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The Beauty of Transport

@thebeautyoftransport.com
895 followers 102 following 562 posts

Examples, opinions, thoughts, retweets of transport art/architecture/design/branding/logos/liveries/moquettes etc from The Beauty of Transport’s @danielhwright.bsky.social Long form articles at: www.thebeautyoftransport.com

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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 1h
We appear to have wandered into a world of subatomic fuzziness where the exact number of stations is a range of probabilities depending on assumptions. Glasgow Central existing simultaneously in two quantum states (it’s one station and/or two) until you visit it and the wave function collapses.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 6h
Big update to stationheritageartefacts.org.uk - six contributors have sent in their findings for 11 new stations with eight more updated! Loads of interesting artefacts recorded, with this extremely rare GWR boundary kerbstone at Dawlish a highlight.
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Appledore (submitted by Paul Wright) Battle (submitted by Paul Wright) Blakedown (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Cambridge (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Dawlish (updated) (submitted by David Redfern) Exeter St Davids (updated) (submitted by David Redfern) Hagley (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Hartlebury (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Kidderminster (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Lewes (updated) (submitted by Paul Wright) Lincoln (updated) (submitted by Matt Pyecroft)
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Hugo von der Thüsen @hugovdthusen.com · 29/09/2026
The future Grand Paris Express station Villejuif - Gustave Roussy is a masterpiece. It connects metro line 14 (already operating) to the future line 15 in this massive station. I counted a total of 24 escalators. It was eerily quiet since it’s not yet an interchange station.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 29/09/2026
Which I absolutely agree with; I shouldn't be writing about GBR's garbled visual identity, branding and signage standards... except that's nearly the only thing the DfT is giving me. Are they telling me *how* tickets will be simplified by GBR? How bike/rail or bus/rail integration will be improved?
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 24/09/2026
Just on the off-chance... does anyone know of a picture of the front of the station building at Filey Holiday Camp? The National Transport Trust website has this good one of its rear elevation but the web seems to have no good ones of the front. And neither does any book I've ever found.
Station building at Filey Holiday Camp, rear elevation. From https://www.nationaltransporttrust.org.uk/heritage-sites/heritage-detail/filey-holiday-camp-station
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doublearrow.co.uk @doublearrow64.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Lovely running-in board at Warrington Bank Quay, complete with Rail Alphabet 2 and Rail Symbol 2
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 22/09/2026
A workthrough of the latest crop of railway station departure boards by @ryanbate.bsky.social on his Now Let’s Be Clear site. Have someone explain why you’re vaguely discomfited by them in ways you can’t explain yourself. nowletsbeclear.substack.com/p/lets-not-b...
nowletsbeclear.substack.com
Let’s not be clear.
I think they got a bit carried away...
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Tim Hedley-Jones @timhedleyj.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Enjoying the design vibe of the Prague Metro system
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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
How lucky am I? I’m now custodian of this fabulous (and huge) Ronald Lampitt painting - artwork for 1940s Railway poster 😊
Framed oil painting of a view looking down into a village in County Clare surrounded by hills and trees
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 17/09/2026
This is Trackside Transformation, a book which is the first attempt (as far as I can tell) to fully catalogue British mainline railway station architecture of the Grouping era (1923-47). It's written by me to accompany photographs by @artdecomagpie.bsky.social of all the significant survivors.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 15/09/2026
Recommended on sight.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 13/09/2026
Records of artefacts created for five new stations, and five updated at stationheritageartefacts.org.uk thanks to four contributors, including a plaque commemorating the visit of a US president (not many of those around) submitted by @railwayheritage.bsky.social - thank you!
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Cambridge South (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Chester (updated) (submitted by Railway Heritage Trust) Coseley (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Dawlish (submitted by Richard Long) London Charing Cross (submitted by Railway Heritage Trust) Milton Keynes Central (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Northampton (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Rye (submitted by Paul Wright) Wolverton (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Wrexham General (updated) (submitted by Railway Heritage Trust)
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Markonthemaps (Mark Ovenden) @markonthemaps.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
#OTD 100 years ago, 7 new #Underground stations opened serving #SouthLondon. With beautiful modern designs by #CharlesHolden and escalators to all platforms, it was a huge boon to southern suburbs and brought the #Tube to Morden. #TransportForLondon #TFL #Train #TransitSky
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 12/09/2026
This is potentially going to lead to a strange situation on the inherited 80x fleets, which will wear identical GBR livery down the sides but with yellow ends on the ex-GWR and LNER fleets, and black ends on the ex-Avanti fleet.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 11/09/2026
Ah - looks like we have an answer as to whether the GBR livery will include yellow ends on new trains, rather than just legacy yellow-end stock. I’ve never really understood why the default non-yellow option is black though. Feels like an all blue front would have been possible?
