Don't worry, ScotRail won't be forming its own paramilitary wing
Snazzy lightning bolt logos may have a modern feel but they come burdened with past associations most people would rather not make
As ScotRail heads boldly into a new electric future, it’s easy to see why people might get a bit carried away. So it’s perfectly understandable that ScotRail managing director Joanne Maguire would have displayed an image of a train with a snazzy lightning bolt logo at a recent railway conference.
Unfortunately, there was another time when electricity was all the rage – the early 20th century as street lights and domestic appliances became increasingly common. And alas, one particular political movement decided to tap into the zeitgeist with a rather similar lightning bolt logo: the British Union of Fascists. Oops.
However, in the absence of ScotRail setting up its own paramilitary wing or adopting some kind of weird salute, we feel confident that the railways have not fallen under the control of the far-right.
“Well, at least Mussolini made the trains run on time,” we hear you quip. But turns out that’s a myth. Whether woolly liberals or fascists are in charge, the trains are about as likely to depart on time as they usually are.
Oh and, rest assured, ScotRail has no plans to use the logo.
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