Great British Railways: Station identity and livery unveiling (09/12/25)

[b0b]

Yes, it does look worryingly 'alt right.'

Not a lot you can do with a flag livery, it's either going to look like GBNews or British Airways IMHO

 

[YorkshireBear]

Looks horrendous.

Maybe start by improving services before painting us up to be GB news railways.

 

[BeijingDave]

Yes, it does look worryingly 'alt right.'

As for your second point, they are apparently going to show it through Train Sim World 6.

Just a small (but I think important) point.

Disclaimer: I am Labour or LibDem voter (depending on the local candidate usually) and also voted Remain. I voted Conservative once in local elections but that was 20 years ago.

I find it quite objectionable (not your fault) that the red, white and blue of the Union Flag is now seen as the livery of the alt-right. Basically, we (the centrist majority, whether social democrats, liberal or small c conservative) have ceded our national colours in a sort of bizarre collective revulsion at anything seen as 'nationalistic' (therefore toxic). They seem to belong to the alt-right now, and should be claimed back.

If the BBC and ITV actually used our national colours, GB News would have had to find their own distinguishing palette - maybe feldgrau with the black and red of National Socialism would be appropriate.

Besides, red, white and blue look fantastic for branding, if done right: British Airways and Air France liveries are aesthetically very pleasing, for example.

 

[nilvaj395]

Just a small (but I think important) point.

Disclaimer: I am Labour or LibDem voter (depending on the local candidate usually) and also voted Remain. I voted Conservative once in local elections but that was 20 years ago.

I find it quite objectionable (not your fault) that the red, white and blue of the Union Flag is now seen as the livery of the alt-right. Basically, we (the centrist majority, whether social democrats, liberal or small c conservative) have ceded our national colours in a sort of bizarre collective revulsion at anything seen as 'nationalistic' (therefore toxic). They seem to belong to the alt-right now, and should be claimed back.

If the BBC and ITV actually used our national colours, GB News would have had to find their own distinguishing palette - maybe feldgrau with the black and red of National Socialism would be appropriate.

Besides, red, white and blue look fantastic for branding, if done right: British Airways and Air France liveries are aesthetically very pleasing, for example.

I think the similarity between GBN and this GBR livery is that it's intentionally shoving it in your face, whereas BA is subtle. Keep in mind BA and GBR serve two entirely different purposes, I dont need to be blasted with the flag on every object when I am already in the country and just trying to travel around, whereas BA is arguably an advertisement for the UK to other countries. I also disagree with the BBC and ITV using the colours (sorry if off-topic) as it comes off as equally tacky and insecure in the same way this livery does. It's kinda like every American train ever needing to stick the American flag on them when the trains most of the time tend to suck.

I wish the flag didn't come off that way, and I agree it should be reclaimed in a more positive patriotic sense, but that is the meaning it has at the moment, especially when it's being driven by the government to counter growing alternative narratives. There is many ways to inspire patriotism that are better than sticking a flag on every single organisation and object, but most of them require some level of thought, time and effort which no one is willing to do because this is the UK. This is all subjective opinion though, and we stand politically similar

 

[sh24]

That is a truly awful livery. It looks like a special train to a Reform party conference not a national railway company. Awful awful awful.

 

[lordbusiness]

Yuk.
I wonder how much it's going to cost to
repaint everything?
The leasing companies must be rubbing their hands together.
Which leads me on to another thought...
Has anyone actually seen anything regarding how much the introduction of GBR and nationalisation is actually going to cost?

 

[generalnerd]

The Union Jack does not work on a whole train. Ideally it should have been not a British flag, but British flag colours. This just feels really weird and looks really, really really unappealing. It does feel like the type of train reform would make.

(As in, really poorly executed branding with a British flag whammed in, not the British flag itself)

It just has no flow, and the varying blue is really off putting and the white doors do not fit, the white and red strip should run down the train, head to to toe off-putting blue is not nice.

It’s a no from me

 

[Bantamzen]

Oh dear goodness that is simply awful. I'd hoped for a more organic blend of the colours, not something that looks like a 5 year old came up with on their first day at school.

 

[birchesgreen]

I thought that was a GB News train not a GB Railways one.

 

[DarloRich]

I quite like the livery. Bold and brash is good when you need people to understand the change in ownership and the new concept being rolled out

It can't look like an existing livery because that wouldn't show a change away from the evil private companies that hitherto ran the railway and it can't be similar to something we had in 1977/87/97 as that wouldn't be new or modern

I would say let's see if this is rolled out to every train in England. Personally I think the regional/sector/territory/area/zone supremos and local mayors like Andy Burnham are going to want some individuality if only for identification and buck passing purposes!

There is also surely going to be a need to differentiate visually between fast and slow services (Avanti v LNWR say)

Ps the reactionary response by posters here is much more predictable than my local train service!

 

[Failed Unit]

It will be interesting if EMR’s 158s will appear in at as the are getting repainted and the later build 810s. Simply because EMR are not yet part of GB rail.

There must be a lot of units due repainting. I can’t see this appearing quickly. The WCML for example will probably be 10 - 15 years away.

 

[MatthewE707]

I quite like the design of the front car, but having it repeated along every carriage looks ridiculous. They really should just continue that mid-blue colour down the train to the other end...

