Article: 'In pictures: every single HST livery, ever'

[pt_mad]

http://transportdesigned.com/pictures-every-single-hst-livery-ever/

British Rail blue and grey
The prototype HST power cars, along with their rake of Mk3 coaches, were painted in this fetching, modern blue and grey livery, with full yellow ends.

Inter-City 125 blue and yellow
The production power cars were first delivered in the Inter-City 125 colour scheme, with yellow wrap-around ends, and this attractive Rail Blue design, cut diagonally with grey towards the back of the loco.

InterCity ‘Executive’ grey and yellow
In the 1980s, British Rail refreshed the look of their HST fleet, with the introduction of InterCity ‘Executive’. It took the yellow from its predecessor, with a white, now filled-in logo, set on a dark grey base, complemented with a rake of beige and grey coaches accented with a red stripe.

Intercity ‘Swallow’
In 1987, BR again updated its Intercity brand, with the introduction of the ‘Swallow’. This did away with the yellow altogether, save for the front ends, and brought the red line and white base from the coaches all the way across the loco. And it saw the introduction of that iconic flying swallow logo, too....

Nice little article of interest from TransportDesigned, dipicting HST liveries of past and present. Enjoy.

 

[pdeaves]

Excluding promotional wraps, there are several liveries missing. In looking to confirm an early Virgin CrossCountry one (yellow cab roof), I came across this page that complements the article: http://www.tauntontrains.co.uk/oldsite/HST.htm 43063 for the VXC one I was looking for, also shows 43130 in a livery variation not in the original article.

 

[jopsuk]

The article does mention the "yellow toof" variant of Virgin XC

 

[Royston Vasey]

Original Grand Central and original ex-works black and yellow InterCity 125 missing too. I think this is far from exhaustive, the intent is obviously not every very minor variation but the title is misleading.

 

[d9009alycidon]

At Crewe Works Open day on 20 September 1975 the first completed HST power car was on display, the livery worn that day had a black upper band from the cab to the transition to blue/grey, not sure if it ever left the works in this livery but the GPO issues a set of postage stamps around this time which also showed an HST power car with a black upper body. Photograph here https://www.flickr.com/photos/14581588@N05/7272237276/

 

[jopsuk]

Original Grand Central

Mentioned in the text

 

[Mikey C]

For what has been the same operator since privatisation, the (First) Great Western HSTs have had a remarkable number of different liveries!

 

[GrimShady]

Merlin and both Intercity are the finest they ever had.

 

[gingerheid]

IC Swallow all the way; best livery ever worn by any train

 

[43096]

Excluding promotional wraps, there are several liveries missing. In looking to confirm an early Virgin CrossCountry one (yellow cab roof), I came across this page that complements the article: http://www.tauntontrains.co.uk/oldsite/HST.htm 43063 for the VXC one I was looking for, also shows 43130 in a livery variation not in the original article.

Incidentally, Taunton Trains (and the article linked to by the OP) have it wrong with the GWT Merlin livery. 43191 was not the first to receive that livery: it was 43183/185 that were painted first for the launch (see Martin Loader's photo here: http://www.hondawanderer.com/43185_Circourt_1996.htm)

 

[mallard]

I daresay they'll be a few more before HSTs finally disappear from our rails.

At the very least we've got the Hull Trains livery (likely just FGW "dynamic lines" with new logos) to see, as well as the next MML operator since the DfT has mandated a name change for a "permanent" brand, so likely won't be happy with keeping the Stagecoach colour scheme (although they've made VTEC's colour scheme "permanent" for the ECML, so who knows) and the HSTs will need to be kept for at least a few years after the next operator takes over.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Mentioned in the text

It’s not “in pictures” then is it

 

[hexagon789]

IC Swallow all the way; best livery ever worn by any train

Seconded

Though, the new ScotRail Inter7City isn't too bad either, among others

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The new EMT ex Grand Central livery?

Also, East Coast refurbished at least one full set in silver and purple.

 

[GrimShady]

The First stuff is hideous, along with Virgin and Colas.

