Admiralty locos - WWI - livery question

[Alex TM]

Hi everyone,

 

In a few things that I have read recently there have been passing comments about Admiralty owned locomotives; what none of these references mention, though, is the livery.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to what this may have been?

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Alex.

[Tony Cane]

According to details in the book "Devonport Dockyard Railway"  the livery of steam locomotives was Plum colour (more a dark red) with yellow lining, with exception of one engine in faded green with yellow lining.

[Alex TM]

Hi Tony,

 

Thanks for that.  Interesting choice of colour as I had wondered if they would have gone for a 'battleship grey' as an economy measure.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[petethemole]

Dave Marden's The Hidden Railways of Portsmouth and Gosport has photos of locos in WW1 and earlier on the various Admiralty railways there, but no information on liveries.  Most appear to be lined out, which may indicate that they were delivered, and remained in, manufacturers' standard liveries. For example the Barclay fireless locos at Bedenham all look similar.

[Corbs]

Whilst not an Admiralty loco as such, ‘Portbury’ on the Bristol Harbour Railway is painted in a grey livery representing Inland Waterways and Docks. It and several other Avonsides were engaged with building the Portbury shipyard in 1917-1918.

This is thought to be a close approximation to the livery, it previously had grey wheels but they have been painted black.

[pb_devon]

2 hours ago, Tony Cane said:

According to details in the book "Devonport Dockyard Railway"  the livery of steam locomotives was Plum colour (more a dark red) with yellow lining, with exception of one engine in faded green with yellow lining.

If you look for colour images of Devonport loco No 19, at Bodmin & Wenford, this is a brighter plum than the original.

The single green loco, nicknamed The Green Goddess, was that colour because it was destined for another location.

[Wickham Green]

13 hours ago, Alex TM said:

.......   wondered if they would have gone for a 'battleship grey'  .....

'Dazzle' camouflage was all the rage, of course ! 

[wagonman]

14 hours ago, Alex TM said:

 

 

Thanks for that.  Interesting choice of colour as I had wondered if they would have gone for a 'battleship grey' as an economy measure.

 

Only above the waterline...

 

 

[decauville1126]

Might be worth having a look in the book "Davington Light Railway" as they had three Manning Wardle 0-6-0T's on their metre-gauge line, complete with anchors painted on the tanks. Can't remember if a colour is mentioned though, and I'm not near my copy at present.

 

 

[eastglosmog]

"Fireless Locomotives" (Baker & Civil, 1976) gives livery details of some locos that were delivered to two Admiralty Munitions factories in 1914/15/16.

• CROMBIE No. 1 - blue, with white lining
• CROMBIE No. 2 - blue, picked black edged white
• CROMBIE No. 3 - blue, picked black edged white
• BEDENHAM No. 2 - green
• BEDENHAM No. 3 - green, picked black edged white

So looks like livery of Admiralty establishments differed between sites.

[decauville1126]

On 13/08/2019 at 12:15, decauville1126 said:

Might be worth having a look in the book "Davington Light Railway" as they had three Manning Wardle 0-6-0T's on their metre-gauge line, complete with anchors painted on the tanks. Can't remember if a colour is mentioned though, and I'm not near my copy at present.

 

 

Now checked, and according to the Davington book the three Manning Wardles were "Battleship Grey with black lining and red buffer beams".

[Caledonian]

always worth remembering this thread:    https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/138192-wwi-scottish-naval-bases-ministry-wagons-and-loco-liveries/

 

 

Edited August 18, 2019 by Caledonian

[Alex TM]

Hi Caledonian,

 

Thanks for that.  I had forgotten about that thread.  It didn't, for some reason, show up on my original search.

 

regards,

 

Alex.

[Caledonian]

War Department rather than Admiralty