Class 45 Livery Variant

[KLee55]

Does anyone know the time period during which class 45s and, in particular, class 45 144 "Royal Signals" carried blue livery with black roof? (I have, in mind, new Heljan model of this loco with plated over headcode box)

[Hal Nail]

I've never seen any mention of it in several books I own.

Edited October 24, 2023 by Hal Nail

[stovepipe]

Photo here - June 1985 following works repaint in May. Not quite sure whether it is black paint - some has come off over the cab.

 

 

[Jeremy Cumberland]

Steve Dexter's image on this page: https://m.facebook.com/heljanas/posts/5855336854529132/ seems to show more of the black having come off, and when I first saw it I wondered whether it was black at all. Later photos, when the loco had a headlamp fitted, seem clearer to me in showing a black roof:

 

The Crewe Works photograph from March 1984 in this page: https://www.modelrailforum.com/threads/Bachmann-class-45-d55-royal-signals.54082/ shows only blue above the cab front gutter (the rest of the roof is impossible to make out). This is presumably the works visit that plated over the headcode panels. It looks likely that the black roof and white wheel rims were done at the same time (for a royal train). Perhaps the black roof deteriorated, but was renewed when the headlamp was fitted.

[Halvarras]

I was unaware of the Peaks' black roof treatment very late in their lives until  couple of years ago while looking into 45143's visit to Waterloo in June 1985, when it gained the small extra plate to mark the regiment's 300th anniversary, and found this (on Flickr):

There doesn't seem to be much information about this, how many received it and where it was done but I suspect a depot initiative on just a handful of 45/1s. The roof doesn't look very black here, unlike 45144's above, but this looks like a satin finish and the light from above is making it appear dark grey. If it was a quick tidying up exercise it's possible any black paint to hand in sufficient quantity was used. Educated guessin' though!

[KLee55]

Many thanks for your replies.

[pheaton]

13 hours ago, Halvarras said:

I was unaware of the Peaks' black roof treatment very late in their lives until  couple of years ago while looking into 45143's visit to Waterloo in June 1985, when it gained the small extra plate to mark the regiment's 300th anniversary, and found this (on Flickr):

There doesn't seem to be much information about this, how many received it and where it was done but I suspect a depot initiative on just a handful of 45/1s. The roof doesn't look very black here, unlike 45144's above, but this looks like a satin finish and the light from above is making it appear dark grey. If it was a quick tidying up exercise it's possible any black paint to hand in sufficient quantity was used. Educated guessin' though!

@KLee55

 

 

Here’s the list and also add 45123 to it

Right the following defintely had full Toton repaints around  1980 - 1981 after Toton E exams and had the Toton dark grey roofs 45101 45105 45106 45124 45128 45134 45138 45141 45143 45144 & 45146. 45143 & 45144 lost their dark grey roofs at their last overhaul (45143 in 1981 at Derby & 45144 in 1984 at Crewe) However both 45143 & 45144 re-gained their toton dark grey roofs in 1985, 45143 when it was painted for its Waterloo - Exeter job & 45144 when it worked the royal train in May 1985  All the 1980-1981 E exam repaints with dark grey roofs lost their grey roofs at theit next works overhaul.

Edited October 25, 2023 by pheaton