On with the motley, the paint . . .
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BRITISH RAIL'S InterCity services are out to turn an expected loss of £98m in 198485 into a surplus of £5m by 1989 by beating road transport in "comfort, care and convenience." For a start the railways are spending £9m on a campaign to improve their prestige, partially by the cosmetic device of replacing ' second class" by a more upmarket name.
Jimmy Savile's "age of the train" has died a death and is replaced by the slogan, "We're getting there". This is calculated to console commuters left stranded by lightning strikes.
Rolling stock is being improved and refurbished. With first-class passengers in the pink, the peasants travelling steerage will, appropriately enough, see red. The external livery of coaches will be grey, red and white.
Popular singers and songs are being featured in advertisements. I hesitantly suggest Blue, turning grey over you; How do you do what you do to me?; After You've Gone; You Took Advantage of Me; You're Driving Me Crazy; and Wait 'til it Happens to You as appropriate, well-loved titles.