Stations rebranded to Great British Railways design / Rail Alphabet 2

[py_megapixel]

So the sign in the first image it should just be Euston not Euston Station, the arrow is also incorrect.

Why?

 

[nlogax]

Why?

Implementation manual is pretty specific, 'station' is superfluous on entrance signage. Unless you're talking about the arrow?

 

[physics34]

Why?

Yep it its got the br logo it shouldnt need 'Station' plus it should be lower case 's' anyway

 

[takno]

Yep it its got the br logo it shouldnt need 'Station' plus it should be lower case 's' anyway

The word station is useful for the majority of people who are less attuned to the arrows than people on this forum, and wouldn't necessarily instantly take them to mean station. More importantly, as "Station" is part of the name of the station, it certainly should have a capital 'S'

 

[birchesgreen]

The name of the station is London Euston not Euston Station.

 

[the sniper]

The word station is useful for the majority of people who are less attuned to the arrows than people on this forum, and wouldn't necessarily instantly take them to mean station. More importantly, as "Station" is part of the name of the station, it certainly should have a capital 'S'

In which case every station needs to have "Station" added to its signs...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Why not simply reinstate Rail Alphabet 1....as used by BR from 1966 until privatisation? It was nearly perfect and copied by other administrations (e.g. DSB).

It looks very dated in my view.

In which case every station needs to have "Station" added to its signs...

As per Tube convention? Though "Battersea Power Station Station" sadly did not happen

 

[the sniper]

As per Tube convention? Though "Battersea Power Station Station" sadly did not happen

Might at least help to fill the white void!

 

[XAM2175]

The word station is useful for the majority of people who are less attuned to the arrows than people on this forum, and wouldn't necessarily instantly take them to mean station. More importantly, as "Station" is part of the name of the station, it certainly should have a capital 'S'

The name of the station is London Euston not Euston Station.

I have to agree with @takno that the reassurance value of the word 'station' is far greater than that of 'London'. I wouldn't necessarily say that it needs to be added to the signage for every station, but I could see merit in making it the new standard for the London terminals and other major stations.

 

[tomuk]

I have to agree with @takno that the reassurance value of the word 'station' is far greater than that of 'London'. I wouldn't necessarily say that it needs to be added to the signage for every station, but I could see merit in making it the new standard for the London terminals and other major stations.

Why change from the current convention? Railway stations don't show station on signs whereas London Underground stations do.

At Euston it may be confusing to some partly familiar users as the Underground entrance has moved outside the concourse due to HS2 works. There are now two (three?) adjacent separate entrances for tube and for trains.

 

[SteveyBee131]

Why change from the current convention? Railway stations don't show station on signs whereas London Underground stations do.

At Euston it may be confusing to some partly familiar users as the Underground entrance has moved outside the concourse due to HS2 works. There are now two (three?) adjacent separate entrances for tube and for trains.

In that case as 'Station' is a useful and reassuring addition, perhaps we should have 'Euston Underground Station' for the tube and 'Euston Station' for Network Rail?

 

[8A Rail]

As far as I am aware, all stations have name signs in one form or another were people are able to read then, so not sure why time and money is required to 'rebrand' as such as it will not make the trains operate to time, go faster, have more seats etc which is what prospective passengers really want.

 

[D6130]

As far as I am aware, all stations have name signs in one form or another were people are able to read then, so not sure why time and money is required to 'rebrand' as such as it will not make the trains operate to time, go faster, have more seats etc which is what prospective passengers really want.

Couldn't agree more....a total waste of time and money! All that needs doing is covering over or painting out the old TOC logos.

 

[Trackman]

Im starting to agree the typeface isnt bold enough....

I think if I lose my glasses at a strange station I think I'd have to walk a lot closer to the signs and the logos aren't that big. People with cataracts / impaired vision will be struggling at a lot more too.

In that case as 'Station' is a useful and reassuring addition, perhaps we should have 'Euston Underground Station' for the tube and 'Euston Station' for Network Rail?

That's what it is now with the new signs for national rail and the underground.
If you look up at the main facade it just says 'Euston' with the LU roundel and double arrows... 'Euston' on it's own being the correct station name.

