The same arrangement was used on Mark 2 Pullmans in Executive InterCity livery, this example not having any typographic descenders (cf the ‘g‘ in the example above which gets pretty close to the lower edge of the red stripe
flic.kr/p/aFyiok

I think there was probably a small but reliable pool of suppliers (e.g. Doric Signs) who were carefully supervised to ensure high standards

There is a desire to improve things but there is very little buy-in; the railway is too fragmented now to achieve anything of worth when it comes to wayfinding

No, hadn’t seen them and they’re not very nice for various reasons, not least the use of symbols/roundels with the original thin arrow which was addressed in the most recent Wayfinding guidance; I also don’t like ampersands much

Amaryllis, amaryllis
Amaryllis
Amaryllis, amaryllis
Amaryllis
Amaryllis, amaryllis
Rock me amaryllis

So these numbers are definitely Rail Alphabet, albeit incorrect positive weight and very tightly spaced
flic.kr/p/2qKY3Ak

Yes, probably the ones repainted at Crewe with knock-off Rail Alphabet, Crewe Works-style, but certainly not Helvetica

Yes, very unusual, they were usually Rail Alphabet

Prototype InterCity version on 73123 had Helvetica numbers…

Promise me you won’t pull any punches 🥊

of course you can; it makes objective sense :)

That thin washline/cantrail stripe was white in the earlier days which meant the symbol bled into the white stripes both top and bottom; the stripe was orange (mandatory after mid 80s to denote live wires overhead), just looks red in that photograph :)
flic.kr/p/eafPUU

Possibly only works because that logo had become *so* distinctive by this point, and a the impact of a considered choice to bleed is better than the impact of unconsidered sizing and placement. Iconic looks though, the pair of 'em.

The APT-P and the prototype HST symbols both ‘bled‘ into the lighter surrounding area; while you could say ‘it works’, I’m not sure if the integrity of a logo is reinforced by this particular approach…?
flic.kr/p/eaa9Bz
flic.kr/p/26ejdnP

They could certainly have been bigger (about half as much again)—I think the standard ones were 1m wide but occasionally one would get smaller ones (presumably from old stocks for Rail Blue livery)…
flic.kr/p/9D2yds (David Ford)

I think this quite suited the 73s, not sure why it wasn’t used on other classes (especially 86 and 87)

Looks a bit like the chubby Inter-City 125 variant (4th one down)…

From the same book, thought of you when I saw the state of the double arrow on this Brush pre-production model of the Class 89. Interesting treatment of the Inter-City livery too.

Yes, not great, especially as Banks & Miles had done a perfectly good job the first time around