Architectural Review, Volume 103, Number 617, May 1948 - cover by Osbert Lancaster
The Architectural Review of this period was not only an amazingly authorative journal but also, in terms of its own style and design, a very contemporary journal. This issue from 1948 could boast the noted illustrator Gordon Cullen as the assistant Art Editor and the editorial board consisted of J M Richrads, Nicholas Pevsner, Osbert Lancaster (himself) and H de C Hastings.
The reason behind this marvellous cover by Lancaster was an article on the new colour schemes and liveries for the newly nationalised British Railways by the well known railway writer, Hamilton Ellis. Osbert Lancaster, a noted architectural writer and illustrator, chose this series of trains to show the legacy liveries of not only the pre-decessor companies to BR, such as the Southern, but also the pre-Grouping concerns such as the Midland, the Great Northern and the Caledonian Railway. Oddly, the latter's blue was to reappear some years later as the livery for the new Glasgow area electric multiple units and that helped garner their 'brand' as Blue Trains. The subject of what colours the new national organisation should paint its trains, and so develop a 'national' brand was vexed, and the debate and decisions swithered from regional colours (along the 'Big Four' lines) to different liveries for different types of stock - locomotives, carriages and, such as for EMUs, a continuation of the Southern's green seen here.
One lovely touch is that the artist has chosen to place the issue title and information in the form of enamel advertising signs in the last illustration! It adds to the charm and reality of a multiplicity of information and advertising often to be seen on railway platforms!
Architectural Review, Volume 103, Number 617, May 1948 - cover by Osbert Lancaster
The Architectural Review of this period was not only an amazingly authorative journal but also, in terms of its own style and design, a very contemporary journal. This issue from 1948 could boast the noted illustrator Gordon Cullen as the assistant Art Editor and the editorial board consisted of J M Richrads, Nicholas Pevsner, Osbert Lancaster (himself) and H de C Hastings.
The reason behind this marvellous cover by Lancaster was an article on the new colour schemes and liveries for the newly nationalised British Railways by the well known railway writer, Hamilton Ellis. Osbert Lancaster, a noted architectural writer and illustrator, chose this series of trains to show the legacy liveries of not only the pre-decessor companies to BR, such as the Southern, but also the pre-Grouping concerns such as the Midland, the Great Northern and the Caledonian Railway. Oddly, the latter's blue was to reappear some years later as the livery for the new Glasgow area electric multiple units and that helped garner their 'brand' as Blue Trains. The subject of what colours the new national organisation should paint its trains, and so develop a 'national' brand was vexed, and the debate and decisions swithered from regional colours (along the 'Big Four' lines) to different liveries for different types of stock - locomotives, carriages and, such as for EMUs, a continuation of the Southern's green seen here.
One lovely touch is that the artist has chosen to place the issue title and information in the form of enamel advertising signs in the last illustration! It adds to the charm and reality of a multiplicity of information and advertising often to be seen on railway platforms!