Rail Alphabet is a neo-grotesque sans-serif typeface designed by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert for signage on the British Rail network. First used at Liverpool Street station, it was then adopted by the Design Research Unit (DRU) as part of their comprehensive 1965 rebranding of the company.[1] It was later used by other public bodies in the United Kingdom.
A redesigned version, Rail Alphabet 2, is planned to be used across the Great British Railways network,[2] whilst the double arrow logo will also be restored as the primary brand identifier for the network.
Rail Alphabet is similar to a bold weight of Helvetica, but with some differences in character shapes,[3] stroke width and x-height to aid legibility.