Red, white and blue poster design for a new font for British Rail

Catalogue number: DCA-30-1-66.

The Design Archives have loaned a poster from the Design Council Archive to the Design Museum’s new exhibition ‘Margaret Calvert: A Woman at Work’. The exhibition celebrates three of Calvert’s most influential typefaces (Transport, Calvert and Rail Alphabet), as well as marking the launch of Rail Alphabet 2, Network Rail’s new customised typeface, which she designed with Henrik Kubel.

The display reflects a career spanning six decades, including four when she also taught at the RCA, and also includes a selection of more playful, experimental pieces by the graphic designer who has done so much to define what the Museum calls a ‘national visual identity’. The Design Council took a continuing interest in design as it related to our railways, and recognised the work of Calvert with Jock Kinneir on the UK’s classic road signage system with an award in 1967. They would doubtless approve of the enduring quality of these designs.

Green, white and yellow road traffic signs

Catalogue number: DCA-30-7-1967-3-1.

A virtual tour is also available but onsite visitors are now welcome again following the Museum’s re-opening on 2 December. On until 10 January 2021.