This September marks another important milestone for our Institution as we introduce the new RailEI brand.
Over the past three years, we have been looking carefully at the future of the Institution: how we continue to grow, strengthen what we offer our Members and ensure we remain relevant and accessible to the evolving railway engineering community.
An important part of that work has been considering how we present ourselves and whether our identity accurately reflected the Institution we had become and our ambitions for the future.
That journey ultimately led to one of the most significant changes in the Institution’s history: the decision by its Members to move from the Permanent Way Institution (PWI) to the Railway Engineering Institution (RailEI).
The new name provides greater clarity about who we are and creates a stronger platform from which to represent and grow our community. But changing our name was only one part of that evolution. We also needed an identity capable of carrying RailEI forward and helping us communicate more clearly and consistently with our Members, the wider railway industry and those who may be discovering the Institution for the first time.
That is what our new brand has been developed to do.
For me, and for everyone who has been involved behind the scenes, it is exciting to finally share the identity in full. But this has never simply been a project to create a new logo.
It is part of a much broader strategic journey for RailEI – building on more than 140 years of history while creating an Institution that is positioned to grow, develop and support railway engineering for the future.
Shaped by its Members
The Institution’s Members have been central to that journey.
From the early conversations about the future direction of the Institution and consultation around our name, through to the formal Member vote to become the Railway Engineering Institution and subsequent development of our visual identity, we have sought Member input throughout.
More than 150 Members provided feedback specifically on our colour palette and brand concepts. One of the clearest messages was that our new identity should feel like an evolution rather than a complete departure, retaining something familiar while giving RailEI a more modern, progressive and distinctive presence.
There was also a clear preference for turquoise and a deep professional blue, both of which have become central to the final identity.
It has been important throughout this process that Members could see their input reflected in the decisions made. Ultimately, this is their Institution, and the identity needs to represent the community behind it.
The thinking behind our new identity
At the centre of our new identity is the interlinking hexagon: a strong shape that creates a stronger network as more elements come together. For us, this is a fitting representation of the RailEI community.
Railway engineering depends on disciplines, knowledge and experience coming together, with an understanding that extends beyond any one specialism. The hexagon reflects this interconnectedness, shared learning and continuous improvement.
Its parallel lines reflect many elements that make up the railway, such as track, electrification and drainage – each distinct, but integral to the wider railway system.
There are smaller details within the identity too. The geometry of the hexagon continues into the RailEI lettering; and at its centre, the angled ‘i’ mirrors the geometry of the hexagon while suggesting a person – a reminder that our Members and community are at the heart of everything we do..
Together, these details give us an identity that is distinctive to RailEI rather than simply a new name written in a new typeface.
Familiar colours, a new identity
Our core turquoise and deep professional blue were strongly infxluenced by Member feedback.
They provide continuity with the Institution Members already know while giving RailEI a more contemporary and distinctive presence. They have also been chosen to complement the people-focused imagery that will feature throughout our communications, including the PPE orange seen across the railway.
We will also continue to use a secondary colour palette to distinguish different areas of RailEI.
Gold will continue to represent Professional Registration, while the colours introduced through our Knowledge 200 campaign will continue to signpost our different technical disciplines.
Those discipline colours are about more than branding. We are developing dedicated pages for each technical discipline on our website, bringing together relevant knowledge and resources and providing a starting point for exploring RailEI’s growing railway engineering knowledge.
Carrying our heritage forward
Becoming RailEI does not mean leaving the PWI behind.
The Permanent Way Institution is where more than 140 years of history, knowledge and community were built, and that heritage remains an important part of who we are.
Alongside the new RailEI identity, we have therefore developed a dedicated PWI heritage mark. This will be used to recognise our history and provide a continuing, visible connection between RailEI and the PWI.
I think this is an important part of the new identity. We can be confident about where we are going without losing sight of where we have come from.
Designed with accessibility in mind
A contemporary identity also needs to work effectively for the people engaging with it.
Accessibility has therefore been an important consideration throughout the development of the brand. Our colour palettes have been selected to provide strong contrast and visibility across print and digital formats, supported by clear, legible typography.
The bold, simplified geometry of the logo and clear letterforms also help it remain recognisable and legible across different sizes and applications.
These may not always be the most immediately noticeable elements of a new brand, but they are important in communicating clearly and consistently with as many people as possible.
Bringing RailEI to life
You will now begin to see the identity appearing across everything the Institution does – from the website, Journal and Member communications to our events, Professional Registration, technical education and training, Knowledge Hub and wider industry activity.
The transition will happen progressively as existing materials are updated, but the objective is a much more recognisable and consistent RailEI identity wherever people encounter us.
The Institution has changed considerably during its history and it will continue to evolve as the industry and the needs of its Members evolve. What remains constant is our commitment to bringing the railway engineering community together to share knowledge, develop and grow.
This is our next chapter, built on more than 140 years of railway engineering knowledge.