A DIESEL train featuring a brand new livery was unveiled to mark 25 years since the launch of the ScotRail brand, created by British Rail.

The new design on the Class 170 train features white lettering and ‘signal blue’ dots on the same midnight blue colour scheme as First ScotRail’s current livery, and will sweep away the ‘blood and custard’ colours of some trains in the west of Scotland.

The new livery, featuring the Scottish Saltire flag, is for all First ScotRail trains and 342 managed stations, and will be extended progressively across the network during routine maintenance cycles.

The first 17 stations have received the new colour scheme, with 10 more to follow next month.

Scotland’s minister for transport Stewart Stevenson visited Glasgow Queen Street station to join First Scotrail’s managing director Mary Grant and Transport Scotland chief executive Malcolm Reed to launch the pioneer First ScotRail train and unveil a plaque to celebrate the network’s Silver Anniversary.

The minister also announced timetable improvements from December, bringing an extra 1,200 seats and reduced journey times between Edinburgh, Fife and Aberdeen.

- Never totally comfortable with its British Rail Scottish Region identity, the original Scotrail branding was designed in 1983. The capital R was adopted later, and was inspired by the merging of the Scottish and Midland Co-operative Societies which used a ScotMid branding device. The ScotRail branding took off under the general managership of Chris Green during 1984.