Southern station colours

[Southern Hobbit]

I am trying to track down the correct equivalents to the British Railways (Southern Region) colours for station buildings, as I want to paint my baseboards to the correct shades. I have looked at both the 'station colours' website http://www.stationcolours.info/index.php?p=1_3_SR and also the Southern E-Group site http://www.semgonline.com/proto/sthnpaint.html, but unfortunately for the three colours I need (No1, No1A and No3a), they are saying different things:

 

Station Colours Information

 

No. 1 Light Stone BS381C shade 358 Light Buff

No. 1A Dark Stone BS381C shade 359 Middle Buff.

No. 3A Middle Chrome Green BS381C shade 226 Middle Brunswick Green.

 

Southern E-Group Information

 

Nº1 Light Stone BS381C shade 386 Champagne

Nº1a Dark Stone BS381C shade 358 Light Buff N

Nº3a Mid-Chrome Green BS381C shade 221 Brilliant Green

 

 

Does anyone know which is correct?

 

 

Many thanks!

[Oldddudders]

"Correct" is a very difficult assertion to make about colour from a bygone era, I'm afraid. What I can say for certain is that the SEmG definitions match those in the "HMRS Livery Register No 3 LSWR and Southern", published in 1970. You might try to find a copy since it is full of painting detail info which might be of interest.

[10800]

I have a photocopy of the BR(S) Civil Engineer's painting schedule, some sheets of which were reproduced in BRILL from time to time, which refers to the new BS specs issued in 1955. Although it doesn't specify shade numbers, the names (Champagne, Light Buff, Brilliant Green) agree with the Southern E-Group definitions above. This may be because I think I gave them this information in the first place!

 

 

It's quite likely that the shades are very similar, and their appearance will also vary with how the junior porter splashed it on, the undercoat used, which was also specified, and doubtless many other factors like how much of the old spec was still in stock after the CCE introduced the new card.

[Southern Hobbit]

I have a photocopy of the BR(S) Civil Engineer's painting schedule, some sheets of which were reproduced in BRILL from time to time, which refers to the new BS specs issued in 1955. Although it doesn't specify shade numbers, the names (Champagne, Light Buff, Brilliant Green) agree with the Southern E-Group definitions above. This may be because I think I gave them this information in the first place!

 

 

It's quite likely that the shades are very similar, and their appearance will also vary with how the junior porter splashed it on, the undercoat used, which was also specified, and doubtless many other factors like how much of the old spec was still in stock after the CCE introduced the new card.

 

Thanks Ian and Rod for the useful information. I think I am going to go with the Southern E-Group defintiions - these do seem to be tying up more consistently. I will keep a look out for the HMRS livery register - that looks like an interesting read. As you say, colours are a very variable item, and what is 'correct' on paper must have had so many variations in reality

 

Malcolm

[Graham_Muz]

The Webmaster of the Southern E-Group (SeMG) has also advised that the references he used were gained from the Southern Railways Group in the first place so along with Rod's reference above I too would go with the SeMG designations. I would also add that I feel Middle Brunswick green as listed on the Station Colours site to be much darker than Mid Chrome Green.