ScotRail accused of using fascist logo on new train image in conference presentation
Operator stressed the symbol is a bolt of electricity
ScotRail has been accused of using the logo of the British Union of Fascists on an image of a train as part of a conference presentation by its managing director.
However, the Scottish Government-owned operator said the symbol in the picture displayed by Joanne Maguire at the Rail in Scotland event in Edinburgh last Wednesday was a bolt of electricity to aid the presentation on its plans for new battery trains.
The image also included large batteries on the train’s roof, which are understood to have been added to underline that the picture was not a mock-up of what it would look like.
Rail engineer Gareth Dennis posted on X: “Top tip: to avoid having the British Union of Fascists logo on the side of your mock-up train, don't use horrible text-to-image AI slop instead of actual designers and artists.”
Among others posting on X, civil engineer Harry Blannin said: “Did no one notice that they’ve put the logo of the British Union of Fascists on the side of it?”
Another Scotsman reader said: “I was rather surprised to find the story illustrated with an image of a train, presumably in some planned new livery for ScotRail, sporting the British Union of Fascists logo on the side.
“Now, if this is the expected new livery then it would be a great indication that Scotland should not be visited and that ScotRail should most definitely not be used.
“However, if this is *not* the livery expected then why is this little indication of fascist tendencies included?”
The British Union of Fascists (BUF) was founded in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley and became known as the “blackshirts”, attracting support from the Daily Mail.
Its first Scottish rally was held in Dumfries in 1934, which attracted 3,000 people.
Henry Maitles, emeritus professor of education at the University of the West of Scotland, wrote in the Scottish Left Review last year that the party’s attempts to stage rallies in Glasgow and Edinburgh were disrupted, with fights breaking out with opponents.
He said: “While BUF membership claims were unrealistic and electoral results were derisory, there was clearly a significant BUF presence in various parts of Scotland during the 1930s.
“In Lanarkshire and Aberdeen, activist recruitment led to serious attempts to build a party organisation.“
Elyoueffsea replied to Mr Dennis on X: “It’s a lightning bolt to show that the train is fast… Anybody that thinks this was put there to represent Oswald Mosley’s action through unity symbol is insane and should spent less time online.”
ScotRail said: “The image included a bolt of electricity to aid the presentation on electric trains.”
It said it was made clear during the presentation that the image “did not represent what the new trains will look like and was merely a visual aid to support the information being provided to attendees”.
Fleet strategy director Magnus Conn said: “Skilled teams across ScotRail are working hard on the procurement process to deliver new trains, which is exciting news for customers who will benefit in the years to come.
“The use of these images doesn’t take away from that work, and were used at this early stage in the process to help attendees visualise what new trains could look like.”
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