our Most-Loved Characters
The most popular suggestion for an image that would work well on GBR from the Creative Bloq team is Thomas the Tank Engine. Just imagine having one of our most-loved characters all over every train in the land.
05. Interesting Colourways
For Great British Railways, the obvious colorway route to go down would be red, white, or blue, but perhaps GBR might go down the route of 2024 England football kit and add in purple or another color. It might be interesting to see a new color palette that isn’t that obvious.
06. Something Completely Different
Remember when the London 2012 Olympics logo first came out and everyone’s jaws dropped to the floor? Great British Railways could also go down this route and mix things up with a totally different approach to its branding. It’s worth noting that the London 2012 Olympics logo made it to our list of the best Olympic logos of all time, and the best rebrands of the 2000s, and many think the bravery paid off.
Conclusion
What do you think the Great British Railways branding should look like? Let us know in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the current logo of British Rail?
A: The current logo of British Rail is the Double Arrow logo, designed in 1964 by lettering artist Gerry Barney.
Q: Can GBR incorporate the Union Jack into its new logo?
A: Yes, GBR could choose to incorporate the Union Jack into its new logo, but it would need to be done in a way that doesn’t look too forced or brash.
Q: What is the best approach for the Great British Railways branding?
A: There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but options include nodding to the Double Arrow, incorporating the Union Jack, using a simple abbreviation, or going for something completely different.
