Francis Bourgeois

Although I had fun, I spent a lot of the festive season trying not to overspend and de-rail my bank balance. Whilst at home mindlessly scrolling through my Instagram feed one evening, I spotted a shinning beacon amongst the dark tunnel of social media content in the form of Trainspotting influencer Francis Bourgeois. The name Francis Bourgeois is reportedly inspired by an 18th century royal court painter, which is a very fitting persona for this wonderfully whimsical, creative, and timeless character. Francis aka: ‘Tik Tok’s train guy’, has contagious enthusiasm and exceptional courage as he fully embraces his true self and shares his love for trains with his million strong (and ever-growing!) following. You really can’t help but smile when watching the clip of driver Gordon in the Freightliner Class 66 (66524) delivering the sweet train tones with seventy-three honks.

Intrigued by this ‘national treasure’, I took to Google to discover that even viral Francis can’t escape the victimisation commonly bestowed by cancel culture. Here he was accused of being a phony for previously sporting a beanie hat and posing topless for a photo from his former teenage years. I was relieved to see that Francis took to his platform to stand up to the speculation and explain how his fondness for trains had been suppressed for much of his school life for the sake of blending in with his peers. The statement made me reflect upon my past and I could definitely relate to that aesthetically awkward time, as I had also had a questionable personal identity at thirteen when B blonde highlights, Kappa jackets, and Adidas poppers were all the rage! Luckily the video has enabled the railway king to be back on the right track, as he received masses of supportive messages and celebrity endorsement.

Luckily for us die-hard Francis fans, he seems to have unapologetically donned his iconic GoPro head camera and whistle for the long haul. His new state of self-acceptance is also reflected through his unique clothing style. His signature signet ring, waistcoats, blazers, locomotive ties, and vintage esq embroidered pattern jumpers cleverly combine grandeur with a gregarious personality. His rainbow-hued checked jumper, orange shoes, and bright blue socks amplify his addictive, sincere, and unbridled joy. A gold hoop earring adds a little edge to each outfit which is synonymous to the man’s clever wit and strength to ignore the naysayers and remain genuine in the speculative spotlight.

These qualities and Francis’ visual grace have been embraced by fashion powerhouse Gucci. Francis was sought out to star as a train conductor and front their latest The North Face X Gucci Campaign. The advert was shot at the historic Oakworth railway station with a 60s/70s style soft camera lens and day out in the countryside narrative, complete with retro clothing connotations. The puffer coats and colourful prints from a bygone era have an apt association with the charming conductors’ personal taste and go to get up. The back-to-basics and self-care message is also particularly prominent in this time of virtual reality (who’s not currently talking about the Facebook metaverse!) and isolation.

Francis is currently studying engineering at the University of Nottingham and has hopes to improve rail infrastructure and freight in the future to become less profit-driven and more sustainable and service-focused. I have learnt a lot more about trains since finding Francis and he has redefined trainspotting’s anorak associations. I look forward to viewing lots more feel-good videos and have a feeling Francis will blaze trails for others to follow which will allow them to find their own unique and true passion and purpose. I’m all on board.