Branding and logo for Great British Railways unveiled

The government has taken a step forward in its plans to nationalize the railways, unveiling the brand of Great British Railways (GBR).

Last year the government brought three railway concessions back into public control, as promised in Labor’s manifesto.

The new livery and branding uses a red, white and blue color scheme to reflect the Union Flag and will be used on UK trains, stations, website and app.

Although the budget includes plans to freeze rail fares next year, the government has previously said it cannot guarantee customers will see lower prices under renationalisation.

It is expected that the design created within the company will be gradually implemented and passengers will start seeing trains on the national network from next spring.

The design will be on display at stations including London Bridge, Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central, Leeds City and Manchester Piccadilly until December.

The Railways Bill, which would allow for the creation of the GBR, is currently being debated in the House of Commons.

The government said it would renationalise the railways “so that they are publicly owned and serve the public, not private shareholders.”

The launch of GBR will also include an app that allows customers to check train schedules and book trains without booking fees. Disabled passengers will also be able to use the application to make reservations.

Seven train operators are currently publicly owned, handling around a third of journeys, and concessions are being bought out as their contracts expire.

Franchises nationalized last year include Greater Anglia, South Western Railway and c2c, with more expected to follow in 2026.

The GBR logo is the distinctive double-arrow logo currently used by National Rail, which maintains the UK’s rail infrastructure, and was created in the 1960s as the logo for British Rail, the state-owned company that previously operated Britain’s railways.

Transport Minister Heidi Alexander said the new design was “not just a paint job” and represented “a new railway that removes the frustrations of the past and focuses entirely on providing a convenient public service for passengers.”

Jacqueline Starr, chief executive and chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, a group of Britain’s train operators, welcomed the government’s commitment to improving services for customers.

“We will continue to work closely with industry partners to support a seamless transition to Great British Railways,” he said.