Category Archives: Uncategorized

I have been asked to contribute a short essay to the forthcoming re-publication of the British Rail style manual… The project is being directed by the designer, Wallace Henning. He’s a neighbour of ours… http://www.wallacehenning.com/ You can order and contribute … Continue reading →

Here’s a safety awareness matchbox label featuring a train, a level crossing, and a car that shouldn’t be there… This kind of problem is quite wodespread, even today. Just watch online! It’s also surprising how often road vehicles get stuck … Continue reading →

Michael Portillo, the former Conservative MP, has re-invented himself as a media personality. He presents a series of “Great Railway Journeys” in half-hour programmes. Last year, he went into Europe, having previously done the whole of Britain; and this year … Continue reading →

Here’s a lovely 19C photographic image of a train at speed…I love the water tower and the telegraph posts, and the flags on the cow-catcher at the front of the engine.

Here are a couple of fashion pictures by Bruce Weber and starring Hailee Steinfeld. It’s interseting that the railroad tracks still has this amazing popular-cultural traction… I think I’ll start making a list of fashion images that have a railway … Continue reading →

Here is a box and label for a Japanese tinplate model of the 1950s streamliner called the Kodama. This is what it looked like in reality…you can sense the speed, punctuality, and cleanliness of this version of post-war modernity: it’s … Continue reading →

Here is a picture of the post-war French electric loco manufactured by Alstom. I love the port-holes along the side of the engine.

The French railways, SNCF, were pioneers of high-speed electric traction. They have held high-speed records since the 1950s. In general, electric traction is the poor relation of railway enthusiasm. The engines are styled around an unashamed and utilitarian functionality…there’s precious … Continue reading →

Here is a lovely enamel badge for the Hornby Railway Company. The front has a simplified and flat-colour steam loco. The slight curve of the track gives the design a kind of dynamic depth-of-field, in spite of the flat-colour enamel. … Continue reading →

The great triangle of the US rail system is Chicago to New Orleans, to Los Angeles, and back to Chicago. The Sunset Limited runs from New Orleans to Los Angeles via Houston, El Paso and Tucson and Yuma…each name redolent … Continue reading →