MK1 BG in Newspapers livery

[westernviscount]

Hi Folks

 

First post on RMWEB. Could anyone tell me what year the all over blue livery with newspapers branding was applied to mk1 BG stock? I am hoping it was early 70's but i cannot find any photographic evidence. 

 

Any help would be good. 

[CovDriver]

I have seen said Mk1 BG's in all over blue with Newspapers on the side I've tried to find a photo on Flickr but to no avail unfortunately you could always try the other photo hosting sites to see if anything turns up. By the way welcome to RMweb

 

 

cheers Colin

[hmrspaul]

Here is one from 1983 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brnpccs/e1186318e

The GUV conversions were 1978 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brnpccs/e13850b83but I don't know when the BGs were written. The info is probably in the main books by Keith Parkin or Hugh Longworth.

 

Paul

[jonny777]

I have seen said Mk1 BG's in all over blue with Newspapers on the side I've tried to find a photo on Flickr but to no avail unfortunately you could always try the other photo hosting sites to see if anything turns up. By the way welcome to RMweb

 

 

cheers Colin

 

 

Search no more - https://www.flickr.com/photos/21611052@N02/3650548331/in/photolist-dWcX9b-r7gJDj-8bEuVZ-7gwuKS-48gJL3-2krSB2-89EyEH-qc6YmL-9NPU8-qjW7Vw-6wWsEo-6yA1Qt-GDnKA-8iCHiN-bAvWNB-bmPwDG

[Flood]

The all blue Newspaper BGs generally had their handbrakes removed from the Guard's compartment and a hand wheel was mounted on the underframe instead. In addition, photos show that the Guard's door and the twin doors to the right of the Guard's door were sealed up on quite a lot of examples (if not all).

 

The 1976 RCTS Coaching Stock book lists a number of BGs allocated to Newspaper traffic and having the Guard's handbrakes removed. I don't own a 1974 Coaching Stock book so I don't know if the conversions happened any earlier than approx 1975. Most of the ones listed are Midland Region allocated but although Newspaper stock tended to stick to region I'm sure that some still wandered far and wide.

 

All the photos of blue BGs (Coaching Stock Recognition, Parkin, Cheona NPCCS) I have found show the TOPS code of NCV (or NCX) on the side which started to be applied from about 1978, so I don't know whether the all blue livery was applied before this time or not.

 

Renumbering into the 952xx series did not occur until 1985 when these BGs were given Commonwealth bogies.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Flood

[westernviscount]

Thank you to everyone who has posted so far. I think books are going to be my source as there is little on the net. I have seen pictures of the converted BGs with the welded doors, however most of the photographs i have seen are undated or are around 1980. 

 

I am modelling circa 1970. Does anyone feel Newspapers vans can be ruled out for this era? I am repainting a bachman BG and am also converting the "your model railway village" MK1 coach into a BG and would like to paint them in newspapers livery. 

[Fat Controller]

Thank you to everyone who has posted so far. I think books are going to be my source as there is little on the net. I have seen pictures of the converted BGs with the welded doors, however most of the photographs i have seen are undated or are around 1980. 

 

I am modelling circa 1970. Does anyone feel Newspapers vans can be ruled out for this era? I am repainting a bachman BG and am also converting the "your model railway village" MK1 coach into a BG and would like to paint them in newspapers livery. 

I don't recall seeing any Mk 1 BGs so branded prior to the early 1980s. There were, however some Stanier 50' BGs used on the WR, branded in fairly large script- 'West of England Newspaper Train Brake Van- Return Empty To Old Oak Common', or something very similar. Otherwise, a BSK or similar would be used, as it gave the packers somewhere to kip on the way up in the evenings.

[kevinlms]

The all blue Newspaper BGs generally had their handbrakes removed from the Guard's compartment and a hand wheel was mounted on the underframe instead. In addition, photos show that the Guard's door and the twin doors to the right of the Guard's door were sealed up on quite a lot of examples (if not all).

 

The 1976 RCTS Coaching Stock book lists a number of BGs allocated to Newspaper traffic and having the Guard's handbrakes removed. I don't own a 1974 Coaching Stock book so I don't know if the conversions happened any earlier than approx 1975. Most of the ones listed are Midland Region allocated but although Newspaper stock tended to stick to region I'm sure that some still wandered far and wide.

 

All the photos of blue BGs (Coaching Stock Recognition, Parkin, Cheona NPCCS) I have found show the TOPS code of NCV (or NCX) on the side which started to be applied from about 1978, so I don't know whether the all blue livery was applied before this time or not.

 

Renumbering into the 952xx series did not occur until 1985 when these BGs were given Commonwealth bogies.

I have a copy of the 1974 issue.

 

Under the Full Brake section, it states that "Vehicles marked + have been reclassified Newspaper Van (NPV)".

 

Numbers are

 

M80507, M80531, M80546, M80573, S80594, M80682, M80731, M80755, M80774, E80826, M80946, M80947, E81003, M81029, M81047, M81161, M81417.

 

Almost all of the LMR ones are Dual Heat (I guess not surprising if intended for the WCML, which had electric locos), but not the S or E ones. No other information is provided.

[PaulCheffus]

Hi

 

There is an all blue BG marked with Newspapers in one of the Woodhead DVDs (off hand I think it is Sounds Real British Rail Class 76 and 52). This appears to be one that hasn't been modified as the doors don't look to be welded up and neither is there a brake wheel on the solebar. Unsure of the date but as the two class 76s pulling the train have post TOPS numbers and the island platform at Penistone hasn't got a building on it so I would assume 1979 / 1980 / 1981.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Edited March 20, 2015 by PaulCheffus

[westernviscount]

Thank you once again folks. What a breadth of knowledge there is out there. I have decided to go for the newspapers livery as it sounds like i may be able to justify it if the layout is early 70's. 

 

I have two BGs to paint - one bachman and one semi scratch built. I may be brave and attempt one in blue and grey. Brave as i have never spray painted before and also the blue and grey will require white lining!

[Pixie]

Whilst not 'Newspaper' branded - this 1969 photo is the earliest all-blue BG I've come across.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/96859208@N07/12751436755/in/photolist-kqNrTR-fN4ytX-oP4Hin-7Ptuy3-7Ppw1g-7PpvNX-j2AziF-6JrpDf-7auWva-atGEwZ-93HHkX-93HHdB-e8Cwos-5XQsH2-pMifBa-ar5RQB-9HFGf1-qyAQkN-9CYGEj-9PUer5-93LMjb-93LMmC-93HHbX-93LMzs-93HHha-9fx6mJ-9Uwm4j-9UwkVf-c1CM4J-i4enYW-as7WaQ-hXVsLK-7CBT3S-b9bsLn-y9fS3-j87RTL-9TokMw-5k7pV-5k7pU-rcwDDY-qi2jTD

 

Pix

Edited March 24, 2015 by Pixie

[John M Upton]

Reviving an old topic here from the dead, I have been working through a number of Farish BG's, converting them to Newspaper vans.  Pictures are a bit thin on the ground and in some references it says all had the Guards doors and the set of double doors to the immediate right removed when in fact from what I have seen, this was not a universally applied modification.

 

Unfortunately there seems to be no definitive list of which Newspaper BG's had the doors removed and which did not so it falls upon locating whatever photos you can or taking blind chance that the number matches.

 

There was apparently one in blue/grey with the doors removed as per but again its identity and photos remain elusive.