48624

The one near Willesden Junction was Acton Lane which supplied the grid and was also the site of London's last working steam locos. I had a very interesting afternoon there in 1974 driving the now Preserved RSH 0-4-0ST Birkenhead. Stonebridge Park was on the up side of the line behind the DC carriage sheds between Stonebridge Park and Wembley Central Stations.

 

I too am curious about these. I've accepted that there may be personal reasons, but what practical reason is there for painting a loco the wrong colour? In what way does it aid operation in the way that other inauthenticities eg AWS box etc does?

 

Good god all these pages over the colour of a loco it's black now get over it. Don't no about anyone else but I think this forum seems to be about arguments more than railways or locos it's like being in a school play ground again

 

It's a debate, and one of the functions of a forum. There's no requirement that you read it if it upsets you; the choice is entirely yours.

 

I'd suggest it's also a misunderstanding, Ralph. Perhaps I should point out that I've been actively involved in presevation for almost 48 years, so I know the difference between the atainable and impossible. 100% accuracy is in the impossible category unless the object is to be a static museum piece, and even there, difficulties can arise. With the item in use, it goes beyond difficult.

Where we differ is that I believe that, where possible, every attempt should be made at accurate reproduction of the item when it was in normal service, even if that accuracy, if measurable, were only 90%. Others believe that, since 100% accuracy is unobtainable, we might as well not attempt any vestige of historical accuracy.

I have to admit some agreement with Jimc in Post 438: we aren't going to agree. The best we can hope for is to persuade what politicians call the floating voter.

 

It could have been referred to as the 'Grove' but I'm doubtful. The Grove was the telegraphic code for the Royal train and it was generally referred to as that on the railway.

 

I shouldn't speak for the decision makers since I'm not one of them, but possible reasons that occur to me include:
- we use her for our major passenger trains so we've painted her in passenger/express livery
- our customer research indicates the average customer dislikes black locomotives and we'll get more repeat visits with varied liveries
- we'd rather have a train in a consistent livery than nominally authentic individual items of stock in a combination that would never have been seen together
- this is the closest practical approach to a scene that cannot be recreated more accurately
- BR lined black looks appalling on this class
- She was painted like that in the very early days of preservation which is in itself historically significant
- this *huge* cheque will more than pay for the next overhaul

 

All fair ideas there. Point 3 interests me as, in fairness to WCRC, their diesels are painted in the same livery as their coaching stock so Galatea could be seen as an extension of that.

 

Yes Stonebridge Park was the destination ,thanks for jogging my ,memory. I think the train had some priority over other trains, can't remember what lamps it carried on the smoke box. I knew quite well a signal man on the Northampton to Mkt Harboro' line,It could have been a nickname do to its priority. Not sure though, a long time ago.

 

The train originated at Mapperley Colliery nr Ilkeston using a 0-6-0 4F from there to Toton and ran from Toton to Stonebrige Park every night using a Stanier 8F.The empties ran the reverse also at night. Toton men always called it the Ghost Train. It was a fully fitted vacuum braked train and I have a picture of 48624 on this train.

 

It normally ran under clas D headlights.

 

Train was 08-10 pm Toton to Stonebridge Park, Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. The empties ran from Willesden to Toton.
I found a photo on flicker of 48624 pulling the empties (lamps top & right). By the way, 48624 was paired with a Fowler tender in the photo.

 

deleted

 

Blimey Toton men on a fully fitted ,not much chance for overtime on this one I bet. Still they might have made a bit on mileage depends how far they went.

 

The WCRC diesel fleet is definitely not painted in the same livery as the coaching stock. I would describe it as a dark claret shade when new at least!!! (see 47746)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/drummerat30/13619574274/in/photostream/

47580 & 746 @ Hellifield 5-3-14 by Steve Fort, on Flickr


Galatea is a closer shade of red/maroon to the coaching stock but if you see it in the flesh appears to be slightly lighter shade than the coaching stock. more subtle than the diesel livery but definitely different.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/drummerat30/18587984190/in/photostream/

45699 @ Hellifield 26-5-15 by Steve Fort, on Flickr

 

Whilst I'm at it so we can see what all the fuss is about!!!

48624 @ Rawtenstall 28-5-10 by Steve Fort, on Flickr

 

Got to love a good 'debate' ! Mind it's got us back on the front page of Nat Pres !
To more accurate matters, 48624 had all the smoke tubes fitted in place on Tuesday afternoon when I left Loughborough, and no doubt Craig and the team have been busy since then ! The last set of tubes lasted 6 1/2 years.