Wright – THE BEAUTY OF TRANSPORT – THE WAY FORWARD 2022

Description

The Design Museum’s “Woman at Work” exhibition celebrates Margaret Calvert’s transport typeface legacy and served as the launch for Rail Alphabet 2 and Network Rail’s new wayfinding manual. The show’s run was repeatedly disrupted by COVID-19, but highlights Calvert’s enduring influence and a Tyne and Wear Metro totem. Network Rail’s signage overhaul, driven by Anthony Dewar, began after concerns that existing Railtrack-era blue signage (set in Brunel) was dated, cluttered and hard to read. Weston Williamson and Spaceagency audited stations, benchmarked international best practice, and ran colour and sightline studies. They proposed separating wayfinding, retail and advertising; using progressive disclosure; and grouping destinations by direction. Three design options were tested: Option 1 (refined blue, Akkurat), Option 2 (minimal white, New Rail Alphabet) and Option 3 (playful “Meandering Tracks,” New Transport). Option 2 won, prompting a substantial visual shift for major stations. Part two will detail Calvert and Henrik Kubel’s role in creating Rail Alphabet 2 and implementing the new standards.