Is the Original British Railways Totem likely to make a Comeback?

[Chrius56000]

. . .Granted, the closure of so many stations and halts on our railways before, during and long after, the Beeching Era means that hundreds of evocative station names are gone forever, apart from those depicted in the Current Edition of Dave Brennan's Totem Bible, but what are the chances of G.B.R. bringing the Totem back, given that there are so many other railway features that got re–used, like the "50xxx", "56xxx" and "79xxx," coach numbers on Class 170 Turbostar stock?

. . .It is my opinion that the resurrection of the Totem in Original Regional Colours, plus Vermilion Red for a new Wales Region, would look very smart on the modern and excellent refurbished stations now on the UK rail network today, especially as it's much easier to make Totem Signs in weatherproof materials with much more long–lasting colours than B.R. had available in the 1950s and 1960s!

. . .Not least of which, if the Totem did make a comeback, I would hope it would be far more consistently used than occurred in the early B.R. era!

Chris Williams

 

[simonw]

. . .Granted, the closure of so many stations and halts on our railways before, during and long after, the Beeching Era means that hundreds of evocative station names are gone forever, apart from those depicted in the Current Edition of Dave Brennan's Totem Bible, but what are the chances of G.B.R. bringing the Totem back, given that there are so many other railway features that got re–used, like the "50xxx", "56xxx" and "79xxx," coach numbers on Class 170 Turbostar stock?

. . .It is my opinion that the resurrection of the Totem in Original Regional Colours, plus Vermilion Red for a new Wales Region, would look very smart on the modern and excellent refurbished stations now on the UK rail network today, especially as it's much easier to make Totem Signs in weatherproof materials with much more long–lasting colours than B.R. had available in the 1950s and 1960s!

. . .Not least of which, if the Totem did make a comeback, I would hope it would be far more consistently used than occurred in the early B.R. era!

Chris Williams

No is the short answer.

It was part of the corporate image of its time and it time was 60 years ago.

 

[AlterEgo]

Why would the railway suddenly make its corporate branding that of the 1950s? Why would there be regional colours when the railway isn’t regionalised in the same way any more?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I doubt it very much.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

I hope not - it was old-fashioned in 1948!

 

[WAO]

The Totem styles were essentially Art Deco and related to 1930's ideas of streamlining. The regional colours showed the railway to still have a local, backward looking-, rather than national, mindset. There are a few revived totems around in stations, at Reading for instance (with the wrong font!).

GBR will chew over branding of services etc and could spend a lot on new design consultants but I suspect that it will either keep its existing signage or revert to black on white background using the newer, clearer font NR developed.

Indian Railways uses the "British" roundel/bar, like the LMS and LT! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

WAO

 

[jamiearmley]

The Totem styles were essentially Art Deco and related to 1930's ideas of streamlining. The regional colours showed the railway to still have a local, backward looking-, rather than national, mindset. There are a few revived totems around in stations, at Reading for instance (with the wrong font!).

GBR will chew over branding of services etc and could spend a lot on new design consultants but I suspect that it will either keep its existing signage or revert to black on white background using the newer, clearer font NR developed.

Indian Railways uses the "British" roundel/bar, like the LMS and LT! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

WAO

The original rail alphabet was far more consistently applied than the new version.

Some of the implementation around Yorkshire is so haphazard it's embarrassing.

 

[DarloRich]

. . .It is my opinion that the resurrection of the Totem in Original Regional Colours, plus Vermilion Red for a new Wales Region, would look very smart on the modern and excellent refurbished stations now on the UK rail network today, especially as it's much easier to make Totem Signs in weatherproof materials with much more long–lasting colours than B.R. had available in the 1950s and 1960s!

No - we don't need to wallow in a fake nostalgia. it is very old fashioned. GBR is a new start. Why would it look backwards?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Good for its time but this is the 21st century. We need something that is forward-thinking and innovative.

 

[nlogax]

Good for its time but this is the 21st century. We need something that is forward-thinking and innovative.

Is 'innovative' a requirement? For signage we just something that's legible for as many passengers as possible and doesn't age like milk in terms of design.

Whether new RA2 signage fits the bill... that's open for debate

Stations rebranded to Great British Railways design / Rail Alphabet 2​

 

[Merle Haggard]

The Totem styles were essentially Art Deco and related to 1930's ideas of streamlining. The regional colours showed the railway to still have a local, backward looking-, rather than national, mindset. There are a few revived totems around in stations, at Reading for instance (with the wrong font!).

GBR will chew over branding of services etc and could spend a lot on new design consultants but I suspect that it will either keep its existing signage or revert to black on white background using the newer, clearer font NR developed.

Indian Railways uses the "British" roundel/bar, like the LMS and LT! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

WAO

Being harangued on Avanti by announcements on the lines of 'tickets market 'Chiltern' London Northwestern' or 'West Midlands railway' only are NOT VALID on this train and holders will have to buy a COMPLETE NEW TICKET FOR THEIR JOURNEY' (capitals to show shouty emphasis) suggest hat this mindset might still be around...

 

[WestCountry]

Some stations have been refurbished in a 'heritage' style with totems.

Kings Lynn for example has a lot of them in Eastern Region blue from about 5 years ago.
(Downham Market was repainted at the same time in full Network SouthEast style, with red platform furniture and NSE flashes on all the signage)

As above it's never going to become contemporary national branding again.

 

[The exile]

Why would the railway suddenly make its corporate branding that of the 1950s? Why would there be regional colours when the railway isn’t regionalised in the same way any more?

There’s nothing wrong in itself with “regional” (as opposed to “Regional”) distinguishing features - in fact l, just think how useful it would be if all stations in the Otster area had (say) line green baseboards. Double sausage totems are too retro (and not easy for those with various vision problems to read). What I would appreciate the return of is the large running-in boards.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Personally I think the original modern image BR signs should be brought back. They had a clear typeface with no corporate branding, silly colours or daft sponsorship details. Just a good clear sign that says where you are. Here’s a photo of such an example from Bootle.

Photo GWRA.

 

[AlterEgo]

Personally I think the original modern image BR signs should be brought back. They had a clear typeface with no corporate branding, silly colours or daft sponsorship details. Just a good clear sign that says where you are. Here’s a photo of such an example from Bootle.
View attachment 185836
Photo GWRA.

Those are basically coming back.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Wayfinding.pdf