South West Trains VEP liveries

[The Fatadder]

While it still seems to be a case of wait and see with regards to whether or not the Hornby VEP is going to be available as a refurbished machine (word seems to be tending towards a yes...) I've started looking at the livery variations carried by them post privatisation in South West Trains service.

 

So far there seems to be 3 main liveries,

NSE branded with small South West Trains logos of the SWT type (along with a 'Stagecoach company' logo over the location of the old NSE logo.) I havent yet managed to find a clear photo showing this

 

NSE livery with no logos, seen here dated 2002. http://matthew-taylor.fotopic.net/p55016951.html

 

NSE with full new style SWT logos (seems to be carried on 3815 from 2003)

http://jon-bradley.fotopic.net/p23880536.html

 

Full SWT livery

http://jon-bradley.fotopic.net/p23880534.html

 

Finally one unit repainted into original blue

 

 

The problem I am having at the moment is partly down to people not dating photos on fotopic (I have found a fair few photos which appear to show unbranded NSE, but no dates). The second problem being that few people took photos of units in the late 90s (so I cant find anything showing a unit with the original SWT branded NSE livery.)

 

Now the question, I'd be interested to see any photos/links to photos showing the earlier period of SWT operation. and try to put together some dates for when the variations changed. Certainly given the 4 units that survived in NSE to the end (3810, 3409, 3410, 3411) the option of running with no logos makes it rather easy to model at least one SWT machine from an NSE release.

Would be particularly interested to see photos showing the original livery with the SWT stickers.

 

I did come across this http://jon-bradley.fotopic.net/p23880534.html 1999 photo which appears to show 3415 with something in the position of the NSE/a stagecoach, company/south west trains logo. Given that there are later photos showing it unbranded, that did make me wonder what this logo is. I cant see a SWT logo mid way along the coach (and on the 159s the SWT logo covered the white and red stripe so assuming its the same on the vep you would be able to make it out) so that makes me think that it might still be carrying full NSE logos on the sides. would be interested to hear others conclusions.