doublearrow.co.uk
@doublearrow64.bsky.social
British Rail Corporate Identity 1965-1994
Pinned
‘Arrows of desire’, a book all about the illustrious British Rail symbol, published by the modernist® is now available for pre-order at…
the-modernist.org/products/arr...
the-modernist.org/products/arr...
This ill-conceived sign is one of the worst in the world
Capitals are aggressive, harder to read and just HORRIBLE to look at, a mixture of upper and lower case is also undesirable
Split the legend before ‘THE’ and there would be a massive saving on materials too
Capitals are aggressive, harder to read and just HORRIBLE to look at, a mixture of upper and lower case is also undesirable
Split the legend before ‘THE’ and there would be a massive saving on materials too
November 27, 2025 at 10:41 AM
This ill-conceived sign is one of the worst in the world
Capitals are aggressive, harder to read and just HORRIBLE to look at, a mixture of upper and lower case is also undesirable
Split the legend before ‘THE’ and there would be a massive saving on materials too
Capitals are aggressive, harder to read and just HORRIBLE to look at, a mixture of upper and lower case is also undesirable
Split the legend before ‘THE’ and there would be a massive saving on materials too
Reposted by doublearrow.co.uk
The Altrincham interchange where Greater Manchester buses link with overhead electric services of British Rail.
From Buses magazine, November 1978 - Pic: J. G. Glover
From Buses magazine, November 1978 - Pic: J. G. Glover
November 18, 2025 at 9:25 PM
The Altrincham interchange where Greater Manchester buses link with overhead electric services of British Rail.
From Buses magazine, November 1978 - Pic: J. G. Glover
From Buses magazine, November 1978 - Pic: J. G. Glover
This ‘hyphen’ looks even more like a centre point; nice line art though
One thing that did not end up on the British Rail menu - the Advanced Passenger Train - seen here on a c.1975 Travellers-Fare tariff, menu & price list cover alongside an 1890s L&NWR express train. #food #railways #trains
↘️ flic.kr/p/2rGvMdi
↘️ flic.kr/p/2rGvMdi
![Travellers-Fare tariff : price list : British Rail : nd [c.1975] : cover. A shiny British Rail "Travellers-Fare" menu card that likely dates from the mid-1970; the only evidence comes from the one item that definately was not to be available on the menu and that was the BR "Advanced Passenger Train" seen on the cover - "prototypes due to enter service by 1978" - along with a London & North Western Railway express train of the 1890s. The various APT prototypes (gas turbine and electric) never got past prototype stages although they helped spawn the HST 125 diesel sets and the various elements of technology, such as the tilt mechanisms, were further developed within the railway industry. The two outline drawings are in black on silver with the BR logotype and "Travellers-Fare" in red ranged between the two illustrations.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:yqh2atawixxlb6ncx2fh73r6/bafkreiey7chefbzc6or65nzrgrfnyfwgxtz5vup5wvczmm5caunp4e5npi@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 9:55 PM
This ‘hyphen’ looks even more like a centre point; nice line art though
Not sure that the lozenge version belongs inside #outsidein
November 20, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Not sure that the lozenge version belongs inside #outsidein
Agreed, fabulous fleet; but imagine putting the symbol *after* the logotype and not even lining it up with the x-height (yellow roof also on a hiding to nothing with push-pull operations) @garethdennis.uk
The mighty 47/7, great names, great livery, what a sub class!
47711 ‘Greyfriars Bobby’ stands at Edinburgh Waverley with a service bound for Aberdeen. Scotrail at its finest!
#Class47 #SuperDuff #Scotrail #PushPull
47711 ‘Greyfriars Bobby’ stands at Edinburgh Waverley with a service bound for Aberdeen. Scotrail at its finest!
#Class47 #SuperDuff #Scotrail #PushPull
November 20, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Agreed, fabulous fleet; but imagine putting the symbol *after* the logotype and not even lining it up with the x-height (yellow roof also on a hiding to nothing with push-pull operations) @garethdennis.uk
Your buttered toast hyphen looks rather narrow, almost like a centre point
November 19, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Your buttered toast hyphen looks rather narrow, almost like a centre point
Reposted by doublearrow.co.uk
Design Research Unit would be a beautiful name for a baby girl
Also love the way the symbol aligns with lower case x-height (as Design Research Unit and Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert intended)
Is this the largest Double Arrow to go on a building in 40 years? It's RS2, it's track gauge high, and I'm mightily proud of it.
November 18, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Design Research Unit would be a beautiful name for a baby girl
Also love the way the symbol aligns with lower case x-height (as Design Research Unit and Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert intended)
Is this the largest Double Arrow to go on a building in 40 years? It's RS2, it's track gauge high, and I'm mightily proud of it.
