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Day 88: which SE&CR wagon livery is correct?


TurboSnail

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So, no big question then. I've been struggling for a while to find a decent colour for the early SECR wagon livery - I've previously been using the darker grey here (though it looks a bit darker than it is in reality). However, the Illustrated History of Southern Wagons III suggests the shade was lighter earlier, before being made darker with the switch to the later Wainwright lettering. Other sources don't acknowledge a colour change at all, so it's all a bit confusing! The lighter shade I've used here is fairly similar to the Bachmann wagons produced a while ago, but lighter than the equivalent Hornby effort (though darker in reality than it looks in the photo! I think the phone camera artificially turns up the contrast a bit too much). 

 

Have I got it about right? Or do I need to go back and find something in between the two shades?

 

day88.jpg.e34abb46e69182e8644f0568fe76e304.jpg

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Hi Tom, I have the same book as you but my assumption on a variety of books generally - plus photos - is that it was lighter earlier and became much darker post Wainwright. Hard to say but my feeling is that the dark is much too dark for late Wainwright - more Maunsell (maybe a bit dark even for that) but the light a 'shade too light' (as Bulleid is supposed to have said agreeing malachite). Closer though - and of course as you say, the camera has made them look different anyway. And with a bit of weathering...

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The darker grey is about what comes out of a tin of Precision "SECR Grey", so that's a vote in favour. It's certainly better for the Maunsell livery than the Wainwright.

 

I agree with Invicta that your lighter grey looks a little too light; possibly also a little too blue. If you oil-wash it black it will darken to something a bit closer.

 

I now use Tamiya "dark sea grey" for Wainwright light grey. It's also a little too light, but varnish and oil-washing bring it to a shade that pleases me.

 

The black-painted ironwork is probably not accurate for either livery. I've only seen it on trade-built wagons painted by the builders (Hurst Nelson, mainly, who painted as they saw fit and no mere customer was going to tell them different). I presume that even then the ironwork would be painted over grey when the SECR next painted the wagon. In particular, I've never seen a picture of a Maunsell-livery wagon with the ironwork black. Further, the blacking of the ironwork makes the light grey look even lighter.

Edited by Guy Rixon
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30 minutes ago, Guy Rixon said:

Hurst Nelson, mainly, who painted as they saw fit and no mere customer was going to tell them different

 

Hurst Nelson had the practice of painting wagons to be photographed in "photographic" livery, with black ironwork, shaded lettering, etc. and sometimes apparently very light body colour. This has led some manufacturers of RTR PO wagons astray. Anyway, may be no guide as to appearance in service.

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3 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Hurst Nelson had the practice of painting wagons to be photographed in "photographic" livery, with black ironwork, shaded lettering, etc. and sometimes apparently very light body colour. This has led some manufacturers of RTR PO wagons astray. Anyway, may be no guide as to appearance in service.

Certainly, and H-N's practice for photography contrasts with Ashford, who seem to have used the service livery for official photographs.

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Hi Tom.

Just come across your blog, handy for when I get my wagons.

I have been using the Precision 'Mk1 coach roof grey for maroon coaches only' as my lead grey colour for wainwright era wagons, which I think looks quite good.

I think that it says somewhere in the book that the S.E. & C.R. wagon grey for the Maunsell era started similar to G.W.R. grey, but the G.W.R. grey weathered lighter and S.E. & C.R. weathered darker.

 

Hope that helps.

 

All the best

Ray

 

 

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1 hour ago, wainwright1 said:

I have been using the Precision 'Mk1 coach roof grey for maroon coaches only' as my lead grey colour for wainwright era wagons

 

I sometimes think I have yet to use a Precision colour for its intended purpose!

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