Pre nationalisation coaching stock in BR blue grey?

[jamespetts]

I believe that 4-COR units from the Maunsell era were painted in all over rail blue and used on the western coastway out of Brighton in the 1970s.

[Gwiwer]

I believe that 4-COR units from the Maunsell era were painted in all over rail blue and used on the western coastway out of Brighton in the 1970s.

 

Yes indeed.

 

All of the SR's main-line electric units of that era had representative units (or coaches reformed into other units) which ended their days in allover blue.  Mostly with full yellow ends though some wore the small panel and early small numeral variant.

 

Blue 4Cor units ran on the Waterloo - Portsmouth and Waterloo - Reading routes in addition to peak-hour duties on the Brighton main line (usually to / from London Bridge) which also took them to Littlehampton via Hove.  They had retired from the Mid-Sussex (Arun Valley, as it is now known) Line prior to use on the Brighton main but some workings still turned up and blue Cor units were certainly seen on that route.

 

They replaced Bil and Hal units, many of which were also blue, on the Sussex coastal routes for their last couple of years after main line work ceased.

 

4Buf and 4Gri units were also blue at the end of their lives as was at least one 6Cor unit and the unique 6TC.  Various reformations over the years ensured that some 6Pul, 6Pan and 4Res vehicles also made it into BR blue.

 

None was ever painted blue-grey.

Edited July 15, 2018 by Gwiwer

[montyburns56]

Ex-LMS Porthole stock

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2020 by montyburns56

[jonny777]

There was even one Golden Arrow coach painted in reverse blue/grey (unless it was something borrowed from elsewhere). This can be seen in a photo on Robert Carroll's excellent Flickr site. 

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2020 by jonny777

[cravensdmufan]

4 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

There was even one Brighton Belle coach painted in reverse blue/grey (unless it was something borrowed from elsewhere). This can be seen in a photo on Robert Carroll's excellent Flickr site. 

 

 

 

A very interesting photo.

 

I've seen quite a few liveries over the years that IMO haven't sat too well on certain rolling stock, but this one takes the award for the worst ever I think!

 

I wonder if BREL had painted it as an experiment for evaluation by BR(S) management?  If so, thank goodness they didn't adopt it!

 

IMO the Met Camm Mk1 Pullmans looked quite nice in reverse blue/grey; the Blue Pullmans less so. But this one is almost criminal!

 

Would be really interested if anyone has any further information on this particular repaint.

 

[BernardTPM]

More than one; at least three as in this post on another thread.

[cravensdmufan]

23 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

More than one; at least three as in this post on another thread.

Thanks for flagging up that thread Bernard.

 

Lots of information on there and it's associated links.

[A Murphy]

I used to see blue Reading bound 4 CORs barreling through Richmond  coming home from school in the late '60 and early '70s. They were hugely impressive, not least because of the racket they made on the curve through the station. 

 

I can remember one or two green with OYE and lots of blue, also with OYE.

 

Regards,

 

Alastair

Edited July 8, 2020 by A Murphy

[IWCR]

The ex LT Standard stock running on the Isle of Wight (built 1920's) was initially in BR overall Blue but later went into a Blue Grey "intercity" style livery. It actually suited it quite well.

 

Pete

[BernardTPM]

And blue with grey doors between those two versions, I think.

[crackedmember]

Hi,  Just read this.

 

While mention has been made of various Southern EMU's,  no mention has been made of the class 306, and 506 MU's.   These were LNER designed and ordered, but not delivered prior to Nationalisation.   I know the class 506 finished their days in blue grey,   but am not sure about the class 306.

 

As an aside the Tyneside EMU's  were re-painted in a blue and grey livery in 1942.  This was Marlborough Blue and Quaker Grey  - from the pre war streamlined trains (there was enough in the stores).  this was done on instructions from the RAF.   Several RAF pilot reported that the previous orange and cream livery could be seen from several miles away at night in moonlight (during the blackout).  Apparently a slightly flourescent shade or orange may have been used. 

 

Clive Burdikin

[Gwiwer]

No 306 was ever blue/grey

[roythebus1]

On 06/07/2020 at 19:35, montyburns56 said:

Ex-LMS Porthole stock

 

 

 

The LMS coach fitted with ETH as well.

 

[Bittern]

On 09/07/2020 at 05:08, BernardTPM said:

And blue with grey doors between those two versions, I think.

And the W&C stock was in a rather ugly livery of blue with grey doors and coach ends (including the cabs), which really didn't suit it at all.

[keefer]

Ex-LMS Sleeper:

M398M_Wolverton_c1968 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

LMS-design (BR-built) Sleeper with ETH:

M602M_Euston_Return-merrymaker-from-Oban_10-6-73 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Ex-LNER Sleeper:

E1211E_BoatofGarten_1973 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

WR-allocated ex-LNER Thompson Sleeper (see also 4 previous pictures in Flickr set):

W1770E_NewtonAbbot_12-9-70 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Edited September 18, 2022 by keefer

[montyburns56]

22 hours ago, keefer said:

 

W1770E_NewtonAbbot_12-9-70 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

It's weird seeing a sleeper coach with full size windows like that.

[keefer]

I hope they provided full blinds for those corridor windows!

Forgot to say, notice the variation in the 'Sleeper' designation.

The older 'Sleeping Car' was even used on Mk1 vehicles, sometimes all upper-case.

Not sure when the change to 'Inter-City Sleeper' happened.

[russ p]

11 minutes ago, montyburns56 said:

 

It's weird seeing a sleeper coach with full size windows like that.

 

The birth windows were quite small, I seem to remember them been droppable. I used to stay in the preserved one at Goathland until it caught fire

[Derekl]

On 06/07/2020 at 19:35, montyburns56 said:

Ex-LMS Porthole stock

I rode in an ex-LMS porthole stock open second in a relief train from Dundee to Kings Cross on Easter Monday 1976, obviously in blue and grey. I didn't get the number, but I did check the builder's plate, because I was a bit surprised to see it.

[montyburns56]

Ex-LMS Sleeper coaches 

 

 M399M Wolverton 1970

 

 

M609M Preston 1970

 

 

 

[russ p]

On 19/09/2022 at 18:32, montyburns56 said:

 

It's weird seeing a sleeper coach with full size windows like that.

 

The opposite side had the birth windows had smallish one piece windows but they were droppable .

I remember sleeping in the one at Goathland in the early 80s before is sadly got destroyed by fire 

[BernardTPM]

I would hope those were berth windows, rather than birth windows (for mobile midwives?).

[Trestrol]

On 22/04/2022 at 18:46, Gwiwer said:

No 306 was ever blue/grey

Apart from the first few in LNER Blue /grey.  Unit 11 had accident damage and under the BR paint was this livery.