New rail look - new uniform font. Will there be a new uniform livery too?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

As a customer, how will I notice the difference?

Are you a graphic designer?  ...

Great British Railways will introduce Rail Alphabet 2 across the rail network, replacing the many different fonts used on railway signage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_Alphabet

New Rail Alphabet

In 2009, a newly digitised version of the typeface was publicly released. Created by Henrik Kubel of A2/SW/HK in close collaboration with Margaret Calvert, New Rail Alphabet features six weights: off white, white, light, medium, bold and black, with non-aligning numerals, corresponding italics and a set of Eastern European characters.

Rail Alphabet 2

In 2020, it was announced that Network Rail had commissioned an updated version of the typeface. Designed by Margaret Calvert and Henrik Kubel, Rail Alphabet 2 includes a lighter, more condensed version of the lettering for signage along with accompanying versions for use in printed matter and online.

See also https://www.strathpefferjunction.com/british-railway-typefaces-fonts/

So ... http://www.newrailalphabet.co.uk is no longer "new" or even current and

I'm searching for a download of Rail Alphabet 2 ...

[CyclingSid]

Margaret Calvert is still around. There was an exhibition of her work at the Design Museum ending at the beginning of this year.

Can't see any Rail Alphabet in the shop. They do tend to considered commercial assets. But for those of you who having been saving their money over lockdown:

https://designmuseumshop.com/products/british-rail-corporate-identity-manual?_pos=10&_sid=58173ebba&_ss=r

I'm not sure I have that sort of money slushing about, but it would be interesting to see how it compares with the British Airposts signage manual by Kinnear and Calvert, and of course the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) Traffic Signs Manual based on their design as well.

[Red Squirrel]

I can't see any reason to think there will be a return to the drudgery of a national 'corporate identity' livery. Who would want that?

Enforcing the use of a good legible font for all signage makes sense though.

[Lee]

I can't see any reason to think there will be a return to the drudgery of a national 'corporate identity' livery. Who would want that?

Enforcing the use of a good legible font for all signage makes sense though.

As I said in another thread, it will be a suite of Union Jack livery variants at the very least, I reckon. You may be underestimating the desire of politicians to project the post-Brexit New Britain image on that front.

[paul7575]

…Enforcing the use of a good legible font for all signage makes sense though.

It was tried not too long ago, with the Chris Green “better stations” report to DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), about 2010. 

SWT^▸ (South West Trains)’s white on dark blue signage period was a near equivalent to what was proposed nationally, but from what I can remember the report’s recommendations were never actioned.

Paul

[PrestburyRoad]

My four priorities for font and signs are simple: legible, legible, elegant and legible.

[stuving]

…Enforcing the use of a good legible font for all signage makes sense though.

It was tried not too long ago, with the Chris Green “better stations” report to DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), about 2010. 

SWT^▸ (South West Trains)’s white on dark blue signage period was a near equivalent to what was proposed nationally, but from what I can remember the report’s recommendations were never actioned.

Paul

That report did call for station name signs in a common national style, but didn't mention other (route-finding) station signage. Maybe at that date hardly any TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) had altered this, but in any case they had no right to do so!

This all came up on the forum after GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) tarted up the signage at Chippenham. I then found a requirement in GWR's "franchise" agreement to follow the "Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations: A Joint Code of Practice". That says:

Research into legibility has led to the design of a number of typefaces that are used by the transport industry. Clear typefaces include Helvetica, Arial, Rail Alphabet, Brunel, New Johnston and Airport. Over-stylised designs and ornate typefaces should be avoided.

I did try interesting ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) in enforcing it (not knowing how this task was shared with DfT), but got a brush-off - so a more formal approach to both would be needed. I also tried an e-mail to RNIB^» (Royal National Institute for the Blind - about) campaigns, with not even a reply. So maybe now I don't need to ... perhaps ...

Actually, in 2019, DfT, TS, and ORR together wrote to all TOCs pointing out there was a broader licence condition that said the same thing:

Condition 5 of the Station and Passenger licence: Statement of National Regulatory Provisions (SNRP)

The purpose of this letter is to remind licence holders as to their obligations under Condition 5 of the Station and Passenger licence: Statement of National Regulatory Provisions (SNRP).

Under this condition the licence holder must establish and comply with a statement of policy and detailed body of arrangements, procedures, services and other benefits to be implemented or provided by the licence holder designed to protect the interest of people with disabilities (together the DPPP^» (Disabled People's Protection Policy - see here)).
This letter focuses on the obligation for licence holders when establishing or making changes to their DPPPs to:
"have due regard to the code of practice published by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 71 B of the Act ... " (the Code).

The Code

The Code is a detailed document that ensures that any infrastructure work at stations is carried out in recognition of accessibility needs. It applies at the point at which a licence holder installs, renews or replaces infrastructure or facilities. The latest version of the Code 'Design Standards or Accessible Railway Stations', March 201 5 can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/.system/up!oads/attachment data/file/425977/design-standards-accessible-stations.pdf].

They were thinking about building works, but the guide covers a lot more than that.

[JayMac]

My four priorities for font and signs are simple: legible, legible, elegant and legible.

Something like this then?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_Alphabet

[broadgage]

My four priorities for font and signs are simple: legible, legible, elegant and legible.

Something like this then?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_Alphabet

Hopefully EXACTLY that, thereby not wasting time and money on developing an alternative.

[Bmblbzzz]

It's legible but I don't think it's anywhere near elegant. However, three out of four ain't bad... 

[JayMac]

I think there can be elegance in a good legible typeface. With BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) it wasn't just the alphabet and numerals. There were the associated pictograms and other signage. There's a simple elegance to the whole BR corporate identity.

For those interest in such things there's a fascinating website with a great deal of information on the design of the British Rail corporate identity and the Rail Alphabet typeface.

http://www.doublearrow.co.uk/

[Andy]

Any guesses as to how much money all this rebranding (new signage, uniforms, liveries, marketing...) would/will cost us?

[broadgage]

Any guesses as to how much money all this rebranding (new signage, uniforms, liveries, marketing...) would/will cost us?

Unknown, but HOPEFULLY not too much if the rebranding is only applied when renewals are needed in any case.

[TaplowGreen]

Any guesses as to how much money all this rebranding (new signage, uniforms, liveries, marketing...) would/will cost us?

Well, we all know Oooooooooooooooo's gonna pay for it! 

[Lee]

Any guesses as to how much money all this rebranding (new signage, uniforms, liveries, marketing...) would/will cost us?

Well, we all know Oooooooooooooooo's gonna pay for it! 

Well, if you want to know ooooooooowww much you goooooonnna pay for it, then here's a handy guide - https://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/products/precisionrailway/sectorisation