Rainbow Railways
Comedians and radio script-writers are, I suspect, the only people whose interests are threatened by the pro- posals to decentralise our railway system, for these may lead, in time, to a situation in which to mention British Rail- ways is no longer automatically to get a laugh. Concentrating as usual on inessentials, I find that my chief interest in the reorganisation centres on the future of the British Railways lion, which I described last summer in these notes as being equally offensive ta heralds, to naturalists and even to patriots. It is rumoured that the six new regions may be allowed flashes ' or emblems similar to divisional signs, and if this happens a splendid opportunity will present itself of getting rid of this ghastly quadruped. It seems that the regions are not at this stage to repaint their rolling stock in distinctive colours. If they ever do, I hope they will be guided by the principles to which manufacturers of agricultural implements' now mostly adhere (as did the men who made carts and wagons in the old days). Trains run either through open country, with which they should contrast, or through drab built-up areas, which they should brighten. For these reasons they should be painted in bold, bright colours, and never in any shade of green or brown. Our rural landscapes are much enriched by the blues and scarlets and yellows of the tractors and combines which crawl about the fields; the idea that trains ought to harmonise' with the landsCape is a silly idea.
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