Worst/best preservation liveries?

[InvernessTMD]

I have to say, personally, I think the No.9 Austerity at the B&KR is a contender for the worst preservation livery in the UK. Historically accurate? Maybe. Disgusting? Absolutely.

My favourite's got to be the Duchess of Hamilton at the York museum

 

[xotGD]

My favourite's got to be the Duchess of Hamilton at the York museum

Something similar looks less impressive on 50017...

 

[InvernessTMD]

Ouch. Looks like a packet of biscuits - tear on the gold line!

 

[HertiageFan]

My worst would be 55016 in Porterbrook Purple

 

[gg1]

My worst would be 55016 in Porterbrook PurpleView attachment 205213

For me, WIPAC lights on a Deltic are a far greater visual sin.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

This is certainly one of the more 'interesting' preservation liveries, though it is for a very noble reason:

Steam locomotive makes first journey in memory of Plymouth boy

The 'Lord Oliver Brown' train at the Plym Valley Railway, made its first journey in 17 years.

www.bbc.co.uk

A steam locomotive, which has been restored in memory of a boy from Plymstock, has made its maiden voyage.

The 'Lord Oliver Brown' locomotive at the Plym Valley Railway made its first journey in 17 years on Sunday, on what would have been Oliver Brown's 17th birthday.

Oliver died aged 11 from Myelodysplastic Syndrome which affects only four in a million children worldwide.

The 1959 engine was painted in Oliver's favourite colour - hot pink - and the shades of green represent Children's Hospice South West, where he was looked after before he died.

 

[Iskra]

I think Wartime black looks pretty terrible, especially on the big express locomotives.

 

[xotGD]

Best livery in preservation: large logo blue.

 

[webbfan]

I think Wartime black looks pretty terrible, especially on the big express locomotives.

I expected that before saw Duchess of Sutherland a few years back. But when did see it was really suprised how good it looked. Same with red 8f - that had to be wrong but again turned out it suited it.

 

[Furrysquid]

Not a huge fan of Talyllyn No 4 in its current paint job - I know it's based on the original works livery, but it looks like they didn't finish painting it and sent it out in just the primer.

 

[Sun Chariot]

For me, WIPAC lights on a Deltic are a far greater visual sin.

Agree. Deltic 16's front end vandalism and its paint scheme were, for me, a very big NO.

Must be a purple thing: Taw Valley's purple livery in 2022, for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee, made me cringe.

I think Wartime black looks pretty terrible, especially on the big express locomotives.

I think it looks brutally awesome on certain shape of locos:
- To me, it looks good on a Bulleid Q1 and freight / shunting locos; but not so impressive on an A1/A3, an A4.
- Streamlined Princess Coronation in black, I do like..
- 'What-if': how about Grelsey's P2, original body, in austerity black (link)? https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-realistic-railway-images.289210/post-7807803

Best livery in preservation: large logo blue.

There were several 'depot variant" large logo liveries (37 116, 37 146, 37 358 spring to mind) and it's a shame no preserved 37 has worn one of those in homage.

 

[Ashley Hill]

50002 in Nanking Blue. Interesting but looks wrong on a 50.

Photo, Weebly

 

[Sun Chariot]

50002 in Nanking Blue. Interesting but looks wrong on a 50.
View attachment 205226
Photo, Weebly

I'd forgotten about that one! Given the size of the class, it had its fair share of dubious liveries: 50 002 here, 50 017 maroon + gold upthread, 50 007's "homage" GWR green* (!)

* The readers aged younger than mid-fifties, might not know about the furore in 1984, when 50 007 Hercules was painted green and renamed Sir Edward Elgar...

 

[gg1]

Something I would like to see, which I'm sure would go down like a lead balloon with many people even as a one off, is a 'realistically weathered' steam loco. I don't mean to the extremes of the filthy locos seen when steam was being run down in the 60s, more what a normal working loco would have looked like in earlier decades.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Something I would like to see, which I'm sure would go down like a lead balloon with many people even as a one off, is a 'realistically weathered' steam loco. I don't mean to the extremes of the filthy locos seen when steam was being run down in the 60s, more what a normal working loco would have looked like in earlier decades.

If I recall, 34028 Eddystone ran like that a few years ago, on the Swanage Railway. I have a photo of it.

 

[158760]

If I recall, 34028 Eddystone ran like that a few years ago, on the Swanage Railway. I have a photo of it.

It was 34070 Manston. Eddystone has always been shiny when running

Something I would like to see, which I'm sure would go down like a lead balloon with many people even as a one off, is a 'realistically weathered' steam loco. I don't mean to the extremes of the filthy locos seen when steam was being run down in the 60s, more what a normal working loco would have looked like in earlier decades.

Unfortunately the issue with doing that is that it causes serious rust damage if the engine is kept in that state for a period of time. Manston has had to be cleaned to prevent any long lasting damage occurring, so part of that weathered look has now disappeared. It can be done, just not for a long period of time.

