Increase in Blue & Grey preserved stock.

[m79900]

I'm happy to see more preserved coaches/units in the scheme, the old maroon and green colours get boring after a while. The GCR and ELR both seem to be building up B&G mk1 sets, the SVR are doing a 108 and some Hastings vehicles being turned out. Any others?

 

[50039]

Epping and Ongar have a blue/grey set I believe...

 

[Iskra]

Wensleydale have a few Mk2’s in B/G that are used frequently

 

[HertiageFan]

Wensleydale have a few Mk2’s in B/G that are used frequently

about 7 if I remember correctly

 

[The_Van]

Epping and Ongar have a blue/grey set I believe...

A mixture of Mk1's and 2's

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Given that the livery (when widespread) is well over 40 years old; perhaps it's not surprising. I believe express passenger rolling stock started receiving blue/grey livery from as early as the late 1960s; express multiple units from the 1970s and suburban multiple units from the 1980s

 

[Mike Machin]

Given that the livery (when widespread) is well over 40 years old; perhaps it's not surprising. I believe express passenger rolling stock started receiving blue/grey livery from as early as the late 1960s; express multiple units from the 1970s and suburban multiple units from the 1980s

The concept of the new blue and grey livery and new British Rail corporate identity made its debut on the XP64 train in 1964. Repainting of general coaching stock started at the extreme end of that year and the first blue and grey coach I ever saw as a youngster was a buffet car at Southampton Central in the first couple of months of 1965.

Main line stock was steadily repainted into blue and grey from 1965 onwards and large deliveries of MK2 stock from 1966 onwards were all in the new colours. The vast majority of loco-haled stock was in the livery by around 1968/69, so it’s widespread use on the network dates back over 55 years.

Its very much a historic livery now and as it’s the colour which predominated on 1970s steam specials, for me personally it’s very nostalgic.

 

[norbitonflyer]

express multiple units from the 1970s and suburban multiple units from the 1980s

All over blue for non-gangwayed hauled stock until the last was withdrawn (from the GN lines) in 1976.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.

 

[StephenHunter]

A mixture of Mk1's and 2's

Which was common in revenue service, especially due to the limited numbers of Mark 2 catering vehicles. See the Riviera set.

 

[50039]

A mixture of Mk1's and 2's

Indeed - I'd forgotten they have Mk 2s - I think that may be the only place I (personally) have seen Mk 2s in use on a heritage railway - curious to know where else might use them?

 

[Iskra]

Indeed - I'd forgotten they have Mk 2s - I think that may be the only place I (personally) have seen Mk 2s in use on a heritage railway - curious to know where else might use them?

Wensleydale and Peak Rail spring to mind.

 

[StephenHunter]

Indeed - I'd forgotten they have Mk 2s - I think that may be the only place I (personally) have seen Mk 2s in use on a heritage railway - curious to know where else might use them?

Some places have Mark 3s now.

 

[Mr. SW]

2/8/2026 at Woodthorpe near Quorn M25711 with a friend. A really nice restoration. Stills from video.


Just a bijou pointette: The solebar on Mark 1s should be blue not black. It's a subtle note but you can see it in old photos.
But seeing a rake of B/G stock with a blue loco would be great, even at the time (1970s) I thought it was miserable and samey. (I though all-over blue was just grim.)

 

[D1537]

I've got a few photos from the Wensleydale (my local preserved railway) of the 33 (their only BR blue loco) but all the ones I can find where you can see all the coaches have a maroon coach in the set.

Here however is a photo from the Wensleydale Instagram account.

The fact that 33035 and the coaches are not pristine only adds to the authenticity.

 

[Cowley]

I've got a few photos from the Wensleydale (my local preserved railway) of the 33 (their only BR blue loco) but all the ones I can find where you can see all the coaches have a maroon coach in the set.

Here however is a photo from the Wensleydale Instagram account.

The fact that 33035 and the coaches are not pristine only adds to the authenticity.

View attachment 212322

That looks really good.

I had a feeling that the Mid Norfolk had a blue and grey set, but I don’t remember seeing when I visited there last weekend?

 

[Kentish RYS]

Indeed - I'd forgotten they have Mk 2s - I think that may be the only place I (personally) have seen Mk 2s in use on a heritage railway - curious to know where else might use them?

The Spa Valley operates a very early Mark 2 BSO 9414 as its main Brake in the loco hauled set that is used most days. It is one that was in the Scottish Region Green and Cream Rake at one point and has had a very sympathetic wheelchair accessible conversion at Spa Valley. However, for this threads topic, it is in BR(S) Green not blue and grey.

 

[D6130]

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.

The Inverness-based class 120s - used on the line to Aberdeen - were painted all-blue from about 1969 onwards....but had received blue/grey livery by the time they were transferred away in 1980.