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 09/09/2026
From about 2017 I had a rather chaotic few years of house moves so my transport bookshelves were mostly in storage. Now I am settled again I am filling some gaps with books I would otherwise have bought at the time. Here then, are some (very) delayed book recommendations…
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 08/09/2026
I think @markonthemaps.bsky.social and @mrmappy.bsky.social talking about their new book sounds splendid. Unfortunately it's rather difficult for me to pop down from Orkney, so how about you go, then post about it and make me jealous? 18 November, 7:00pm-8:30pm www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mapping-br...
eventbrite.co.uk
Mapping Britain's Railways with Mark Ovenden and Andrew Smithers
This is a Stanfords, London event
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Gareth @gawuffy.co.uk · 07/09/2026
Gobowen railway station - once a key interchange for Oswestry and mid Wales on the GWR Shrewsbury to Chester branch - looking absolutely splendid, fully restored to its period paint scheme thanks to @railwayheritage.bsky.social. Bonus Rail Alphabet (I think 🤞) for @doublearrow64.bsky.social
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The Railway Heritage Trust @railwayheritage.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
We recently awarded a grant to the St Albans South Signal Box Museum to help them re-paint the listed building. That work is now completed and the box is open on the Heritage Open Days of 12 & 13 September 1000-1700. Do visit - they have a first class collection of exhibits.
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Richard Long @rclongauthor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
@danielhwright.bsky.social Got some money for my birthday and treated myself to a book :)
Trackside Transformation
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 02/09/2026
Records for heritage artefacts at seven new stations and three more updated today at stationheritageartefacts.org.uk with the help of two contributors. I was delighted to find a Pooley & Son weighing machine (could do with some TLC) at Kinbrace, an isolated station on the Far North Line.
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Culrain (submitted by David Thompson) Forsinard Invershin (submitted by David Thompson) Islip (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Kinbrace Lairg (submitted by David Thompson) Oxford Parkway (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Rugby (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Stechford (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Stoke-on-Trent (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Thank you very much to the contributors mentioned above! If you're inspired to take part yourself, check out the "Join In" page. To keep up to date with new stations and artefacts added to the website, subscribe below:
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 01/09/2026
GBR-branding-in-Scotland latest; all going about as well as you’d expect. www.scotsman.com/news/transpo...
scotsman.com
Anger at new Union Jack-style rail branding at major Glasgow station
Incident ‘indicative of inter-government tension spilling over into poor behaviours all too often’
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 26/08/2026
Records created on stationheritageartefacts.org.uk for artefacts at five more stations, with one updated, thanks to three contributors. Featured image: @railwayheritage.bsky.social's submission of Bentham's fabulously unusual (and listed) set of Midland Railway boundary markers. Also...
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Ardgay (submitted by David Thompson) Bentham (submitted by Railway Heritage Trust) Burton on Trent (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Lichfield City (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Nuneaton (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Old Hill (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Thank you very much to the contributors mentioned above! If you're inspired to take part yourself, check out the "Join In" page. To keep up to date with new stations and artefacts added to the website, subscribe below:
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 21/08/2026
My morning has been thoroughly disrupted by TfL moquette, as you can imagine
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Chris Howe (Rail Focus) 🏳️‍🌈 @railfocus.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I seem to recall people saying we'll have years to discuss the livery and we need to be talking more about structure than appearance. But it now seems that the current design IS the livery. And in fact it is the DfT which is obsessed with appearance and optics over substance 😬
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 19/08/2026
This is a minor point compared to the main thrust of the story, but you can see TfW’s developing modal colour branding here - the coach has a green T (for buses/coaches). Trains are red, Metro is orange. (Original story/image source: media.service.gov.wales/news/new-tai... )
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 17/08/2026
Yesterday me: I have too many railway books. My shelves are full and bowing under the weight. Today me: Oh! I need a new railway book!
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 13/08/2026
Three new site records started on stationheritageartefacts.org.uk with two more updated, with thanks to a regular correspondent. Here's a photo of the water tower at Romsey; it also has a Pooley weighbridge (thanks to @mikeyashworth.bsky.social for prompting me to get that one done).
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Brent Cross West Kings Norton (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) London Euston (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Romsey Rowley Regis (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Thank you very much to the contributors mentioned above! If you're inspired to take part yourself, check out the "Join In" page. To keep up to date with new stations and artefacts added to the website, subscribe below:
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 11/08/2026
Records for heritage artefacts at 9 more mainline stations added to stationheritageartefacts.org.uk and 2 updated today thanks to five contributors! You will know my delight in finding surviving weighbridges at stations; another has turned up at Lye (photo © Hazel Nicholson).
