The Fresh Branding for Great British Railways is Shown.
The Transport Department has revealed the logo and livery for the new national rail body, representing a key stride in its strategy to take the railways into public ownership.
A Patriotic Palette and Historic Symbol
The fresh branding features a patriotic palette to reflect the Union Flag and will be used on GBR trains, at terminals, and across its online presence.
Notably, the emblem is the recognisable double-arrow logo presently used by National Rail and first created in the 1960s for British Rail.
A Rollout Strategy
The rollout of the design, which was designed in-house, is set to take place over time.
Passengers are scheduled to begin noticing the freshly-liveried trains across the national network from next spring.
During the month of December, the branding will be showcased at key stations, such as London Bridge.
The Path to Renationalisation
The legislation, which will pave the way the creation of GBR, is presently making its way through the Parliament.
The government has said it is taking control of the railways so the network is "owned by the people, delivering for the people, not for profit."
The new body will unify the operation of train services and tracks and signals under one umbrella body.
The government has said it will unify 17 different organisations and "reduce the notorious bureaucracy and accountability gap that has long affected the railways."
App-Based Features and Existing Ownership
The introduction of Great British Railways will also include a new mobile application, which will enable passengers to see train times and book tickets free from booking fees.
Disabled passengers will also be have the option to use the app to request support.
A number of franchises had previously been nationalised under the previous government, including LNER.
There are currently 7 train operators already in state ownership, covering about a third of passenger trips.
In the last twelve months, c2c have been nationalised, with more likely to be added in the coming years.
Official and Industry Reaction
"This isn't just a cosmetic change," stated the Transport Secretary. It represents "a transformed service, shedding the issues of the past and focused entirely on providing a genuine service for the public."
Industry leaders have responded positively to the pledge to improving services.
"The industry will carry on to work closely with relevant bodies to ensure a smooth changeover to GBR," a senior figure added.
