When was Rail Alphabet 1 last used?

[Transilien]

Rail Alphabet 1 is connected to British Rail of course but when did it get last used. Was it long after privatisation?

 

[frankmoh]

There are many signs at my local station in Rail Alphabet still in use but they date back to the Network Southeast days, just with branding covered up.

 

[etr221]

By chance, I came across a RSSB Standard (Sign DA01 Iss 1) for Telephone number sign, which specifies (from 2015) 'Rail Alphabet'. I imagine there are other standards which also do so, and will need to be redone to cater for Rail Alphabet 2 - until then Rail Alphabet (1) will perforce remain in use.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Arriva Trains Wales and First Great Western both used it well into this century - I think the former up until they were replaced by TfW, and the latter, probably, until they rebranded as FGW.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Rail Alphabet 1 is connected to British Rail of course but when did it get last used. Was it long after privatisation?

Merseyrail still use it.

 

[M28361M]

Yes, Merseyrail still make use of original Rail Alphabet for station signage. The signs at Headbolt Lane station, opened in 2023, use the font.



(picture shows the station building at Headbolt Lane. The station name over the entrance door, and an "Information" sign over some poster boards in front of the station, both use Rail Alphabet)

 

[AY1975]

Merseyrail still use it.

I seem to recall that some Northern stations also still have it on Northern branded signs, albeit with white lettering on dark blue rather than black on white.

BR style signage with black Alphabet 1 lettering on white also now seems to be making a comeback at some stations, presumably as part of the transition to GBR.

 

[Bletchleyite]

BR style signage with black Alphabet 1 lettering on white also now seems to be making a comeback at some stations, presumably as part of the transition to GBR.

Where have these been installed new aside from Merseyrail? I've only seen RA2 on new signs.

 

[AY1975]

Where have these been installed new aside from Merseyrail? I've only seen RA2 on new signs.

Then I stand corrected. I didn't realise that there was a RA2 version. As I recall some stations in the Hope Valley between Sheffield and Chinley now have RA2 signs. Assuming that RA2 is what I think it is, RA1 and RA2 look pretty similar but I guess there are a few subtle differences.

 

[Helvellyn]

Then I stand corrected. I didn't realise that there was a RA2 version. As I recall some stations in the Hope Valley between Sheffield and Chinley now have RA2 signs. Assuming that RA2 is what I think it is, RA1 and RA2 look pretty similar but I guess there are a few subtle differences.

RA2 has been designed to be suitable for digital as well as physical applications, but was designed in collaboration with Margaret Calvert.

Rail Alphabet 2

The brief was to design a new typeface that would relate to the original Rail Alphabet used on signs in the 1960s, and to make sure it integrated well with the new wayfinding and pictogram system designed by Spaceagency. The new system of signs, pictograms and typography has a lighter...

www.dandad.org

RA2 was also designed to work with the new Network Rail Wayfinding standards.

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

 

[Leyland Bus]

I seem to recall that some Northern stations also still have it on Northern branded signs, albeit with white lettering on dark blue rather than black on white.

BR style signage with black Alphabet 1 lettering on white also now seems to be making a comeback at some stations, presumably as part of the transition to GBR.

Sadly, whilst there may be the odd ones, the majority of Northerns signs seem to be split between Helvetica bold and Arial bold depending when they were fitted...

 

[wimbledonpete]

Some of the signs on the currently defunct Ashford International Eurostar platforms are in this alphabet.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Then I stand corrected. I didn't realise that there was a RA2 version. As I recall some stations in the Hope Valley between Sheffield and Chinley now have RA2 signs. Assuming that RA2 is what I think it is, RA1 and RA2 look pretty similar but I guess there are a few subtle differences.

RA2 is usually rendered at a lower weight than RA1 on signage.

Wikimedia Commons has this example of RA2 signage at Stafford.

And this example of original RA at Castle Cary.