Network Rail unveils new national railway clock at London Bridge station for passengers

Credit: Network Rail - Aerial view of London Bridge Station.

Network Rail, alongside government and industry partners, has launched the railway’s first national clock design in more than 50 years at London Bridge station. The new timepiece, created by WPP brand design agency Design Bridge and Partners, was the winning entry in an international design competition run in partnership with Network Rail, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and the Design Museum.

Chosen from over 100 entrants, the winning design works as both a physical and digital timepiece, reflecting the design and brand history of the railway while making it easy for passengers to see the time in busy stations. The clock is intended to provide an accessible and easy-to-read feature, acting as a landmark for meeting points and helping passengers navigate large stations.

The physical clock at London Bridge measures 1.8 metres in diameter and will also appear in digital form on departure boards across the network, with launches at London Waterloo, London Victoria, and London Charing Cross stations.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “British ingenuity and passion are the foundations of the railway, from the very first passenger service 200 years ago to the millions of rail journeys now taken every day. This clock represents a bridge between the historic past and a new future for our railways. As part of our Plan for Change, this Government will create an integrated railway network that’s more reliable, consistent, efficient and accountable, thus delivering growth, jobs and homes. Good design, like this brilliant, clever timepiece, is a fundamental part of achieving this.”

Anthony Dewar from Network Rail added: “Two hundred years after the first railway opened in Britain, we’re about to embark on a new journey as a railway, putting passengers first. Part of that journey will be giving everyone the same positive experience across all parts of the network, and design is central to that. A clock is the first thing people look for when they arrive at a station. The railway is driven by time, being ‘on time’ is our promise to passengers, and clocks have always provided landmarks for people to meet at and use to navigate their way around stations. This design provides a proud and eye-catching centrepiece and acts as a brilliant reminder of the new journey we’re about to undertake together.”

Mark Wood, Creative Partner at Design Bridge and Partners, said: “We are incredibly proud to have won the ‘Timepiece for the Railway’ competition. Our partnership with Network Rail, RIBA and the Design Museum has been highly collaborative, and seeing Rail Clock come to life is immensely rewarding. 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.”

The clock was created with guidance from accessibility experts, featuring easy-to-read numbers in a slightly amended version of the railway’s own typeface, Rail Alphabet 2. The famous railway double arrow logo travels around the rim every 60 seconds, providing a calm centrepiece in bustling stations. Both Margaret Calvert, designer of Rail Alphabet, and Gerry Barney, creator of the double arrow logo, were consulted during its creation.

Chris Williamson, RIBA President, said: “We were thrilled to partner with Network Rail and The Design Museum on this exciting initiative. Architecture competitions are vital for driving innovation, new approaches to design and showcasing the vast talent within our industry and we look forward to seeing the winning entry come to life and become a central piece to our railways.”

Rail Clock is adaptable for digital use, including phones and smart watches, developed with Cognizant. It will soon be available as a watchface via Android app stores.

Margaret Calvert, competition judge, said: “We were looking for something exceptional. And the outcome is an accessible piece of design that’s made for everyone who uses the railway.”

Gerry Barney said: “In 1965, it was wonderful to win the competition to design the symbol of our railway: ‘The Double Arrow’. Now in 2025, I’m thrilled to see the winning entry that continues to celebrate it in a new timepiece for future generations of rail passengers to enjoy. What Design Bridge and Partners have created is really magic.”

London Bridge station was chosen for the launch as it previously housed the second electrically-controlled railway clock in the world, installed in 1852 and linked to a master clock at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. This 1.8-metre clock is the first major timepiece at the station since its 2018 rebuild and symbolises a proud link to the past.

The last national clock design for Britain’s railways was part of British Rail’s 1974 design manual. Since privatisation in 1996, the railway has had multiple clocks of varying designs. Lewisham station was the first station to display the design due to its proximity to Greenwich.