Weathering Pre- & Post-Nationalisation Stock

[PAL]

About a year ago I put up a question here about the availability of colour photos of prewar stock with a view to getting something like prototypical weathering. Interestingly, members advised caution about the questionable realism of what little prewar colour film was available. Now you don't have to be all that old to remember the picturesque filth of post-nationalisation stock, and if you are, there are wonderful resources like Paul Bartlett's photos taken on pretty good film. So accuracy in capturing the postwar look is never a problem. 

 

I've always assumed that post-'48 neglect and dirt was due to chronic government under-capitalisation resulting in stretched resources etc. But in the 30's surely the private companies were just as badly under-capitalised - so much so that after the war they were only too glad to sell up. Hence you'd think that neglect and dirt would be just as characteristic of the prewar as the postwar scene. But where's the evidence either way?

[PenrithBeacon]

I would doubt if the colours changed at all until air-braked disc brakes became the normal way of stopping railway vehicles. This removed the characteristic rust from the track. Today's trains are more of a green-grey underneath rather than the many shades of rusty brown-red so typical of my youth.

 

Regards