Poster Aria Pura, Foré, 1974 | Collection Arjan den Boer

European railway posters from the early 1970s

Chemins de Fer Européens

retours September 2013

The European Railways do not exist and have never existed — at least not as an organization with that name. Yet a colorful series of posters with that caption appeared in the early 1970s.

The posters expressed the desire of the time for an integrated European railway system. The direct occasion was the 50th anniversary of the International Union of Railways UIC. It was no coincidence that in the same year 1972 the InterRail pass was introduced.

Apart from revealing how European cooperation was perceived forty years ago, the series of posters also illustrate the trends in graphic design.

by Arjan den Boer (1972)

UIC International Union of Railways

In 1922 the Union Internationale des Chemins de fer (UIC) was founded. Its aim was the worldwide technical standardization of railways. With members from all over the world, it were participating European railway companies that had the main voice and the greatest interest in cooperation.

After World War II, activities were expanded with a shared freight car pool and a rolling stock finance house. The UIC harmonized things like pictograms and passenger classes. The railway union was also the originator of the Europabus (1951) and the Trans Europ Express (1957).

UIC building in Parijs | Source: Grenzenloze spoorwegen, UIC 1967

Poster 50 years of UIC, 1972 | Unknown designer, collection Arjan den Boer

European Railways booth at the Utrecht Jaarbeurs fair, 1952 | Collection Spoorwegmuseum Utrecht

CICE Information Centre

In 1950 the UIC established the Centre d'Information des Chemins de Fer Européens. It coordinated the publicity of the European railway companies and also issued promotional materials itself. The CICE operated a traveling exhibition coach and was present at fairs and trade shows.

At the 1958 World Fair in Brussels, CICE played an important role. An international railway park showed off the latest trains. At the UIC booth in the Transport Pavilion the railways were promoted as the pioneers of European integration.

Postcard of the rail park at Expo 58 in Brussels, 1958 | Collection Arjan den Boer

Anniversary

In 1972 it was fifty years ago that the UIC was founded. The French painter Georges Mathieu was commissioned to design an anniversary poster. He depicted a switch panel with a track diagram as is used in railway signal boxes. Perhaps Mathieu was inspired by a 1967 UIC booklet with a picture of a signal box panel on the cover. Mathieu also designed a bronze medallion with the same motif.

Georges Mathieu (1921-2012)

Mathieu had no formal art training but developed himself into an important tachist painter in the 1950s. He was inspired by abstract expressionists like Pollock and by Japanese calligraphy. Later on he also designed logos, stamps and coins.

Central railway signal box, Amsterdam Rietlanden, 1971 | Photo: Nederlandse Spoorwegen/HUA

Poster UIC 1922-1972, Georges Mathieu, 1972 | Collection Arjan den Boer

InterRail

The most important 1972 anniversary offer was a new rail pass for young people. Intended as a one-time action, InterRail became a success that continues to this day. The ability to travel freely through Europe matched perfectly with the 1970s youth culture. Guitar and backpack were indispensable InterRail attributes. The poster by Guy Georget does show a guitar, but few InterRailers will have traveled with suitcases.

Guy Georget (1911-1992)

Guy Georget always managed to adapt his design style to the times, as is evident for example from the color palette. From the late 1940s Georget worked for Wagons-Lits, the French Railways, Air France and Philips. In 1960 he designed the logo for the French postal service.

All Weather Train Weather

Freight transport contributed to economic progress and European trade. In its anniversary year the UIC also issued a poster that emphasized the reliability of freight trains compared to the growing road transport. The trains ran regardless of weather conditions!

The rainbow-colored lithograph by Foré had the same basic shape and typography as several 1971 French posters for TEE trains.

Philippe Foré (1927-)

Foré was one of the most productive post-war French poster artists. His abstracted style is called 'lignisme'. He often worked for the SNCF. His 1969 poster for the Mistral train won several international awards. Foré was also a painter, sculptor and poet.

Cover of booklet Grenzenloze spoorwegen, UIC 1967 | Collection Nico Spilt

Poster Par tous les temps les trains roulant, Foré, 1972 | Collection Arjan den Boer

Table and numbers on a Trans Europ Expres Marchandises car, 1973 | Photo: Nederlandse Spoorwegen/HUA

Poster Grande capacité et puissance de transport, André Pasture, 1972 | Collection Arjan den Boer

Capacity and Power

The UIC organized a design competition for a poster to promote the loading capacity and power of freight trains. Most of the 'European' posters were made by French designers who worked for the SNCF. This time a designer from Belgium was selected: André Pasture. He created a sleek close-up of a tank car and placed the caption between the white lines of the loading limits table and registration numbers. This international coding was developed by the UIC.

André Pasture (1928-2006)

The French-born Pasture studied and worked in Belgium. From 1960 to 1980 he designed almost exclusively for the Belgian railways. His style became increasingly geometric and minimalistic. He was an admirer of the Swiss Style and the Swiss-Belgian designer Léo Marfurt.

Serving the economy

One year after its anniversary the UIC issued two anonymous posters concerning the European Railways. The first one consisted of a photograph of a freight train and a notice that the railways serve the economy. A version with the addition economie européenne is also known to exist.

In the early 1970s European integration was undisputed. EEC Ministers decided that the railways had to cooperate even more on technical and commercial matters. This was regarded as the first step towards a European railway company. The companies agreed to extensive collaboration, but they rejected a full merger.

Goods yard at Venlo, The Netherlands, 1974 | Photographer unknown/HUA

Poster Le train au service de l'economie, 1973 | Collection Arjan den Boer

Railway yard at Heerjansdam, The Netherlands, 1973 | Photo: Nederlandse Spoorwegen/HUA

Poster Nous construisons l'avenir, 1973 | Collection Arjan den Boer

Building the future

A second 1973 poster also consists of a photo and a caption. Color photography and full-color offset printing were emerging on posters. These techniques already existed, but designers continued to create lithographs because of the power of expression. When photography prevailed in the late 70s, some people called this the end of the poster.

The caption states that the European Railways are building the future together. Colorful lights appear on the horizon. A version with the text Le train construit l'avenir is also known to exist. That future did not bring an integrated European railway company, but rather fragmentation through privatization — though coordinated and regulated by the UIC and the EU.

Clean Air

A 1974 poster praised the European railways for keeping the air clean. It is the first known poster about trains and the environment. The theme was topical after the Club of Rome report and the oil crisis.

Meanwhile, the designer Foré had switched from lithography to offset printing. This made subtle gradients possible as can be seen in the air and the water. His poster won the French Prix National de l'Affiche, receiving the jury's praise for its intelligent composition and delicate colors.

This last known poster for the European Railways was released by the French SNCF in several languages, probably in collaboration with the UIC who issued a European timetable with the same picture later on.