Among the directions issued to employees of the billionaire businessman is that tattoos are strictly taboo.

Discretion is also the watchword for anyone with a penchant for body piercing. And when it comes to colour co-ordination, women are asked to keep their choice of make-up neutral.

The instructions appear in a brochure issued to coincide with new uniforms for the company's 3,500 staff.

Employees have been told:

• If you have a tattoo, please cover it up while working.

• Remove any visible body-piercing before you go on duty (with the exception or women's earrings).

• Stick to neutral colours and subtle shades for make-up.

• Always wear black shoes. No other colour is allowed.

• Please wash your hands frequently and keep them as clean as possible, with trimmed nails.

• Do not wear any badge apart from the Virgin Rail name badge.

Setting a style precedent for staff

The style rules are designed to help give Virgin staff a polished new look, which will complement the new uniform design.

The uniforms come in red and black and include blouse and blazers for summerwear and zip-up jackets, caps and woolly hats for winter.

Again strict instructions must be adhered to. Staff can wear jumpers and cardigans, but never under a jacket.

News of the image change came as Mr Branson enjoyed a business trip to Italy, where he is expected to place an order for 54 new tilting trains.

Hi-tech trains

He hopes the hi-tech trains will help reverse the fortunes of Virgin West Coast, which has been dogged by bad publicity since it took over management of the line in March 1997.

In February this year it was reported that Virgin West Coast had consistently ranked as the worst-performing of the 25 privatised regional railways.

It suffers at the hands of its inherited ageing rolling stock and the network is characterised by once poorly-maintained lines and old signalling.

Speaking during a rail journey from Turin to Rome, Mr Branson said passengers on his line would enjoy a host of new amenities.

He promised shopping areas, seat-back videos, and business facilities on his trains, as well as reduced city-to-city journey times when the trains come into service early next century.