We don't generally appreciate in the UK that the senior management of Die Bahn are looking to replicate the unalloyed success of the Major government's rail privatization in Germany. I expect it's one of these necessary reforms that the very necessary Angela Merkel will have to implement.

One thing they're still getting right, though, is their branding. The brand identity follows from the trains, rather than the other way about. German rolling stock appeals to everyone's inner toddler. The local and regional trains are bright red, like fire engines. The ICE high-speed intercity trains look like spaceships. The driver's cabin has a see-through door and an enormous front window. The DB website and leaflets take their cues from the colour schemes of the train.

In the UK the franchise holders, which are nearly all bus companies, invent or buy in a brand design which has nothing at all to do with trains and everything to do with what's fashionable in branding. 'one', which is National Express really, and the trains are owned by Abbey National, has gone for blocks of their five brand colours, and not a lot else.

It grabs neither my inner toddler nor my outer commuter. It doesn't say "train" to me, at least. My impression is of a firm which is only hanging on for as long as the taxpayer's willing to pay it.

The only thing to be said for the full rebranding is that at least they clean the trains when they do it. When's the franchise due to expire next time?

posted at: 14:15 | path: /maunderings | permanent link to this entry