Gatwick Express jets off with a new image

Gatwick Express is set to roll out a completely new identity to break away from any associations with British Rail.

The National Express Group-owned train service is working with design consultancy Bamber Forsyth to launch the identity next month on new rolling stock, which will be put into service in the autumn.

A review of the brand proposition will see the introduction of more comfortable train interiors, new exterior liveries, revamped staff uniforms and a redesigned marque. “The best of the plane and the train”, will also be used as a promotional strapline.

Gatwick Express had already redesigned its luggage spaces and started encouraging customers to buy their tickets on the train before this make-over. “The customers acknowledged that the quality of service was relatively good, but there was room for improvement,” says Bamber Forsyth principal Clare Fuller.

“The approach has been to consider ergonomics, quality materials and tactile finishes. The loos have been designed so that they will be respected, with streamlined and hygienic wash facilities. They have a soft rather than an industrial feel,” she adds.

Bamber Forsyth creative director Lee Hoddy says the trains have almost been “designed from the inside out”. The interiors, he adds, have been “well-designed, not just engineered”. An icon language aimed at foreign travellers and airport-themed graphics have been incorporated into the carriages.