 

[sussexbythesea]

GNER and Crosscountry are my two personal favourites. Love the originial stag Midland Mainline livery too. Shame so many trains are so bland today.

 

[hexagon789]

The new EMT ex Grand Central livery?

That's actually a pretty fetching livery IMHO.

The First stuff is hideous, along with Virgin and Colas.

Virgin Red/Black always seemed to suit the Mk2f/Mk3 sets better than the HSTs for some reason.

 

[Bertie the bus]

If you include variations there are loads missing:
GNER white band (NXEA) - https://flic.kr/p/CC5p4f
Swallow white roof - https://flic.kr/p/rR6Pr4
Swallow full yellow ends - https://flic.kr/p/qUiDZT
Swallow / Irish - https://flic.kr/p/rR1Vg6

 

[HaggisBotherer]

IC Swallow all the way; best livery ever worn by any train

Out of interest, how much of that is influenced by nostalgia, though?

For me, from the purely aesthetic viewpoint, VTEC/LNER is the most stylish livery to be carried by HSTs.

 

[gingerheid]

Out of interest, how much of that is influenced by nostalgia, though?

For me, from the purely aesthetic viewpoint, VTEC/LNER is the most stylish livery to be carried by HSTs.

Absolutely none; I just think it looks beautiful, smart, dignified, stylish, and every bit better than even the Scotrail skyline in 2nd place! If only 125s had worn the lovely NSE livery too, though...

I actually hold the unfashionable opinion that the railways have improved since then. I miss the overnight seated services from Scotland to Not-London (but as they were always empty I hold no grudge in respect of their withdrawal). I miss the effort to make connections work (but as the connection is probably now more frequent / secure I'll often let them off, and I understand that the railway is more intensively used). I do miss Mark2s, and I don't think the current variety of units is in anyone's interests.

Long distance speed and punctuality, information, and ability to travel on Sundays all seem markedly better though. Even if the livery might not be ...

 

[gingerheid]

Seconded

Though, the new ScotRail Inter7City isn't too bad either, among others

You have excellent taste

 

[jhy44]

Seconded

Though, the new ScotRail Inter7City isn't too bad either, among others

I think ScotRail's is the worst of the lot. Plain white with some shapes sticking out of the bottom? Looks like something a primary school child designed. It'll look filthy within a matter of weeks.

It's psychologically proven that dark colours are associated with high quality, and light colours with cheapness. The GWR Green, GNER navy and Grand Central Black all look far, far better.

A nice dark navy with some light white detailing would have been far classier.

 

[jopsuk]

I swear that there are those that would only consider the article to be "complete" if it featured photos of both sides of every power car carrying every livery that it has ever had.

There are also those whould demand every single carriage too.

And for the encore, someone would demand every single formation.

 

[hexagon789]

You have excellent taste

I thank you

I think ScotRail's is the worst of the lot. Plain white with some shapes sticking out of the bottom? Looks like something a primary school child designed. It'll look filthy within a matter of weeks.

I think it looks quite bright and modern, but I do accept the point about dirt build-up.

 

[Master29]

I always loved the first inter city livery. Seeing it for the first time was like, wow. Never been beaten imo but the last GWR green was superb as well.

 

[Phil G]

GWR green and the original blue and yellow for me but the east coast virgin one also looks very nice but I've not seen one being a western region person.

 

[joncombe]

There was certainly a minor variation of the Virgin Cross Country livery where there was the XC text to the botom right of the Virgin Logo. I think they might have done something similar with West Coast as well.

 

[Mag_seven]

My favourite amongst all that lot has to be the original livery as that's the very first livery I ever saw on an HST!

 

[Cowley]

My favourite amongst all that lot has to be the original livery as that's the very first livery I ever saw on an HST!

Same here, in Cornwall in the seventies...
I must admit that I did like intercity exec though.

 

[43096]

There was certainly a minor variation of the Virgin Cross Country livery where there was the XC text to the botom right of the Virgin Logo. I think they might have done something similar with West Coast as well.

No, it was only for XC that the additional lettering was applied, and then only for the first few repaints. Once Virgin were awarded the West Coast franchise the XC branding was dropped from all subsequent repaints.