Increase in Blue & Grey preserved stock.

[TonyW590]

I do remember seeing Gresley coaches in blood and custard passing through Stratford in the late '50s but they didn't really look good. The Thompson steel coaches always seemed to be maroon though the Gresleys were special coaches (diners, kitchen etc.) so maybe there wasn't a priority to paint them maroon.

W9135E was famous on the WR: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/5264054255

 

[kje7812]

The DMU group West Midlands have paint a two car 108 in blue and grey. Hoped to be operational soon.

I suspect it will be a while before the SVR C&W paints the mark 1s in B&G. One of them said over their dead body, and another asked if the person suggesting the repaint was paying.

 

[Forty29]

Is that the DMU at Kidderminster? If so l think it was spotted outside the shed today?

 

[kje7812]

Is that the DMU at Kidderminster? If so l think it was spotted outside the shed today?

Indeed, it looks rather nice.

 

[Steve B]

Some of the Gresley Buffet Cars made it into Blue/Grey, and possibly some of the full brakes (although that may have been all-over blue.

The Epping Ongar Railway has a blue/Grey set - if my memory serves me corredtly it is a Mk1/Mk2 mix

 

[JKF]

I wonder if we’ll ever see a rake of Mk1s in Inter City livery? I remember some regional services running with them I think.

I prefer blue and grey for Mk2s and find maroon quite a drab livery and don’t really like the inauthenticity.

 

[AM9]

I wonder if we’ll ever see a rake of Mk1s in Inter City livery? I remember some regional services running with them I think.

I prefer blue and grey for Mk2s and find maroon quite a drab livery and don’t really like the inauthenticity.

I think it's more about the freshness of the bodywork, - unless one is looking for a dilapidated period look. The state of the paintwork and its ability to be cleaned to a gloss finish affects the overall look. For much of the Mk1 period, BR was using paints that suffered from water runs from cantrail gutters, windows and slam door openings.
At some time (in the '60s I think) there was a switch to more robust alkyd resin paints that not only survived continuous water runs, but also allowed more aggressive detergents in auto body washers to keep the finish better looking for longer. That may have been the reason why the grey/blue finish looked better for longer.
Personally, I always liked the greens used, the modified Brunswick green for non-SR EMUs, and the maroon for express stock. The malachite green used for most SR stock (and the GE slammers) was subject to deterioration but green in general is a better 'transport' colour as it blends well in UK scenery.

 

[SECR 65]

TSO 4999 at the Spa Valley Railway carries Blue/Grey on one side, and BR (S) green on the other.

 

[chipbury]

I would imagine the increase of the blue/grey livery on preserved stock will partially be due to the age of the people owning/restoring it.

 

[PeterC]

All over blue for non-gangwayed hauled stock until the last was withdrawn (from the GN lines) in 1976.
Also initially for all DMUs except classes 119-120, 123, 124, 201-203 , which went straight to blue/grey (althogh I think i recall seeing a class 120 with one all-blue power car)
EMus were initially all blue, but those with gangways (BEP/CEP, BIG/CIG, VEP, REP/TC) went to blue/grey very early (some were delivered new in that livery). Not sure if any AM9 was ever all-over blue.
If I recall correctly, 312s were the last to be deliveered in blue, and 313s the first in blue/grey.
Blue/grey for all units started to be applied in the early '80s.

I remember my ex coming home from a business meeting in North London which involved using the C&GN from Moorgate. She told me that she had caught an "inter-city tube train".