November 18, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Also love the way the symbol aligns with lower case x-height (as Design Research Unit and Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert intended)
Serious attention to detail here, looks fabulous and the symbol (Rail Symbol 2) at 2.3m wide is (a) very big, and therefore (b) very stunning, alongside Calvert and Kubel’s Rail Alphabet (used here in its Bold weight)
November 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Serious attention to detail here, looks fabulous and the symbol (Rail Symbol 2) at 2.3m wide is (a) very big, and therefore (b) very stunning, alongside Calvert and Kubel’s Rail Alphabet (used here in its Bold weight)
It’s the Warning Yellow and black window surrounds that I like (but with relatively small symbols); it’s all very 37610
Wouldn't be surprised if, at some point, a British Rail narrowboat actually existed... @doublearrow64.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 3:47 PM
It’s the Warning Yellow and black window surrounds that I like (but with relatively small symbols); it’s all very 37610
Do you mean the name Staples Corner has nothing to do with office stationery? I’m sure there was a Staples there when I was a teenager, presumably named—perhaps indirectly—after the mattress company?
"The finest mattress made" : c.1930 publicity brochure from the bedmaking company whose works were then situated at the still eponymously named junction of the Edgware Road, North Circular and M1 in north London. Staples, formed in 1895, had links to the Heal's furnishings family.
flic.kr/p/2rEWjBX
flic.kr/p/2rEWjBX
![Staples Mattress : publicity brochure : Staples & Co. Ltd. : London : nd [c.1930]. A finely printed advertising brochure giving details of Staples metal bedframes and mattresses. The company's history was tied to that of the Heal family, the famous store owners. In 1895 Ambrose Heal acquired the UK patent rights to a sprung upholstery improvement from an American, John Staples. Heal set his son Harold up in business in Deptford to manufacture bedding and this became Staples & Co.
In 1910 the company passed into the sole control of Harold and in 1919 it became a private limited company. The move to Cricklewood and a purpose built factory came in 1926 and the site, on the junction of Edgware Road and the new North Circular Road became known as "Staples Corner". The company went on to become one of the best known maufacturers of bed frames, divans and mattresses gaining a Royal Warrant in 1923. Staples was acquired by competitor Myers in 1986 and production left the north London factory. Despite several changes of owners the Staples brand is still in use.
The company had high standards of advertising and publicity as evidenced here as well as a strong 'brand identity', using the Royal Warrant, with a standard serif typeface and strapline - "the finest Mattress made" - in italised script. This brochure, that includes a die-stamped relief warrant, has no printer but it could well be someone such as the Baynard Press.
The landscape format cover is in bright red with the Royal Warrant centred, diestanped in gold, and with the title "Staples Mattress" underneath also in gold. Below in black script lettering "The finest mattress made". The side edges are bordered in a black/gold linear pattern leading to buff card edges.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:yqh2atawixxlb6ncx2fh73r6/bafkreifzdcenwrvhjgbp2f67uepx4uvrmvxoikjpjwrlp3up2wjwz6l3rq@jpeg)
November 14, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Do you mean the name Staples Corner has nothing to do with office stationery? I’m sure there was a Staples there when I was a teenager, presumably named—perhaps indirectly—after the mattress company?
Live scenes from Macclesfield…
Happy Friday!
‘Gallant Old Engine’ (1962)
(Ladybird Artist John Kenney also illustrated for Rev. W. Awdry’s Railway Series)
‘Gallant Old Engine’ (1962)
(Ladybird Artist John Kenney also illustrated for Rev. W. Awdry’s Railway Series)
November 14, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Live scenes from Macclesfield…
Beautiful Barking
Welcome to Barking. Some very Network SouthEast vibes in 1990. #railways #london
(Pic:ee20213/Flickr)
flic.kr/p/K4VNBi
(Pic:ee20213/Flickr)
flic.kr/p/K4VNBi
Welcome to Barking
Network SouthEast liveried BRC&W 2 car class 104 dmu, set L702 formed of 53539 & 53455, arrive at Barking with a service from Gospel Oak. 20th January 1990
flic.kr
November 14, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Beautiful Barking
I haven’t got it, if that’s what you mean!
I wonder what did happen to this? @doublearrow64.bsky.social
One of those illuminated Network SouthEast signs was uncovered there recently. Not sure what happened to it.
x.com/routemaster1...
x.com/routemaster1...
November 14, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I haven’t got it, if that’s what you mean!
Triple arrow, anyone?
In the late '60s/early '70s CIÉ - Córas Iompair Éireann the state transport authority, issued timetables with some stylish graphic designed covers such as this Winter 69/70 #railway timetable. The map shows that the massive closures hadn't quite finished. #graphicdesign #ireland
↘️ flic.kr/p/2rFfBrF
↘️ flic.kr/p/2rFfBrF
November 13, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Triple arrow, anyone?
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)
Reposted by doublearrow.co.uk
This is just a fascinating, knowledgeable, and occasionally withering survey, telling the story a #Ukrailways icon.
So glad I bought it!
So glad I bought it!
November 8, 2025 at 10:32 PM
This is just a fascinating, knowledgeable, and occasionally withering survey, telling the story a #Ukrailways icon.
So glad I bought it!
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...
the-modernist.org/products/arr...
November 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
‘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...
the-modernist.org/products/arr...
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 :)
Reposted by doublearrow.co.uk
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
↘️ flic.kr/p/2kguRbg
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 AM
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
↘️ flic.kr/p/2kguRbg
Lovely Flame Red and Pacific Blue accents #RailAlphabet
Weatherbeaten. The sign at the foot of the track leading up to the remote Ribblehead Station in N. Yorkshire. @doublearrow64.bsky.social #sign #railways
November 3, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Lovely Flame Red and Pacific Blue accents #RailAlphabet