Design Bridge and Partners: Network Rail, RIBA and the Design Museum’s Rail Clock

For the first time in over 50 years, Network Rail sought a national clock design that could unify the passenger experience across Britain’s rail network. With the railway’s 200th anniversary approaching in 2025, the brief called for more than a functional timepiece. It was a challenge to create a new national icon — one that celebrated British design heritage while symbolising progress, accessibility and connection for millions of passengers every day.

The collaboration between Network Rail, RIBA and the Design Museum invited the world’s creative community in an international design competition to reimagine this enduring symbol of railway life. Out of this came Rail Clock - an idea that fuses design excellence with emotional resonance, redefining what a piece of public infrastructure can represent.

Design Bridge and Partners’ winning concept took inspiration from the most recognisable element of British rail identity: the 1965 Double Arrow symbol by Gerry Barney. The symbol is dynamically integrated into the clock face, with its two halves travelling in opposite directions, converging every 30 seconds. Representing the constant rhythm of arrivals, departures and connections made across the UK.

The 1.8-metre diameter clock is both physical and digital, uniting heritage and innovation. Every design detail was considered for clarity and accessibility: a bold 24-hour display set in an updated version of Rail Alphabet 2, originally developed by Margaret Calvert and digitised by Henrik Kubel, ensures legibility for all.

From its installation at London Bridge station to its future as a digital watch face, Rail Clock bridges tradition and technology. It’s designed to appear in stations, on screens, and even on personal devices, ensuring a consistent visual language across the railway network.

Rail Clock marks more than a design milestone - it signals a creative and cultural transformation for Britain’s railways. By reviving the tradition of national design icons, it reflects a renewed commitment to consistency, accessibility and passenger focus.

The collaboration has been hailed as a model of creative partnership. As Mark Wood, Creative Partner at Design Bridge and Partners, explains, “Our ambition was to create a new icon of British design that creates lasting impact, and we hope Rail Clock becomes the face of time across the railway for many years to come.”

From the endorsement of design legends like Gerry Barney and Margaret Calvert to its debut at one of London’s busiest stations, Rail Clock captures the spirit of British ingenuity. It connects past, present and future through design that’s both practical and poetic, a symbol of how creativity continues to shape the way we move, meet and measure our moments in time.