Worst/best preservation liveries?

[Scotrail344Lad]

No.9 Austerity at the B&KR is a contender for the worst preservation livery in the UK. Historically accurate? Maybe. Disgusting? Absolutely.

I agree with you. In my opinion thats why Diesels in BR Large Logo are so much better. Even if they just painted this a less well.. odd colour!

 

[sn5775]

125 Group's MK3 HST coaching stock and associated Class 43 power cars, especially 43025 "Exeter" and 43159 "Rio Warrior".

 

[HertiageFan]

125 Group's MK3 HST coaching stock and associated Class 43 power cars, especially 43025 "Exeter" and 43159 "Rio Warrior".

Worst or best?

 

[sn5775]

Worst or best?

Worst or best?

Worst or best?

In my opinion, best. But I never got to travel on an IC executive liveried train whilst they were in service so I don't have anything to compare them against.

 

[35B]

In my opinion, best. But I never got to travel on an IC executive liveried train whilst they were in service so I don't have anything to compare them against.

I did. Swallow was a massive improvement on the previous livery, and still stands out in a way that the "Executive" colours do not

 

[cats_five]

I did. Swallow was a massive improvement on the previous livery, and still stands out in a way that the "Executive" colours do not

Yes, I love the Swallow livery especially on an HST set.

And can't remember what the livery was, but the power car at the KX end of the set that usually ran in early morning from Bradford via New Pudsey had it's number painted in LNER style lettering just under the driver's window. The lettering was slightly wobbly... Sorry no photo.

 

[12C]

125 Group's MK3 HST coaching stock and associated Class 43 power cars, especially 43025 "Exeter" and 43159 "Rio Warrior".

A shame in my opinion they didn’t go for a more uniform appearance, the 1980s exec livery trailers look a bit at odds with the privatisation era power car at one end and would never have ran together like this in service. A full set in IC, maybe with Swallow/Exec power cars would have looked superb.

But each to their own, can see the reasons why they went for some of the most popular liveries and they’ve done a cracking job of it, it’s their train set after all!

 

[Sun Chariot]

.... had it's number painted in LNER style lettering just under the driver's window. The lettering was slightly wobbly... Sorry no photo.

Depending how far back in time you mean, 43 049 Neville Hill had two incarnations in the latter 1980s and early 1990s:
1) InterCity Executive - cab front.number under windscreen: LNER block serif font gold, 3D shaded red with highlights.
2) InterCity Swallow - as per 1, plus its number at bottom of each cabside.

I took 35mm photos of each variant. However that, of course, was in BR years, not in preservation.

 

[BR Traction]

Back in 1995 I believe, the Mid Hants railway painted the N class steam loco 31874 in bright red with a big number 5 on the tender just like James the red engine. !. Changing the subject slightly, D0260 “Lion” did not survive, but painted white made an interesting choice of colour for a diesel locomotive.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Back in 1995 I believe, the Mid Hants railway painted the N class steam loco 31874 in bright red with a big number 5 on the tender just like James the red engine.

They did, although it must have been a little later than 1995 - I took my Thomas-mad 2-year old to see it. They also had Henry (a rebuilt West Country Pacific, I recall, so not the correct wheel arrangement)*, Diesel, Bulgy the bus, and of course Thomas

James was adorned with a three foot long plastic bee on the smokebox (recalling a story in the books). Unfortunately said 2-year old had (and still has) a phobia about bees - which even three years living in Manchester (whose emblem is a bee) hasn't cured him of.

* found a photo - it was a Standard Class 5

 

[nanstallon]

I agree with you. In my opinion thats why Diesels in BR Large Logo are so much better. Even if they just painted this a less well.. odd colour!

A good argument for black and white photography!

 

[Krokodil]

They did, although it must have been a little later than 1995 -

It lasted in that livery for some years after that. Now resident at Swanage

 

[LittleRedTrain]

Both N class 31874 and U class 31625 were painted red as James in various points of their life.

Henry was BR Standard Class 5 73096 painted in BR Green livery. As a 4-6-0, it's not far off the LMS Black 5 that Henry was mostly based on.

(In my younger years, I was involved in rubbing down 31874 for repainting into black, and came back home an interesting shade of red!)

 

[Cowley]

Both N class 31874 and U class 31625 were painted red as James in various points of their life.

Henry was BR Standard Class 5 73096 painted in BR Green livery. As a 4-6-0, it's not far off the LMS Black 5 that Henry was mostly based on.

(In my younger years, I was involved in rubbing down 31874 for repainting into black, and came back home an interesting shade of red!)

I remember there being a certain degree of disquiet when 31874 was turned into James, being that it was the only surviving N class. The Thomas events bought a lot of money into the railway though.

For a time you could stand on the road bridge at the Alton end of the Ropley station, see James by the shed, turn around and see the ghost of James dumped in the siding next to the line going to Alton.

 

[Krokodil]

I remember there being a certain degree of disquiet when 31874 was turned into James, being that it was the only surviving N class. The Thomas events bought a lot of money into the railway though.

For a time you could stand on the road bridge at the Alton end of the Ropley station, see James by the shed, turn around and see the ghost of James dumped in the siding next to the line going to Alton.

