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The Transport Department has unveiled the logo and livery for the new national rail body, representing a notable stride in its agenda to take the railways under public control.

An Patriotic Design and Historic Symbol

The fresh branding showcases a patriotic design to reflect the national flag and will be applied on GBR trains, at terminals, and across its digital platforms.

Notably, the symbol is the well-known twin-arrow symbol historically used by the national rail network and previously introduced in the mid-20th century for the former state operator.

The Introduction Strategy

The phased introduction of the branding, which was developed by the department, is expected to occur over time.

Travellers are scheduled to start seeing the newly-branded services across the UK rail network from the coming spring.

During the month of December, the visuals will be showcased at key railway stations, including London Bridge.

A Journey to Public Ownership

The legislation, which will allow the formation of Great British Railways, is presently making its way through the legislative process.

The government has stated it is bringing back into public ownership the railways so the service is "owned by the people, delivering for the passengers, not for profit."

Great British Railways will bring the running of passenger trains and infrastructure under a unified structure.

The government has claimed it will unify 17 separate organisations and "reduce the notorious red tape and poor accountability that hinders the railways."

App-Based Services and Existing Ownership

The rollout of GBR will also feature a new mobile application, which will allow customers to see train times and purchase journeys absent surcharges.

Passengers with disabilities passengers will also be have the option to use the application to arrange support.

A number of train companies had already been nationalised under the outgoing administration, including Northern.

There are now 7 operating companies now in state ownership, accounting for about a one-third of journeys.

In the past year, c2c have been nationalised, with more expected to follow in the coming years.

Official and Industry Reaction

"The new design isn't just a cosmetic change," said the Transport Secretary. It represents "a transformed service, casting off the issues of the previous system and focused solely on providing a reliable passenger-focused service."

Industry figures have responded positively to the pledge to improving the passenger experience.

"The industry will carry on to work closely with industry partners to facilitate a smooth transition to the new system," one executive noted.