Lines and Logos

NSE was divided into six sub sectors according to former regions and divisions, thus perpetuating the traditional geographical arrangement inherited from Grouping and Pre-Grouping days. Each had its own Network Manager, but from 1989 was further divided into individual routes to lend local identity to services in each area, all possessing their own distinctive logo and name. These too had their own managers, consequently divesting responsibility for each route to a more local level and thus engendering a better awareness of and more responsive attitude to local requirements.

Rolling stock received vinyls denoting its area of operation, both logo and 'brand' name being applied. Very few routes and services were in fact self contained, so some overlap was inevitable. This could occur on both longer distance trips and where mainline stock was used on suburban services in the peaks. Routes with dedicated stock obviated this problem, but were relatively rare. It was however a nice touch and lent a local flavour as well as suggesting a less rigid centralised operating authority.

It also accorded individual areas the opportunity to produce publicity, timetables and even staff ties featuring the local identity. From the little-known rural backwater that was Marsh Link, to the mainline elite of West of England, all could boast their own particular place in the scheme of NSE, with a pictorial logo to denote their allegiances and character. It was a far cry from the all enveloping blandness of the corporate image blue and grey era.

North
Northampton Line		Services out of Euston to Northampton (although some ran through to Birmingham)
Three Counties		Bedford to Bletchley and Kettering to Corby
North London Lines		Richmond to North Woolwich, Gospel Oak to Barking and Euston to Watford
Thameslink		Bedford to Brighton, Wimbledon, Sevenoaks and Orpington (cross London)

Anglia
Great Eastern		Liverpool Street to Ipswich and branches
London, Tilbury & Southend		Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness
Great Northern Lines		Kings Cross to Peterborough, Cambridge and Kings Lynn
West Anglia		Liverpool Street to Cambridge plus branches

Thames & Chiltern
Thames		Paddington to Bedwyn, Oxford and Branches
Chiltern		Marylebone to Aylesbury and Birmingham
North Downs		Reading to Gatwick and Tonbridge

South East
Kent Coast		Mainlines from Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon Street to the Kent Coast and Hastings
Kent Link		Suburban Services from Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon Street to South East London and North Kent
Marsh Link		Ashford to Hastings

South Central
Sussex Coast		Mainlines from Victoria and London Bridge to the Sussex Coast
South London Lines		Suburban services from Victoria and London Bridge to South London and Surrey
Oxted Line		East Grinstead and Uckfield branches

South West
South Western Lines		Waterloo inner and outer Suburban area
West of England		Waterloo to Exeter
Solent & Wessex		Waterloo to Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Weymouth
Island Line		Ryde to Shanklin
Waterloo & City		Waterloo to Bank ('The Drain')

The NSE logo, brand name, typescript and styles are used by kind permission of the British Railways Board Limited (Residual).