Now you mention it, I do remember a mention of "old James" and "new James" when I travelled on the Mid Hants as a kid - which happened to be on a wartime weekend.

 

[Cowley]

Now you mention it, I do remember a mention of "old James" and "new James" when I travelled on the Mid Hants as a kid - which happened to be on a wartime weekend.

Of course Old James should have been painted black with his brake blocks on fire…

 

[Kilopylae]

My worst would be 55016 in Porterbrook PurpleView attachment 205213

To be honest the purple on its own was tolerable but the WIPAC lights just really sealed the deal

Those involved with it at the time were very amused at the amount of froth/hyper-ventilating that it generated.

The Wipac lights and the missing quarterlights spoil the appearance, but controversially, I think the purple/grey looks better than all over blue. It was recognised when designed that painting the bodysides in a single colour would not look right.

I want to fight the herd on this one and say that it looks fantastic. I like the purple (the contrast with the yellow front is striking and it's a lovely rich shade), I like the grey and the white stripe, and I even like the modern lights!!

 

[Isle of Mull]

I want to fight the herd on this one and say that it looks fantastic. I like the purple (the contrast with the yellow front is striking and it's a lovely rich shade), I like the grey and the white stripe, and I even like the modern lights!!

And that’s a fair opinion, that livery was definitely a love or hate

 

[Forty29]

TKh 5374 "Lord Oliver Brown" a steam loco that was a visitor at the South Devon Railways mixed traffic event gets my vote for worst livery.
Purple wheels and cab and mixed shades of green for the body makes it sunglasses time for me. Sorry I can't share the visual experience of it here.
It's based at the PVR railway wherever that is.

 

[Sun Chariot]

TKh 5374 "Lord Oliver Brown" a steam loco that was a visitor at the South Devon Railways mixed traffic event gets my vote for worst livery.
Purple wheels and cab and mixed shades of green for the body makes it sunglasses time for me. Sorry I can't share the visual experience of it here.
It's based at the PVR railway wherever that is.

Here's the Polish steam loco in question, at the Plym Valley Railway (link):

Drive a Train - Plym Valley Railway

Drive a Train - Plym Valley Railway

www.plymrail.co.uk

Plym Valley Railway has - or had - a Sentinel (I think) 4wh diesel industrial locomotive in quasi-Intercity garb (link):

Diesel Weekend - Plym Valley Railway

12th & 13th September

www.plymrail.co.uk

 

[HertiageFan]

TKh 5374 "Lord Oliver Brown" a steam loco that was a visitor at the South Devon Railways mixed traffic event gets my vote for worst livery.
Purple wheels and cab and mixed shades of green for the body makes it sunglasses time for me. Sorry I can't share the visual experience of it here.
It's based at the PVR railway wherever that is.

I would say it’s one of the best as it commentated a child who died from a rare illness, and the hospice who helped them.

 

[TastyMaltesers]

I would say it’s one of the best as it commentated a child who died from a rare illness, and the hospice who helped them.

Furthermore, it has a habit of drawing attention to and donations for said hospice whenever it runs.

 

[SECR 65]

TKh 5374 "Lord Oliver Brown" a steam loco that was a visitor at the South Devon Railways mixed traffic event gets my vote for worst livery.
Purple wheels and cab and mixed shades of green for the body makes it sunglasses time for me. Sorry I can't share the visual experience of it here.
It's based at the PVR railway wherever that is.

I appreciate that it could be disliked by many enthusiasts, and I think the owner understands that. To be honest, the colour scheme isn't really for me.

But, you have to commend the amazing work of the owner, to fund and overhaul the engine, and then donate so much of its operating proceeds to charity.

Maybe the livery itself is a little much, but it turns heads, and gathers support for the cause.

You'll never find me complaining about an engine in a livery like LOB.

 

[Forty29]

I would say it’s one of the best as it commentated a child who died from a rare illness, and the hospice who helped them.

Oh sorry didn't realise that's the reason for the livery. Didn't say anything about that in the article l read about it.

 

[Toby3875]

I like The look of 37714 ‘Cardiff Canton’ that visited the Kent & East Sussex Railway the over year.

 

[Sun Chariot]

I like The look of 37714 ‘Cardiff Canton’ that visited the Kent & East Sussex Railway the over year.

The 1987-launched Railfreight Sub-sector livery is very well-captured on 37 714.

I was a bit dubious at the livery's outset: the first locos (the 37 "Ripple Lane" and 50 "Defiance") had yellow nameplates!

 

[Amos390]

I like The look of 37714 ‘Cardiff Canton’ that visited the Kent & East Sussex Railway the over year.

Is that the one based in Great Central now, this one.


It is very nice, a lot like 37901 on the mainline. I also like Great Central’s D6700 I think the green is very smart on it.

 

[Toby3875]

Is that the one based in Great Central now, this one.

View attachment 209515
It is very nice, a lot like 37901 on the mainline. I also like Great Central’s D6700 I think the green is very smart on it.

Yes it is
Thanks

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Also think BR Blue Looks good On the class 20s

 

[HertiageFan]

I liked the look of 40145, when it carried large logo blue

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I liked the look of 40145, when it carried large logo blue

The first time it wore that livery (1990s) it was also renumbered 40445... another layer of "what if" if they'd fitted Electric Train Supply!