Blog
Putting purpose at the heart of the Great Western Railway
We’re excited to see a shining example of a truly purpose-led rebrand right on our doorstep.
Our regional train operator First Great Western has taken the gutsy decision to reinstate the original 1833 name of Great Western Railway – created by the railway’s illustrious founder, Isambard Kingdom Brunel - across its entire brand and livery.
Why do we love this? Well it’s hard not to admire the audacity of ‘un-branding’ the parent company FirstGroup name altogether, as well as the striking visual identity created by John Rushworth of design firm Pentagram.
But what we really love is how this move demonstrates the train operator’s understanding of its wider purpose.
The Great Western Railway was an incredible feat of engineering that transformed the economic fortunes of the South West, opening it up to trade and tourism. This rebrand signals a change in ethos whereby, in the new GWR’s words, “we no longer behave as a franchisee, but as a custodian – responsible for reinvigorating the west by returning the railway to its former glory.”
Under the banner of “Building a Greater West” and “For the Love of Rail”, GWR is working with Network Rail to invest £7.5 billion in the region’s railway, introducing more frequent services and refurbished trains (including – finally - free WiFi).
Of course, the true test is still to come. Will GWR be able to bring this audacious purpose to life? Railway operators face a unique set of challenges, often blamed for things outside of their control. Can GWR’s re-found purpose translate into a strong values-led culture throughout the organisation, and be felt at every stage of the customer journey?
Time will tell, but we salute GWR for taking a bold first step by putting purpose at the heart of its strategy.
Photo: Great Western Railway