 

[Sun Chariot]

It was 34070 Manston. Eddystone has always been shiny when running

Here they were in summer 2014. Manston shiny / Eddystone faded akin to mid-60s.
I've definitely seen a WC running around in sooty dirty state; I might be thinking of when Taw Valley and Bodmin (disguised as 34045 Ottery St Mary) double-headed on the Mid Hants Railway, 25+ yeas ago.
I was on that morning's Alton to Alresford service; but "super-power" meant none of my hoped-for volcanic exhaust...


Who remembers Hymek D7017 (as 35 017) in 1992, adorning Civil Engineer "Dutch" grey + yellow livery? I thought it looked good...

 

[gg1]

If I recall, 34028 Eddystone ran like that a few years ago, on the Swanage Railway. I have a photo of it.

It was 34070 Manston. Eddystone has always been shiny when running

Thanks, just watched a Youtube video of Manston, exactly the sort of thing I had in mind.

Unfortunately the issue with doing that is that it causes serious rust damage if the engine is kept in that state for a period of time. Manston has had to be cleaned to prevent any long lasting damage occurring, so part of that weathered look has now disappeared. It can be done, just not for a long period of time.

Yes, can see that'd be a problem.

 

[The exile]

In the early days of preservation a steam loco was “wallpapered” with very 1970s wallpaper - presumably as an advert either for the wallpaper or the paste. Remember seeing a picture of it in an RM - don’t think it was an April issue!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

In the early days of preservation a steam loco was “wallpapered” with very 1970s wallpaper - presumably as an advert either for the wallpaper or the paste. Remember seeing a picture of it in an RM - don’t think it was an April issue!

That was (4)5212. Can't remember which railway it was at though.

 

[sprinterguy]

That was (4)5212. Can't remember which railway it was at though.

Keighley and Worth Valley Railway shortly after the loco entered preservation, as an advert for Solvite wallpaper paste.

 

[158760]

Here they were in summer 2014. Manston shiny / Eddystone faded akin to mid-60s.
I've definitely seen a WC running around in sooty dirty state; I might be thinking of when Taw Valley and Bodmin (disguised as 34045 Ottery St Mary) double-headed on the Mid Hants Railway, 25+ yeas ago.
I was on that morning's Alton to Alresford service; but "super-power" meant none of my hoped-for volcanic exhaust...


Who remembers Hymek D7017 (as 35 017) in 1992, adorning Civil Engineer "Dutch" grey + yellow livery? I thought it looked good...

So it was - a little bit before my time, I was thinking more recently!

 

[Tetragon213]

Must be a purple thing: Taw Valley's purple livery in 2022, for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee, made me cringe.

"It's Lilac!"

But yes, it was not flattering at all to the locomotive.

Another terrible one (albeit memorable and strangely likeable) is this work of art on 45212; iirc it was part of a wallpaper advert?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Another terrible one (albeit memorable and strangely likeable) is this work of art on 45212; iirc it was part of a wallpaper advert?

I think you missed posts 19, 20 and 21...?

...but excellent that you've been able to provide a picture to back up the discussion.

 

[37025]

"It's Lilac!"

But yes, it was not flattering at all to the locomotive.

Another terrible one (albeit memorable and strangely likeable) is this work of art on 45212; iirc it was part of a wallpaper advert?

The first "wrapped" locomotive and no vinyl in sight !!

 

[Mr. SW]

Caledonian Railway livery on an LMS 4MT on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway in the early 70s. I think it briefly appeared in the beginning of the Swallows and Amazons film at the same period. I'll have to check.

 

[birchesgreen]

Some of these awful liveries look like the horrors i inflicted on my model railway back when i was a kid and couldn't afford the proper paint, so just used what was available...

 

[Sun Chariot]

Class 14 hydraulics with "Western" liveries. I particularly liked:
D9537: desert sand (akin to D1000)
D9551: golden ochre (akin to D1015)

 

[Krokodil]

Best livery in preservation: large logo blue.

I prefer Railfreight red stripe

50002 in Nanking Blue. Interesting but looks wrong on a 50.

Maybe the AC electric blue livery would have been better.

I'd forgotten about that one! Given the size of the class, it had its fair share of dubious liveries: 50 002 here, 50 017 maroon + gold upthread, 50 007's "homage" GWR green* (!)

Ark Royal looked good in Loadhaul

Something I would like to see, which I'm sure would go down like a lead balloon with many people even as a one off, is a 'realistically weathered' steam loco. I don't mean to the extremes of the filthy locos seen when steam was being run down in the 60s, more what a normal working loco would have looked like in earlier decades.

It's been done at galas. Photo charter organisers may request it too.

 

[topydre]

B.R. Black on City of Truro (1 April 198?)