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@doublearrow64.bsky.social

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British Rail Corporate Identity 1965-1994

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · Nov 12

‘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...

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 10h

One of five Stratford-painted 87s, I think (012/020/021/030/032) and it should have had a white symbol on the dark grey band (opposite the nameplate)

87021 had an unusually small symbol which might suggest the Stratford had run out of the proper ones
flic.kr/p/FZyFT1 (Alan Tait)

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 11h

And for 87006 Executive Dark Grey rather than Rail Blue :)

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 13h

Previous signs may have been temporary (or did you tell me that?)

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 13h

I guess the two windows must have improved visibility, not much difference otherwise to my mind (apart from cables etc)

Not much wrong with this though…
flic.kr/p/cusWK5 (Ian Docwra)

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Reposted by doublearrow.co.uk

Lea Worrall @leaworrall.bsky.social · 15h

Salford Central has recently been resigned to this spec...

Picture shows the running in board at Salford Central station. Produced to version 3 of Network Rail's wayfinding guidence, it depicts the double arrow symbol next to the text "Salford Central" in Rail Alphabet 2.

Picture shows a station repeater board at Salford Central station. Produced to version 3 of Network Rail's wayfinding guidence, it depicts the text "Salford Central" in Rail Alphabet 2.

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 15h

Nope, they insisted on it, partly because all other modes (e.g. Underground, Overground etc.) use their own devices; the alternative was to use a train pictogram and that looked awful (managed to convince them not to use the symbol on platform repeaters but it is still on larger running-in boards)

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 15h

My favourite British Rail traction by a country mile (and the most powerful and fastest* locomotive of its day)

*I‘m not counting Class 43 (HST) which came in pairs or the Class 90 (effectively a restyled Class 87)

Miles and Chains @miles-and-chains.bsky.social · 1d

The undisputed king of the west coast main line, in my opinion anyway, the class 87.
Captured at Liverpool Lime Street, 87020 ‘North Briton’ takes a breather between workings. Very happy days.
#Class87 #WCML #InterCity #LiverpoolLimeStreet #BritishRail

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 15h

You also get a lamp in the first class lounge; whilst I was responsible for finessing these pictograms for version 3 of the Wayfinding Design Guidelines, I wasn’t responsible for the design idiom itself (their ‘look and feel’)

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 15h

Lastly on the Doncaster signs: This sign’s dividing line is so thin it may as well not be there and probably won’t be there for users with even slightly impaired vision; it’s meant to be 0.125x (one eighth of the legend x-height), not really sure how these things are so easily missed/ignored…

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 1d

And I know blue is a ‘Leeds colour’ but it represents a serious colour clash with LNER oxblood; red (LNER or BR Flame Red) plates would look so much better

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 1d

I can just about forgive the BR Flame Red buffer beams on both No.1 and No.2 ends (but not the ridiculous white buffer lining which always makes the buffers look wonky); compare BR Flame Red (much more orange) with LNER Red btw…

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 1d

Look what just pulled in; the Class 91 is surely still one of the best looking bits of kit on our railways :)

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 1d

This 2x1 tablet is particularly interesting consisting as it does of a square pictogram and a (new-style, thicker) arrow

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 1d

Although there is quite a lot of old signage still in evidence, great to see Doncaster has a modicum of new signs, largely using Network Rail Wayfinding Design Guidelines (v3); well done @lner.co.uk :)

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 3d

There was evidently a scene in S1E6 that was filmed at Bewdley (Severn Valley Railway) under the guise of ‘Leigh Bridge’ (see below) which is what I think that sign says (even though it’s Goring and Streatley!)
www.svrwiki.com/Sorry! (needs the exclamation mark for link to work)

Hope this helps :)

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 3d

The sign where Timothy Lumsden is writing next to the woman is at the east end of the up slow line platform (cf. the planters) and shows a fictional name (one can tell it’s made up because (a) the legend is too light; (b) black not blue; and (c) the spacing isn’t right)
flic.kr/p/KbH9Q1

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 3d

Apparently Sorry! was filmed in Wallingford, Oxon, and these stills are from Goring and Streatley station (between Reading and Didcot, not far from Wallingford). One can see the real 2-line platform repeater sign on the left as the DMU is coming under the bridge…
flic.kr/p/Jpvcy3

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 3d

@icarfaem.bsky.social @rclongauthor.bsky.social dear friends, you remember this (over on the other channel where I no longer like to post)…

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 6d

Unbelievable 🤦‍♂️
Big board’s looking good, if a bit busy, and why not Rail Alphabet 2?

Lee Render @leerender.co.uk · 7d

Something is a foot with the inside trees at Euston…

Hoarding around an information display array at Euston station

Hoarding around an information display array at Euston station And a view into the compound showing screen segments removed

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 6d

Lovely educational booklet
(Also here as a medium resolution pdf… www.doublearrow.co.uk/pdfs/British...)

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 6d

This can’t be right…
(stunning image btw)

C20 Society @c20society.bsky.social · 6d

💥12 months ago Britain's last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, shut down after 50 years powering the national grid. We can now confirm that C20's listing application for Ratcliffe's 8 cooling towers has been rejected by DCMS, while their demolition has been approved.

Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, Nottinghamshire - BDP, 1963-67
Image © David Noton

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 7d

But we should definitely cancel the northern two thirds of HS2 🙄

pglux.bsky.social @pglux.bsky.social · 8d

In 🇨🇳, HSR makes airlines bleed

On Beijing - Shanghai 🚄 has 83% market share against ✈️ (17%)

1,200km, 4hrs18min at the fastest.
100 daily return services

+CR450AF at 400km/h from 2027:

evidencenetwork.ca/this-wave-ca...
@garethdennis.uk
@jonworth.eu
@taras-grescoe.com
@ryukyu-hsr.bsky.social

With its high-speed train, China has achieved what seemed impossible: flying is not profitable on an 808-mile route. - Evidence Network

With ultra-fast journeys, connected comfort and exemplary punctuality, the Chinese high-speed train is redefining travellers’ priorities, to the point of suffocating domestic air traffic between ... R...

evidencenetwork.ca

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 9d

Wow, frightening on a number of levels!

PastRewind @past-rewind.bsky.social · 10d

@doublearrow64.bsky.social

I guess you're familiar with this long-term offender?

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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 12d

Original positive version of the British Rail symbol, I reckon :)

The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 12d

Think this double arrow looks pretty good; opening plaque at Montrose station.
(cc @watfordgap.bsky.social @doublearrow64.bsky.social )

doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 12d

Doesn’t look particularly wrong to me; the Sealink ‘rule’ is already demonstrably complicated enough, what you are advocating would affect the treatment of the ‘front nearside‘ Inter-City 125 logotype, for one example among many (FWIW, it’s BR Shipping who were too prescriptive, citing ‘safety’ :)