 

[urbophile]

Couldn't agree more....a total waste of time and money! All that needs doing is covering over or painting out the old TOC logos.

Thereby creating a visual mess which conveys the message the railway doesn't care and its staff have no pride in their network. And if a consistent house style is missing, passengers (customers if you prefer) will be confused which signs are important and official and which not. Frank Pick's consistent branding for London Transport, a model which has been followed and updated by its successor organisations, is the ideal to follow.

 

[Horizon22]

The white space between the arrows and the text also looks a bit jarring - should be smaller I believe.

 

[jon0844]

The style guides used for the Underground are quite fascinating to read (and very well thought out), but the ones used by GB Rail must consist of a single A4 Word document written in Comic Sans.

I think these new signs are awful. I can only imagine what all the designers I've worked with over the years would think of these.

 

[Trackman]

Sign in the second image is better but no separation between the two directions is confusing, could do with a line here. Also I believe the right arrow should be on the right side of the the sign not the left.

Forgot about this on previous post.
It's really bad isn't it?
At a glance and in a hurry you would think the taxis and underground was to the right.

 

[py_megapixel]

The ones used by GB Rail must consist of a single A4 Word document written in Comic Sans.

No, there's actually a PDF with over 100 pages, written in RA2, it's just that it apparently is being almost universally ignored during the current implementation.

 

[jon0844]

I did assume there had to be a guide, and now it is confirmed how the hell is it possible to ignore it? That's the reason you have such ridiculously detailed rules!

Are we now in a 'we don't need experts' phase for the railway too? Just get someone who has limited skills in Adobe Illustrator to 'have a go'?

 

[Jim the Jim]

Euston Station makes sense on signage, given that this is a location which will see one of the highest proportions of foreign visitors who are likely not familiar with the BR arrows and may appreciate a little bit of added clarity that this isn't "Euston Road" or "Euston Square" or some other unhelpfully similarly named location in the same area.

 

[JaJaWa]

Euston Station makes sense on signage, given that this is a location which will see one of the highest proportions of foreign visitors who are likely not familiar with the BR arrows and may appreciate a little bit of added clarity that this isn't "Euston Road" or "Euston Square" or some other unhelpfully similarly named location in the same area.

Then it should be defined in the signage guide rather than making it up as they go along.
(The LU signage guide defines when to use "station" and when to use "Underground station").

 

[nlogax]

A reminder that RA2 wayfinding guidance was published by NR some time ago.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-co...NR_GN_CIV_300_01_Wayfinding-Design-Module.pdf

Looks to me as though no-one is reading it or coming up with any sort of bespoke implementation plans for each re-signed station.

 

[Chiltern006]

updates
Euston underground has them by the lifts and escalators as you enter the station

Rugby has most of its platform indicators done

New Street has the "RED ZONE" "GREEN ZONE" etc big signs are in RA2

Most of the platform signs (the ones that say the number) on Platform 12 at Crewe have been done along with the information posters

 

[Joe Paxton]

Not enough double arrows. Each sign should have at least two... one red, one blue. (It'd also to serve as a reminder as to what colour the party in charge was that renationalised the railways.)

Also, some incidental mentions of GBR, and Great Britain, and just some general reminders of how GREAT everything is.

Plus Union Flags on the signage. Lots of them, on the running in boards and elsewhere. And flags flying at each and every entrance.

 

[jon0844]

Can we put great British Bulldogs at the gatelines? (some might argue there already are...).

 

[takno]

Can we put great British Bulldogs at the gatelines? (some might argue there already are...).

Red jackets and bearskin hats might engender a little respect in the revenue staff.

 

[Trainfan2019]

At Crewe this morning...

This sign off platform 11 looks like printed plastic rather than stuck on letters.

 

[Goldfish62]

At Crewe this morning...

This sign off platform 11 looks like printed plastic rather than stuck on letters.

View attachment 108215

Looks like a poorly fitting vinyl. Cheap and nasty.

 

[nlogax]

Looks like a poorly fitting vinyl. Cheap and nasty.

I'd hazard a guess and suggest that's not even RA2.