Trivia: Most out of date livery

[87electric]

No photographic evidence has ever emerged of this being the case and other reports state that the loco was seen in works in blue undercoat but that was as far as its blue repaint got.

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What evidence is there? No photographs exist. See above.

This old chestnut always comes round every couple of years doesn’t it.
I agree, no photographs exist.

 

[12LDA28C]

That’s very interesting, thanks! Definitely looks like it was in Blue!

Because one website says so, with no substantiating evidence? Show me the photo and I’ll believe it.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Because one website says so, with no substantiating evidence? Show me the photo and I’ll believe it.

I always thought it only had the blue undercoat and then had green topcoat. I don't know the source for this site's info, but it shows 40106 3 years after its repaint.
When 40106 was the last operational green liveried Class 40 in 1978, the loco entered Crewe Works for an overhaul and repaint, it should have emerged in rail blue, but to everyones amazement it was given a repaint in BR green. The loco was stabled at Reddish Electric Depot on the 12th July 1981

Martyn Hilbert's Railway Photography - BR Blues - 40106 at Reddish Electric Depot.

 

[43096]

This old chestnut always comes round every couple of years doesn’t it.
I agree, no photographs exist.

Because one website says so, with no substantiating evidence? Show me the photo and I’ll believe it.

It's hardly surprising that no photos exist - it was the 1970s. Not like everyone had mobile phones to take pictures back then!

This was discussed about 18 months ago on another forum, where two people stated they had visits round Crewe Works (at which photography was not permitted) and saw it painted blue. One side had no numbers, but someone nipped round to the other side and saw it numbered as 40106 on blue paint. That also nails the "blue undercoat" story.

Up to you whether you believe two people's eyewitness accounts.

Personally I think the CFPS should nail the debate once and for all by repainting it in full BR blue livery.

 

[Deepgreen]

There was a green class 47 around in the early 1980s. It was plain green. 47256 maybe?

That was a one-off, I think, rather than an obsolete livery. The BR 47 green livery was two-tone.

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There is strong evidence that it was painted into blue at Crewe Works before the instruction was issued to paint it green.

Either way, does the thread's subject of "Most out of date livery" include those that never left the works?

 

[sprinterguy]

I remember in the last couple of years of Mk2/3 stock on the Caledonian Sleeper, circa 2017/18, an Intercity livery Mk2 BSO was hired in for the West Highland portion. As far as I could tell the livery was original (it certainly looked very weather beaten).

If it was, that would have been over 20 years obsolete and over 30 years since the livery was introduced.

Photo below showing the Mk2 coach in question from a Press and Journal article dated May 2016. Can’t say for certain, but the livery looked like the real deal!

That vehicle, 9526, does seem to have retained Intercity livery until it passed from Virgin Crosscountry to Riviera Trains.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Then in 2020 when the current Northern Railway took over they retained exactly the same livery and logos only dropping the "by Arriva" branding.

I think the “Northern” text moved from a custom wordmark to a (horrible) all-caps in a rounded font.

 

[NSE]

Just a shame they changed the matching shade of green in the logo to a paler, clashing shade over COVID. I have no idea why they did that but it ruins the harmony of the train’s livery and branding.

Image - top, original Southern logo, below, newer Southern logo introduced in the last few years and now on all 377s.

View attachment 174113

Can confirm 377316 and 377318 both have at least one original logo on them having seen both of them today at Selhurst. Both currently on Selhurst duties if you’re intending to spot them.

 

[317666]

156412 and 418 both kept Central Trains livery when they were transferred to ONE in 2005, and didn't lose it until the GA refurbishment in 2012-3.