Thornfalcon Station Building Colour

[DWS]

I'd like the opinion of Forum members on the colour scheme of Thornfalcon station in Somerset, the photo below was taken in 1962.  The general concensus is that GWR buildings were painted GWR Light Stone and Dark Stone, would members agree that this station is painted these colours, though probably somewhat faded?  I also notice that the "Gentlemans" sign has white letters on a dark stone(?) background, I was under the impression that these signs were generally white letters on a black background.

 

As this photo was taken in 1962, the BR era, would the colour of an ex-GWR station have normally remained in GWR colours during this period?  Sadly this is the only colour photo I have been able to find so far of this station, so its all I have to go on.  The station was closed and demolished in the mid 1960s.  I am modelling the staton during the 1930s period.

 

I would welcome any comments and, if possible, any other photos or information about the station, especially photos showing the front and rear of the station building as most photos I have found were taken from this general viewpoint and don't show the details of doors, windows and other features etc.

 

[Miss Prism]

I'm fairly certain Thornfalcon got repainted in BR(W) colours, the cream being quite pale, and the brown being a mid-brown. Both are a little faded, but the pic looks to be well exposed.
 
For your desired 1930s era, a more standard combination of GWR stone colours would have been present. See here.

 

 

[DWS]

I'm fairly certain Thornfalcon got repainted in BR(W) colours, the cream being quite pale, and the brown being a mid-brown. Both are a little faded, but the pic looks to be well exposed.

 

For your desired 1930s era, a more standard combination of GWR stone colours would have been present. See here.

Thanks for that, do I assume you are familiar with Thornfalcon station?

[Miss Prism]

Very vague (and extremely young) childhood memories passing through. The BR(W) painting scheme in your pic looks like a typical BR(W) repaint of many wooden stations. Here's a signalling diagram. I can't recall any sketch of the station building.

 

 

[DWS]

Very vague (and extremely young) childhood memories passing through. The BR(W) painting scheme in your pic looks like a typical BR(W) repaint of many wooden stations. Here's a signalling diagram. I can't recall any sketch of the station building.

Thanks again, it is proving very difficult to get any good info on Thornfalcon, there are a few b&w photos about on the Web, most taken from the bridge next to the station giving the same general view however, most are from the early 1900s, the latest being 1912.  The next on the 'time-line' is the colour photo (above) from 1962 with nothing in between.  Thanks for the signalling diagram, I had found that already but thanks again.

[bécasse]

By means of a series of datable photographs, I was able to follow the GW paint scheme on one particular wooden signal box from 1923 (it was repainted into "standard" GW colours in winter 1923/24) until it was dismantled in 1938, and I was intrigued to discover that the detail of the painting scheme changed at each repainting.

 

Now signal box paint schemes may not be typical as the GWR employed specialist S&T paint gangs who were responsible for the boxes as well as signalling equipment, but it does suggest to me that the painters out "on the road" enjoyed a certain amount of latitude when it came to interpreting the standard painting instructions particularly if the building concerned (and that would apply to many wooden structures) didn't quite fit the rules. In addition, it does now seem that the GWR post-grouping employed paints supplied made-up in tins (rather than the foreman adding pigments to a base) and this is likely to have introduced minor variations in order to minimise the number of part-used tins left over when each job was finished.

 

So for a 1930s model follow the well-published standard guidelines but don't worry about applying your own judgement as to exactly what was painted a particular colour. Do note though that the maroon/chocolate colour was more widely used by about 1930 in any area where rot was likely to be a problem because of dampness - this is probably the result of earlier legislation restricting the use of lead in paint. If you can't find contemporary photographs, it is unlikely, but not of course impossible, that anyone will be able to prove that your interpretation is incorrect, even though photos have a nasty habit of emerging just after a model is finished.

 

One further tip is to look for photos of nearby stations, particularly those with any wooden platform structures, and note what was done there - they were probably painted by the same gang but not necessarily in the same year.

 

Finally, I do think that the 1962 photo shows a BR(W) painting scheme although it isn't impossible that GWR colours were used, paint remained in short-supply for some years after the war and "old" paint certainly wouldn't have been thrown away. I think, in this case, that the colours on the sign are the deciding factor.

[DWS]

Thanks for the info. and the points made.

It seems that Phoenix Precision paints P21 GWR Light Stone and P22 GWR Dark Stone are regarded as the best match for 1930s GRW wooden buildings however, having been on their website and calculated the cost of buying two small 14ml tins, one of each colour, and adding postage, the total cost of £13.30 is I'm afraid unacceptable. This being due to the fact that Phoenix will only send paint via a courier at a cost of £7.50 due to Royal Mail regulations prohibiting sending flamible items (enamel paint) in the post.

I shall therefore resort to mixing my own colours from the various paints available in my local model shops and get as close as I can.

[RailWest]

Can you not find a 'helpful' local model shop who will get the PP paints for you?

 

Whilst allowing for the vagaries of colour rendition in photos, computer screens etc, I would agree that the picture is most probably the BR(WR) scheme.