Great NE Railway seeks agency for 3m task

Great Northern Eastern Railway is looking to appoint an advertis ing agency for a campaign worth about 3m.

The York-based company, owned by transport conglomerate Sea Containers, won the franchise to operate British Rail’s former InterCity East Coast line last year, which runs from London King’s Cross to Inverness.

Sources say GNER wants to appoint an agency by April and is drawing up a shortlist at the moment.

The procurement agency for the rail industry, Derby-based First Procurement, is helping with the search.

At the end of last year GNER – which was renamed to “recapture the memory of a golden era when travelling by train meant stylish travel”, according to chief executive Christopher Garnett – revealed its new logo. This was designed by New York’s Massimo Vignelli and will appear on the livery of 100 daily high-speed services between London, Yorkshire, the North-east and Scotland.

Garnett was previously commer-cial director of Eurotunnel, but resign-ed two years ago for health reasons.