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Cradley Heath (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Deal Dunkeld & Burnham (submitted by John Martin) Falmer (submitted by Paul Wright) Langley Green (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Lye (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Sandy (updated) (submitted by Matt Pyecroft) Stourbridge Junction (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Sutton Coldfield (submitted by Paul Webster) Tonbridge (updated with improved image) (submitted by Matt Pyecroft) Winchelsea (submitted by Paul Wright)
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 04/08/2026
There are many British Rail-era plaques commemorating station openings/rebuilds, usually set in #RailAlphabet. But I think this is the first time I've seen their modern equivalent set in (I think) RA3. Photo by @watfordgap.bsky.social, featured on stationheritageartefacts.org.uk/artefacts-re...
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 04/08/2026
Chunky update to stationheritageartefacts.org.uk - 8 new station records, and another 8 station records updated with new artefacts, with many thanks to four contributors. So many wonderful 'things' to choose from, but how about this rare GWR utility cover at Worcester Shrub Hill.
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Bristol Temple Meads (updated) (submitted by Jack Kirby) Darlaston (updated) (submitted by Paul Webster) Darlington (submitted by Paul Webster) Doleham (submitted by Paul Wright) Glynde (submitted by Paul Wright) Hamstead (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Reading (updated) (submitted by Jack Kirby) Stockport (updated) (submitted by Jack Kirby) Tamworth (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Three Oaks (submitted by Paul Wright) Whaley Bridge (submitted by Jack Kirby)
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 30/07/2026
Excellent progress report from @ianvisits.co.uk on Peckham Rye. www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/pec... Want to know more about the demolished arcade and the Art Deco store opposite? Do (shameless plug) check out my recent book Trackside Transformation: artdecomagpie.bigcartel.com/product/pre-...
ianvisits.co.uk
Peckham Rye station’s arcade demolition down to ground level
Commuters using Peckham Rye station are getting a first hint of what the station's front will look like when the old shopping arcade is demolished.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 29/07/2026
Future considerations for this difficult-to-apply livery are how to make it work on... Class 755/3 (three carriages plus short power pack vehicle) Class 139 (single carriage short vehicle) The obvious solution is red swooshes on end vehicles only with new scheme for intermediate carriages. 1/2
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 22/07/2026
In July 2025, DfT said "public sector operators will have to meet rigorous performance standards and earn the right to be called ‘Great British Railways’" (see: www.gov.uk/government/n...) Do we know what those standards were that GBR Southern, South Western and Anglia have, presumably, now met?
gov.uk
London to Essex c2c services return to public control in step towards Great British Railways
c2c’s rail services to be brought into public ownership.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 20/07/2026
You should read this article, which is extremely annoying for two reasons: 1) It has required me to critically re-examine my previously unconditional love for the new Overground line colours/names (I hate not being right about everything first time) 2) It is very well written and I am jealous.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 20/07/2026
Eleven new station records added to www.stationheritageartefacts.org.uk and three updated with many thanks to three contributors. What to choose to illustrate the update though? How about a terrifying reminder of the time Chris Grayling was a particularly useless transport secretary...
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Bradford Interchange (updated) (submitted by Jack Kirby) Bristol Parkway (submitted by Jack Kirby) Buxton (submitted by Jack Kirby) Cambridge North (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Cambridge South (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) London Euston (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Oakengates (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Reading (submitted by Jack Kirby) Redditch (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Rochdale (submitted by Jack Kirby) Stowmarket Stroud…
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 16/07/2026
I promise one day to stop going on about GBR branding, but this from today's GBR Anglia announcement is v funny. "The internationally recognised Stansted Express identity will be retained and will transition to GBR Stansted Express". Sure thing. It's all they talk about in Berlin, Madrid, Rome. 1/2
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 10/07/2026
Just published at www.stationheritageartefacts.org.uk - records of heritage artefacts at three more stations, plus two stations updated, thanks to two contributors. Lots to enjoy including an LNER utility cover, and this artwork at brand-new Cambridge South (©watfordgap.bsky.social)
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Cambridge South (submitted by Paul Webster) Evesham (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Needham Market Oakham (updated) (submitted by Paul Webster) Shenfield Thank you very much to the contributors mentioned above! If you're inspired to take part yourself, check out the "Join In" page. To keep up to date with new stations and artefacts added to the website, subscribe below:
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 08/07/2026
This is just lovely.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 08/07/2026
Great to see a story about a DFTO-owned train operator introducing a "new look" for stations that includes a signage typeface (Rail Alphabet 2) that's already been superseded in other bits of DFTO (using Rail Alphabet 3). Baffling no-one is getting a grip on this. www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/sou...
ianvisits.co.uk
South London station chosen to trial a new look for Britain’s railways
A south London station has been chosen to trial a new “model stations” concept that aims to declutter the stations to make them easier to use.
