1970s/80s signal box colours

[SeanG]

I have just purchased the delightful Peco Highland Railway Signal Box kit. My layout is set in the late 70s/early80s on the Far North Line. 

 

Photographs show a variety of colour schemes, but this may be a trick of the camera. 

 

Can anyone point me in the direction of what colour the signal box should be painted? 

 

Thanks 

[Ian Smeeton]

Have a hunt through here:

 

My own memories are from GSW/Caledonian territory, when most boxes seemed to be basically white/pale grey, with only a sky-blue 'Private' notice on the door to relieve the colour. Nameboards seemed to be mostly black on white, usually 'Rail Alphabet', but some older nameboards were still about.

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

[Graham R]

My memory is that most wooden boxes on the Highland in the early to mid 1970s were painted light cream wood planking with mid grey framing and stair handrails,  white window frames, and light red corrugated-iron roofs. I thought that suited them very well. By the start of the 1980s some had been repainted towards a starker colour scheme of off-white wood planking with black framing and white window frames, which grew more prevalent through that decade. Most brick boxes in east lowland Scotland at the time had mid-grey woodwork on upper stories or porches/toilets and stairs, and white window-frames.

 

However, when I tried to back this up with a quick and unscientific trawl through photos, there were many exceptions to these rules, so as usual (if you care about it) you are best to find a dated colour view of a particular box and follow that.

 

I don't suppose that's really much help! Sorry ...

 

regads

Graham

[SeanG]

Ian - that's a great set a photos to while away a few hours. Thanks for sharing. 

 

Graham - it definitely does help and is good to read such discussion

 

Thanks to both

[ikcdab]

Clacknaharry in Oct 2016.

[Corrour]

Hi Graham

 

I had a trawl through also. Cream was certainly common with chocolate brown for windows, barge boards etc. Some boxes were, as you say different, i.e. Achnasheen was light blue at one stage.

 

best wishes,

 

Robert