First gen dmu chassis colours, brown?

[Simon Moore]

I am curious about the colour of a chassis on the first gen dmus. My reason for asking is that I have a white & blue livery Bachmann 101 & a Hornby calder valley blue grey 110, both have got a chocolate brown coloured chassis. Was this a thing as such or a one off on the odd loco? 

 

I remember both from my spotting days, I don't remember them being that colour even fresh out the works other than a layer of grime. Most the engines were a mix of rust & oil but with black colour frames.

 

Can anyone explain it a bit better?

 

Thanks Si

[bécasse]

When the blue-grey (and just blue) livery first appeared in the mid-1960s chassis were painted brown reflecting what was perceived to be the actual colour of black-painted ones after some months in service (principally, but not totally, the result of brake-block dust).

[BernardTPM]

When the refurb. white/blue stripe livery first applied coach and multiple unit underframes were still officially brown (BS2660 3-039). Oddly enough loco underframes were painted black. Once both had a coat of grime and brake dust it was hard to tell the difference though.

Edited May 17, 2022 by BernardTPM

[Steamport Southport]

Newly refurbished set here showing the brown underframe. Official photos.

 

https://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-117/refurbishment

 

 

 

Jason

[dibber25]

Brown under frames on coaches and units were part of the official Corporate Image introduced with XP64. They were subject to local variation, however.(CJL)

[TheSignalEngineer]

35 minutes ago, dibber25 said:

Brown under frames on coaches and units were part of the official Corporate Image introduced with XP64.

Only below the solebars, they were blue.

[BernardTPM]

11 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Only below the solebars, they were blue.

On coaches, yes. With the white livery DMUs the brown was normally used on the solebars too.

Edited May 18, 2022 by BernardTPM

[Simon Moore]

Thanks for the replies gents, I was curious. I wasn't sure weather to respray the frames on my 110 black as it is a project model I'm doing with a load of added details. The 101 on the other hand will just be treated to some grime.

[Legend]

Yup Brown .  I remember painting my Hornby 101 into White Blue refurbished livery back in 1979 and the chassis was brown 

[TheSignalEngineer]

13 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

On coaches, yes. With the white livery DMUs the brown was normally used on the solebars too.

True  even the buffers were painted brown on the white ones, but then very little of the livery complied with the Corporate Identity Manual. Plain blue DMUs originally had blue solebars.

[BernardTPM]

It struck me that the refurb. white livery more or less coincides with the largely white and rail blue used on the road parcels van fleet too and overlapped the white/red Freightliner container livery.

[45125]

22 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

True  even the buffers were painted brown on the white ones, but then very little of the livery complied with the Corporate Identity Manual. Plain blue DMUs originally had blue solebars.

Not all of them did, most had brown underframes/solebars.

Edited May 19, 2022 by 45125

[dibber25]

There were one or two WR units that received rail blue with a yellow panel, not a full yellow end, and maroon buffer beams. Yes, maroon. The Corporate Image was undermined from the outset by localised adaptations by people who didn't like the official version. The most extreme was probably the SR-based Pullman cars for the Golden Arrow, and the Brighton Belle, where the livery adopted broke all the rules and even the font used for the lettering was nothing like the approved fonts. The late Brian Haresnape, who was on the BR Design Panel that produced the Corporate Image, was highly critical of these unauthorised departures from the plan. (CJL)