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LNWR Staff Uniform Colour(s) GREEN


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Fair dos - I was going to say: "with the emphasis on 'from'", but I see they moved back there. Anyway, not your average Black Country lad.

True! But then I wouldn’t class Wolverhampton as the Black Country, never mind Bushbury....
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I have taken a look through a selection of LNWR books, so as all photos are in B&W, started by converting the picture in Penlan's opening post to monochrome.

 

post-1191-0-92983900-1508155232.jpg

 

There is a definite difference in the "tone" between the jacket and trousers. So for initial comparison I looked for photos where we could expect jacket and trousers to be of the same colour. 

 

"The LNWR" by, M C Reed, Atlantic Pub. has a group photo of the Directors on P192, mostly wearing suits or jackets and trousers where there is no apparent difference.

 

In every other photo I looked at - with one exception - the "tone" of the trousers and jackets look the same. Some are close up, some at a distance. Books included LNWR Liveries, THe North Western at Work, Railway Heritage - LNWR, Birmingham New Street, Vol. 2, and others.

 

The one exception was in the Reed LNWR book, page 195. This is a photo of Pen -y-groes station, with several members of staff on the platform. One is wearing trousers and jacket of different tones, while the others, one in what looks like a similar uniform have jackets and trousers that look the same.

 

The colour picture postcard shown here (Posts 268 and 288), of the interior of an LNWR Dining Saloon, show the attendants wearing a jacket and trousers of the same colour. Did the Dining Saloon staff wear different colours to staion staff and guards?

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/74787-4mm-edwardian-figures/page-12&do=findComment&comment=2889533

 

So, despite the "authority" of this new information about guards green jackets, I am still unsure.

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So, despite the "authority" of this new information about guards green jackets, I am still unsure.

And I'm tempted to (I'm sure I...) agree with you.

Within the Masonic life, most of the run of the mill Masons wear black suits, but once you start to go up in their world, it's black jackets, but the trousers tend to be what is called 'Masonic, Wedding, etc.,' trousers, basically dark grey with (closely) striped  black / light grey lines.

I have a feeling this was also the trend on the LNWR, the lower orders had very dark clothing, but if somebody of good repute says the Jackets etc., were Green with Grey trousers.... well.   

Being mindful the reference illustration indicates 1870.

What a pity there wasn't a series of cigarette cards of Railway Uniforms in the Edwardian age, though if mainly black or very dark blue, they would have been boring.

 

All E.& O. E.

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I have had a partial quick glance through some of the copies I have of the LNWR Officers etc., Meeting Minutes (both the late Thomas Parsons notes and my own notes) from Kew 410/..  There are a few references to items relating to uniforms, I shall try and collate what notes I have, but as there's some 20 Lever Arch files of data on my shelves, this may take some time. Most of this data should be in the LNWR Society's Archives, I deposited it with them in 1981.

But for example, I see in Kew Ref : 410:/585/ (minute) 20242 - Officers Meeting 18/11/1879 it states 'Porters to be supplied with blue serge Guernsey's of same kind furnished as to signal men for summer use instead of blue jean slops (sic) recently provided'.

 

Also, Kew 410/382/ (minute17329) - Stores C'tee Minutes Book 29, 15/10/1903 it states 'Guards Caps to have silver braid affixed to peak - to improve appearance'.

 

Most of the notes I have related to the running of trains, etc.,  though the focus was from a modelling perspective, and thus included things like fencing materials, lost horses and other quirky items.

But I have better things to do at present, like finish off the rebuild of some of the Village Christmas Harbour Lights displays, I'm also the organiser of the Village Remembrance Day Parade, etc., etc., and of course get on with some modelling, ready for Cardiff - 4 days time and Warley NEC, so the collation may be a little way off.
 

Edited by Penlan
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Should anybody be interested, and have the time to look it up, I note that in the Stores C'tee Minutes, Kew 410/375/ Minute 11293, 15/3/1888 (Book 22), it mentions 'Tenders for Hats & Coats', there's 18 different types of clothes, the tenders may give colours.

In the same book, but minute 11634 (14/3/1889), It states 'General Manager instructed to arrange for the attendants of the ordinary day and night saloons to be provided with uniforms of distinctive colour'.

 

Right, 9pm, water shed.....

Edited by Penlan
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Within the Masonic life, most of the run of the mill Masons wear black suits, but once you start to go up in their world, it's black jackets, but the trousers tend to be what is called 'Masonic, Wedding, etc.,' trousers, basically dark grey with (closely) striped  black / light grey lines.

 

 

"Sponge bags" for some reason.  I can remember barristers wearing them with black coat and waistcoats, and I got married in a pair. 

 

 

 'Tenders for Hats & Coats',

 

Hardly seems a fair exchange

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