D1778 Livery 1955

[Aire Head]

I am currently working on creating a D1778 full brake using an old Mainline model and Comet Sides as pictured below.

 

 

My model is set in 1955 where it is my understanding that as Corridor stock it should be painted into British Railways Crimson and Cream as standard.

 

However Comets instructions state that they were painted into just Crimson.

 

I have seen images of other NPCCS in this livery (Dapol Stove R and Hornby BG) so I assume it to be one that existed.

 

Images I am finding are sadly lacking aswell, can anyone confirm if it would be correct to paint this into full "blood and custard" or should it be just plain blood?

 

I know that it's perfectly plausible that one could have made it to 1955 still wearing sone form of LMS Crimson Lake however that's not what I am wanting to paint it into.

[ianLMS]

Paint it in whatever livery you prefer. Its your model! 

 

This might help with your quest for knowledge and confirmation; https://bloodandcustard.org/

 

It states that mainline corridor coaches, Compo-Brakes, Third - Brakes, First etc were Crimson Lake & Cream panels. Demise of Crimson and Cream it states started in 1956.

 

Coaches for local steam hauled trains and passenger trains were just Crimson Lake.

 

Cant say how accurate this website it, but it would satisfy me if I was wanting to go down that track!

 

Ian

[Aire Head]

The problem is that it's not very clear, it seems that a lot of places took it as Corridor stock in blood and custard and non corridor in just crimson.

 

But some parcels stock with corridors definitely went in just crimson too so it's creating a conundrum.

[bécasse]

The vast majority of BR standard MkI BGs were finished in allover crimson although there were crimson and cream versions, possibly for dedicated use in principal trains, so I would go for allover crimson. It will have the added bonus of being much the easier livery to apply, particularly as the vehicle is panelled.

[ianLMS]

I would imagine the old saying "there is a prototype for everything" would work in this case. What's to say they didn't paint one Crimson and Cream, and who is really going to pick you up on it if there isn't much evidence either way?

 

Try posting it in Kitbuilding/Modifying RTR and see if you get more helpful responses. My stock is all LMS, so Crimson Lake across the board. As becasse stated, much easier to paint!!

Edited January 25, 2021 by ianLMS

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, bécasse said:

I would go for allover crimson. It will have the added bonus of being much the easier livery to apply, particularly as the vehicle is panelled.

Agreed, I've recently done three panelled coaches in Crimson & Cream, right pain in the backside when it comes to lining. 

That said, in 1955 NPCCS may still have been in pre-nationalisation livery depending on when it was last repainted by the Big Four company. 

[bécasse]

3 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

 

That said, in 1955 NPCCS may still have been in pre-nationalisation livery depending on when it was last repainted by the Big Four company. 

It is unlikely that it would still be in LMSR livery in 1955, seven years after nationalisation, unless it formed part of a coaching stock rake that was only used a few times a year for peak holiday traffic (Wakes Weeks, for example). Only the Southern really got away with keeping a significant number of vehicles in pre-nationalisation colours (but with BR-style lettering), probably aided by the fact that stocks of green paint held for electric trains facilitated touching up, and even there significant meant quite a low percentage of the total fleet if one discounts the numerous Bulleid vehicles newly delivered in green post-nationalisation which were due for their first repaint just as green was reauthorised.

[TheSignalEngineer]

2 hours ago, bécasse said:

It is unlikely that it would still be in LMSR livery in 1955, seven years after nationalisation, unless it formed part of a coaching stock rake that was only used a few times a year for peak holiday traffic

The last passenger coach I have seen in a photograph clearly showing LMS livery was taken in 1954. NPCSS is difficult as most of it can't be worked out as it is in such a dirty state but generally matching the lower panels on Crimson & Cream stock nearby. I did wonder if any of the pre-grouping stock in monochrome pictures of the early 1950s were actually still in the unlined livery used by the LMS c1940-46.

2 hours ago, bécasse said:

Only the Southern really got away with keeping a significant number of vehicles in pre-nationalisation colours

I remember travelling in green stock when on holiday in Swanage  in July 1955.