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 06/07/2026
Just published at www.stationheritageartefacts.org.uk: records of the heritage artefacts located at six more stations, plus one station updated, thanks to a regular contributor. This elegant British Railways Board opening plaque is at Neath (© Hazel Nicholson)
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Ashchurch for Tewkesbury (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Haverfordwest (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Leamington Spa (updated) (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Merthyr Tydfil (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Nairn Neath (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Swansea (submitted by Hazel Nicholson) Thank you very much to the contributors mentioned above! If you're inspired to take part yourself, check out the "Join In" page. To keep up to date with new stations and artefacts added to the website, subscribe below:
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 06/07/2026
On the general nonsensicalism of branding GBR-liveried trains with ex-TOC identifiers (GBR Southern / GBR South Western with presumably more to come), Thomas Ableman's recent article on the subject is well worth a read. www.freewheeling.info/blog/gbr-nee...
freewheeling.info
GBR Urgently needs a Brand Strategy — Freewheeling
The trains are being painted but it’s not yet clear what the brand is meant to mean. Brand strategy is not an afterthought - it’s a fundamental driver of customer experience. It should be one of the ...
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 30/06/2026
For long-ago professional reasons, I am v pleased to have added Smethwick Rolfe Street to stationheritageartefacts.org.uk, a station we were always proud of at @communityrail.bsky.social. Hopefully @watfordgap.bsky.social will be pleased to see it too. stationheritageartefacts.org.uk/artefacts-re...
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Artefacts record: Smethwick Rolfe Street
Category: EListing Status: Not listedYear Opened: 1852 (Birmingham, Wolverhampton & Stour Valley Railway), current building from 1890 (London & North Western Railway) Heritage artefacts at …
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 30/06/2026
Four contributors submitted artefacts records for four new stations, with three updated. Love this gate at Shrewsbury and SRA/Wales & Borders sign at Ludlow (both © Hazel Nicholson) and this plaque at Llandrindod Wells (© Brian Blackmore). stationheritageartefacts.org.uk/2026/06/30/l...
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Art Deco Society UK @artdecosocuk.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
For our next two online events, it’s all about travel. 🚃 ✈️ Trackside Transformation: Mainline Railway Station Architecture 1923-47. An online talk by Daniel Wright Tuesday, 28th July. 7.30pm
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 18/06/2026
It is, I think, worth remembering that things could always be worse. Before the GBR livery was unveiled I took a look at the logo for Great British Energy to see if it could tell us anything about what the GBR logo might look like. If it had followed the same logic, here's what we could have had...
What the GBR logo could have looked like it if it had used the same logic as the Great British Energy logo - a negative space double arrow surrounded by red and blue blocksGreat British Energy logo, with a negative space sort-of-Union flag. From https://www.gbe.gov.uk/
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 17/06/2026
Three new station artefacts records added today to stationheritageartefacts.org.uk and four updated, thanks to two contributors. More of the Far North Line now on the site and I can't resist a Pooley weighing machine so the featured image is the one at Rogart (image © David Thompson).
stationheritageartefacts.org.uk
Latest stations added to site
Bedford St Johns (submitted by Matt Pyecroft) Borough Green & Wrotham (submitted by Matt Pyecroft) Dingwall (updated) (submitted by David Thompson) Dunrobin Castle (updated) (submitted by David Thompson) Golspie (updated) (submitted by David Thompson) Harpenden (updated) (submitted by Matt Pyecroft) Rogart (submitted by David Thompson) Thank you very much to the contributors mentioned above! If you're inspired to take part yourself, check out the "Join In" page. To keep up to date with new stations and artefacts added to the website, subscribe below:
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 11/06/2026
Just in time for Great British Railways’ branding to supersede Greater Anglia’s station colour palette! www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/new...
greateranglia.co.uk
Greater Anglia invests more than £1.4m in station repainting project
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 10/06/2026
Wrote this for @lonrec.bsky.social on my new accidental specialist subject…
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The Beauty of Transport @thebeautyoftransport.com · 09/06/2026
You know all about those Art Deco London Underground stations from the 1920s/30s - but what was happening on the mainline railway? Let me tell you all about it... I'm giving a talk to @artdecosocuk.bsky.social on 28 July and it's open to everyone. Tickets at: www.artdecosociety.uk/events-2/
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