Branding and logo for Great British Railways unveiled

Michael Sheils McNameeBusiness reporter

Department for Transport A train with the new red, white and blue branding - it is on a track somewhere in the countryside, with cabling overhead, a blue sky behind it, and fields stretching into the distance.

The government has unveiled its branding for Great British Railways (GBR), marking a step forward in plans to nationalise the railways.

In the past year, the government has taken three rail franchises back into public control, something Labour promised in its manifesto.

The new livery and branding uses a red, white and blue colour scheme to mirror the Union Flag and will be used on GBR trains, at stations and on its website and app.

While the Budget included plans to freeze regulated rail fares in England next year, the government has previously said it cannot guarantee customers will see lower prices under renationalisation.

The rollout of the design, which was created in-house, is expected to take place gradually, with passengers beginning to see the trains across the national network from next spring.

Through December, the design will be displayed at stations, including London Bridge, Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central, Leeds City, and Manchester Piccadilly.

The Railways Bill, which will allow for the creation of GBR, is currently making its way through the House of Commons.

The government has said it is renationalising the railways so it is “owned by the public, delivering for the public, not for private shareholders”.

The rollout of GBR will also include an app, which will let customers check train times and book trains without booking fees. Disabled passengers will also be able to use the app to book assistance.

A mock up of what the GBR app might look like

Department for Transport The Great British Railways app being used on someone's phone - it can be seen being held in their hands with the GBR app visible on the screen - an obscured brick work is visible in the near ground — A mock up of what the GBR app might look like

Several train companies had been nationalised under the previous Conservative government, including Northern, TPE, Southeastern and LNER.

There are now seven train operators already in public hands, accounting for about a third of journeys, with franchises being acquired as their contracts have expired.

In the past year Greater Anglia, South Western Railway and c2c have been nationalised, with more expected to follow in 2026.

The GBR logo is the distinctive double-arrow logo currently used by National Rail, which provides passenger information and tickets, and was created in the 1960s as the logo of British Rail – the state-owned company which previously operated Britain’s railways.

The double-arrow logo was previously used by British Rail

Getty Images A line of InterCity 125 trains in a station taken in the 1980s — The double-arrow logo was previously used by British Rail

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that the new design “isn’t just a paint job”, and that it represents “a new railway, casting off the frustrations of the past and focused entirely on delivering a proper public service for passengers”.

Jacqueline Starr, executive chair and chief executive of Rail Delivery Group – a collection 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 smooth transition to Great British Railways,” she said.