Just... yikes.

I recently commissioned an excellent designer to redesign parts of cycle.travel because I recognise that design is absolutely not my strength. That's for one little website/app, not for an entire nationalised railway.

Redesigning GBR in-house, with a team of people who have presumably never designed a train livery before, is reminiscent of the disaster when Marissa Mayer redesigned the Yahoo logo.

09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:23 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to earlier engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 08:37

However, the Department for Transport said the “striking and memorable design” was developed in-house, to maximise value for money.

This morning looks interesting. There are three services into one - with Castle Cary to Taunton closed for engineering, with Swindon to Parkway closed for flooding, three major main lines are all being funnelled through Chippenham and Bath. If the 17:35 off Chippenham is held back / misses its path, it may be a bit of a wait for the next path

And now -the new livery-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9kx0je10o

..which looks like it has been designed so as to avoid Reform complaining about politically correct designs being foisted on England's travelling public.

Renationalised trains will be given a Union flag-inspired red, white and blue livery, the Government has announced.

State-owned company Great British Railways (GBR) is to unveil its branding on Tuesday, before it is rolled out to trains, websites and stations from next spring.

Stephen Bayley, founder of the Design Museum, criticised the new colour scheme.

Mr Bayley said: “It’s atrocious. A mad dog’s breakfast. A livery is branding and branding is all about associations and expectations.

“In this sense, they’ve got it right. It projects the values of the sponsoring organisation: artless, careless, clumsy, unintelligent and uncoordinated.”

Referring to Japan’s bullet trains, he continued: “Have they never seen a Japanese Shinkansen? That’s what a train should look like.

“We have some of the best designers in the world in this country. A pity they were not hired by Great British Railways.”

However, the Department for Transport said the “striking and memorable design” was developed in-house, to maximise value for money.

The new livery will mark a stark change from the “Rail Blue” colour scheme that defined publicly owned British Rail’s trains from the mid-1960s to the 1980s.

Christian Wolmar, a rail historian and author, said he found the new GBR livery “impressive”, saying: “I think it conveys an impression of speed. It’s elegant. It combines Union Jack colours, and I think it’s very important to have an identity.

“The design is bloody fabulous. I just wonder if it’s a bit too modern, whether they could have reflected at all on the past, but I have to commend it.”

The seven major train operators that have already nationalised have kept the branding of their previous operators.

The Government has said that existing train companies will rebrand as Great British Railways, a process that has now been brought forward to next year from the expected date of 2027.

Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said: “I’m immensely proud to unveil the new look for Great British Railways as we deliver landmark legislation to nationalise our trains and reform the railway so it better serves passengers.

“This isn’t just a paint job, it represents a new railway, casting off the frustrations of the past and focused entirely on delivering a proper public service for passengers.

“With fares frozen, a bold new look and fundamental reforms becoming law, we are building a railway Britain can rely on and be proud of.”

The Circle Line

Which was a "circle" of sorts, until it got cut through at Edgware Road

A map of the proposed HS2-HS1 link can be found here https://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/hs2-maps-20120110/hs2arp00drrw05140issue2.pdf

DfT has listed some improvements for nationalised operators under GBR as part of its livery launch


https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/gbr-improvements-train-operators-in-public-ownership-are-making-for-customers

This morning looks interesting.   There are three services into one - with Castle Cary to Taunton closed for engineering, with Swindon to Parkway closed for flooding, three major main lines are all being funnelled through Chippenham and Bath.  If the 17:35 off Chippenham is held back / misses its path, it may be a bit of a wait for the next path, whether or not it's actually had to wait for passengers off the train from London, and irrespective of whether there's some diverted express running in its path so it has to be held back anyway.

Maybe contact the S-R-S and see if they are happy to supply you free of charge a high definition file. It is a not-for-profit civic project that Lisa has in mind and, it gives them good publicity.

Section 21 of Cooke’s survey covers Wiltshire. Melksham p23 and 24

I have attached copies of Melksham.

Let me know if you need anything else ... [snip]

DfT has listed some improvements for nationalised operators under GBR as part of its livery launch


https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/gbr-improvements-train-operators-in-public-ownership-are-making-for-customers

While waiting for that at Chippenham (due 17:50) an empty IET passed through heading west at full tilt. I thought it might have been the reason for the delay, but the 17:35 was still parked at Swindon for a while after that.

I don't think too many 17:35 passengers decided to give up and make alternative arrangements when the announcement was made (more than once) that the fastest way to Melksham and beyond was going to be the 19:00 Salisbury service...