 

[BeijingDave]

The Union Jack does not work on a whole train. Ideally it should have been not a British flag, but British flag colours. This just feels really weird and looks really, really really unappealing. It does feel like the type of train reform would make.

(As in, really poorly executed branding with a British flag whammed in, not the British flag itself)

It just has no flow, and the varying blue is really off putting and the white doors do not fit, the white and red strip should run down the train, head to to toe off-putting blue is not nice.

It’s a no from me

I agree, the real issue is the design not the base colours.

A return to rail blue with some grey (or ecru) and crimson accents would have worked well (not least for hiding dirt).

 

[birchesgreen]

I quite like the design of the front car, but having it repeated along every carriage looks ridiculous. They really should just continue that mid-blue colour down the train to the other end...

Yes that would have been a lot better, it just looks pretty odd the way they have done it.

 

[lordbusiness]

Part of the success of any organisation is Brand and Identity, if staff feel 'part of' the brand and are proud to be associated with it then that organisation will work better.
It's almost tribal and the Armed Forces are a good example of it. Regiments, Ships and Squadrons take pride and will do their best not to let their unit down and also be better than 'the other lot'.
Likewise, a good brand, such as the GA livery and Hare mascot are generally popular with staff and customers and help a lot with 'ownership' and "belonging'.
Judging by the reaction on here, I think we may have our work cut out!

 

[THC]

Horrific. I thought the new MkV Chiltern livery was bad but this is a whole new level of paint box atrocity.

THC

 

[450.emu]

The Greater Anglia livery is nice and should feature the Hare for Intercity services

Greater Railways would be less jingoistic, or simply British Railways would suffice. It's becoming a bit TfL for me.

As long as we don't see "I am an Electric Train" vinyls appear, I guess it will do

 

[Halwynd]

The best train liveries which convey style and speed use horizontal or flowing lines, similar to the APT livery. Or LNERs current liveries, which could have been adapted well using red, white and blue.

And I really wish they would drop the 'Great' - it sounds so naff.

Someone design agency has started with base blue, added some darker blue triangles, some Startsky & Hutch 'go-faster' stripes and then slapped on white bits here and there. The white blotch around the Azuma drivers window in particular is making my teeth grind...

 

[TUC]

Rather puzzled at those complaining of the use of Union flag colours. Only in the UK would anyone have a problem with their own country's flag. Other countries use them without comment,

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The designer of this horrible livery should be made to appear before a special committee to explain matters.

If a custodial sentence should be handed down, what time period do our thread contributors consider suitable punishment?

 

[800001]

In reality, I wonder how many units get the new livery, at what period will it happen?
If it's a fast process they will be accused of wasting money.

 

[Sparks807Evo]

I was curious, so I inserted a shade of red in between the 158903 livery, and it really does not look that bad...

View attachment 193527

Looks good - interestingly like the new MK5 Chiltern design

It will be interesting if EMR’s 158s will appear in at as the are getting repainted and the later build 810s. Simply because EMR are not yet part of GB rail.

There must be a lot of units due repainting. I can’t see this appearing quickly. The WCML for example will probably be 10 - 15 years away.

Good point - I expect for any ongoing deliveries or refurbishment programmes it is too late (without paying a cost for variation of the specification) to go for a change of livery. This does raise the issue for recently repainted or new units, it is going to be a long time until the livery is introduced on them (e.g ongoing Chiltern 168 programme) unless we are going to end up wasting further money on prematurely applying vinyl. It wouldn’t surprise me if the 175s are the first to be done given their current state and would be a logical starting point.

 

[Dougal2345]

Not a lot you can do with a flag livery, it's either going to look like GBNews or British Airways IMHO

Of course red, white and blue are the colours of many countries' flags - no doubt Eddie Dempsey and his RMT acolytes can tell themselves the trains are in Russian colours, perfect to transport Putin's troops to all corners of the country when they come to liberate us

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Just saw it on Sky News. It put me off my Alpen.

I’m all for Union Jacks, but do it as the NYC subway does it and just slap one (albeit a much smaller one) on the side or nose.

I have seen FAR better fanmade new-BR liveries on the internet over the past 15 years.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

GBR: we designed this livery in-house to save money, what could possibly go wrong

OBR: we installed WordPress in-house to save money, what could possibly go wrong

 

[Transilien]

I feel like this whole mess of a branding exercise just shows that the DfT are control freaks.

 

[contrex]

That is beyond hideous.

It looks like they got a colour blind work experience teenager in. Awful.

 

[Brush 4]

Not many people watch GB News so, that won't be a problem. I didn't think Union flag either, just a garish livery. The best ever was InterCity with matching 86 or 87.
Regarding slow livery changes, a few BR locos retained green into the 80's, famously 40 106, before repainting in fresh green as a celebrity loco.

 

[renegademaster]

Reminds of Olympics 2012 publicity , all though that doesn't mean it looks good

 

[BeijingDave]

Rather puzzled at those complaining of the use of Union flag colours. Only in the UK would anyone have a problem with their own country's flag. Other countries use them without comment,

This is what I was getting at earlier.

All the people who find the national colours repellent are in a way handing them (and other symbols of national identity) to the far right to use.

Red, white and blue are generally attractive colours; contrast with the Dutch orange (I am aware it is different to their flag colours) and the depressing maroon of Qatar, for instance.