SWASFRS46256

They were originally in the chocolate and cream with the double lining, the numbers look to be in a GWR style font as well, looking a bit more ornate than Gill Sans BL-201-001 is based on W80943 in original livery

Yes there was. 80976 which was originally allocated to Taunton, but somehow ended up in Manchester until at least 1978, it must have been really unusual to see a chocolate and cream coach in the late 70s, never mind in Manchester

I have photos of 80976 in chocolate and cream with small yellow panels from 1966 to 1978. Then one of 80970 in blue and grey from 1973. There are a few photos from the late 60s and into the 70s of BR Blue and grey, with a small yellow panel. It looks quite unusual as the grey continues around into the ends of the coach above the SYP. Maybe that’s for a batch 2

I’ll do some digging when I’m back infront of my computer on Monday. I do remember there were various different combinations we could’ve gone for in regards to droplight colours, lining and under frame detail. I’ve built up a collection of about 80 to 90 photos of them in service for BR that I’ve found online. I don’t want to go sharing them everywhere without giving the proper credit to their owners, but that’s all on my work computer. The HMRS had some great high quality photos of 80943 just after it was built all taken on the same day, from different angles. It was a lot easier to get details off that than an often blurry 3/4 angle picture. They were also kept very clean in service, so the reflections don’t help when trying to get body decorations.

It’s quite appropriate that after withdrawal it was preserved at the West Somerset The idea behind doing the SYP is that it could appeal to those who are interested in the Western hydraulics giving they have their own following. Or for those who model pre-TOPS but want something different to BR Blue. Rather than giving 2 BR steam era versions From what I can tell they all had that double lining for most of the 50s, I’ll have to check my photos to see if there’s any going into the 60s

001 is 80943 which was the first and is in the original, straight out of the factory livery. Currently on the Dean Forrest Railway. 80975 (now at Llangollen) was the only one to carry the executive and Scotrail livery so it would made sense to do it in those liveries and do one of the others in the WR C&C 80972 has been in that twin cities GWR livery since 1969, except for a few years at the SVR 80943 was based in London 80969 - Newport 80970 - I can’t remember but is written down somewhere 80972 - Shrewsbury 80974 - Birmingham 80975 - Bristol 80976 - Taunton That’s what I’ve guessed were their original allocations based on photo captions and the small text in the corners of the sides of the coaches

Here's One in Dawlish in 1982 https://www.flickr.com/photos/121196525@N07/32540614104/ Other than that the closest I can find in that time period is a few in Bristol https://www.departmentals.com/photo/80975a https://christrerise.smugmug.com/RailwayPhotosYearbyYear/Railway-Photos-1980s/Railway-Photos-1981/i-t4RX8Z5 Here's a few in the late 80s in Devon and Cornwall though https://www.flickr.com/photos/neil_harvey_railway_photos/8030214721 https://www.flickr.com/photos/hemerdon/24543410771/in/photolist-DoPoWF

There's some photos on Flickr of it in Guide Bridge in Manchester in the same livery. One of which is from 1978. https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/13132502693 https://www.flickr.com/photos/86235980@N00/2257993757/

Wanted - Metal double chimney to fit new Hornby Ivatt duchess. I am looking in advance as I intend to install a Seuthe smoke unit to my loco. I have been told this is required or I run the risk of melting the current plastic one. Thanks in advance

Will do.

Okay, are there any recommended places/companies that install all of these as I have never done anything like this before

Okay, thanks Jason, this will take me a while to read through.

I have pre-ordered the new Hornby Ivatt duchess no. 46256 Sir William Stanier FRS, this is my favourite locomotive even though I was born over 35 years after it was scrapped. I have intentions to upgrade this loco to make it the best it can possibly be, with sound, smoke unit, working loco lamps. Are there any other modifications I can make/install to create a super-loco?