This might be unpopular, but I don't hate it
this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2025
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Why would it be unpopular? The govt is nationalising the railways
It's even got the old logo on there
The geometric design thing can sometimes look quite generic, like not quite original enough to really stand out and also not quite the classic look of a solid colour. But then I think this one looks decent enough.
Of course I'm not a designer or anything and I'm thinking purely about how it will look on a Hornby train set.
It's been the logo forever. Even when the trains were nationalised it was still the symbol for a train station, it's become somewhat of an international symbol for a train even in countries without context.
Because there's only one thing better than a good design (not that I'm saying it isn't a good design) and that is a standard.
For better or worse that's the iconography that means trains. There's no point in trying to change that.
Ah sorry I was talking about the train livery. You're right, I don't think the logo will be unpopular
Flag shagging isn’t so popular here
Oh fuck off. It's the state's fucking train company
And that would fly if it were american or dare I say it F**nch.
This literally flies, you have a problem with that too?
A bit disingenuous aren’t you? Thats literally a flag-carrier airline that is seen all over the world, not just in Britain. And as they’re spanish now it’s a bit weird yes.
A bit obtuse aren't you? It was the state owned airline. As was British Rail.
It's got red white and blue on it.
It had been privatised 14 years before this livery. Again, an airliner will be seen all over the world in a context of plurality of nationality. Not so our proud nationalist trains.
So you'd rather they did what exactly?
The Swiss do it. I really don't see your point. We literally invented passenger trains ffs
Edit. The Irish also do it
It’s not ugly (it reminds me of British Airways, if anything), but there’s a loud, post-Brexit insecurity to the prevalence of the flag. At least they ditched the Tory-era plan to redraw the BR arrow logo in the style of the cross on the Union Jack (though maybe Farage will revive it to distract from whatever looting his goons will be doing).
What's insecure about using the British flag on a British state owned railway?
What’s insecure about using the British flag on a British state owned railway?
It feels like a forced sense of pride. If anything the British national railway should be a national symbol in and of itself, it shouldn't need to be propped up by the union flag. I don't hate the design either by the way, but it seems heavy-handed.
Some people are never happy
I never said I wasn't happy
We already know what country we're in.
Whats it communicating? State ownership?
Any idiot can use the union jack in a logo. And they do.
I dont entirely hate it and theres an argument the state should make the flag mean something by using it. I just dont think they can.
Any trust and brand awareness they build up can be undermined immediately by someone using almost identical branding to sell soggy cardboard sandwiches outside the station.
but there’s a loud, post-Brexit insecurity to the prevalence of the flag.
Let's be fair: the flag in various designs has been on many many brands and markings well before Brexit. Perhaps it's a case that you just happened to notice it more after Brexit? What's that phenomenon called? Baader–Meinhof or something like that?
No, this is a thing. It started with yank-style flag pins, then Tory ministers making sure they never had a photo taken in their office without a big flag over their shoulder. Then they stuck a flag on the drivers’ licence for the first time. (Having fought Brussels for yonks to avoid putting it on the licence plate). Then there was the obsession with “Great”. Not “British Rail” or “British Energy”, Great British Railways and Great British Energy.
ministers making sure they never had a photo taken in their office without a big flag over their shoulder.
This happened all over the world. Not just the UK. Have a look at any EU country where they proudly showcase bothe their nation's flag as well as the EU one "over their shoulder". I suppose they're also wrong 😄?
Just because the rest of the world does something it doesn't mean we should be doing it too. It has been noticed as a new trend.
But it started happening here only after Brexit. It’s a deliberate lurch to the right and nationalism. It can get stuffed. Utterly transparent and performative. Something foreigners might go for but alien to Britain.
It absolutely did not start here only after Brexit, and it's absolutely not alien to Britain.
God forbid the state rail company uses state branding.
But it started happening here only after Brexit.
You're right. Here's Tony Blair and George Bush Junior discussing plans for Iraq post Brexit draped with flags 🥲.
Edit: And here's Blair and Japan's Abe discussing post Brexit trade deals being overrun by flags 🤣.
A bad faith comment because you can’t possibly think moments of international diplomacy are the same.
😅 this is going to turn into a "what have the Romans ever done for us" sketch, right?
We never used to use flags before Brexit
Here's us using flags before Brexit.
Well apart from that....
Edit: Here's Gordon Brown's 2009 Labour Party conference speech where he discussed Brexit related border checks on foreign workers using his now infamous "Red White and Blue, a Brexit that works for you" catch phrase.
That actually looks really cool 🇬🇧
That looks pretty cool