100% Authenticity

Correct - W.R. choc & cream came in at the same time as the 'ferret and dartboard' loco crest came in. However some works e.g. Horwich continued to use up the old 'cycling lion' crests for some time afterwards and many steam locos ran to the end (e.g. 42085) still with the old style crest. It is probably not too much of a stretch to say that 7903, even with the old crest, on choc/cream would be authentic.
Of course for real authenticity you need to visit the Isle of Man where the original locos still haul the original stock and are shedded in buildings largely unaltered since being built in the 1890's. Shameless plug!
Ray.

 

I don't think 100% accurate is even remotely possible and the bigger the sample you chose the less the chances of authenticity.

 

The answer to the question, of first line of Post 1, is no.
Whatever period of the 19th. or 20th. century - or decade of them - is chosen there will only be a varying percentage of authenticity. Not many of us remember pre nationalization or the early days of British Railways and even then much is seen through the eyes of sentimentalism or how we prefer to remember things, rather than how they actually were. Even where a large percentage of authenticity has been achieved a glance away from the railway will soon reveal the existence of the 21st. century.
Photographic evidence is usually the only reliable - not always however - evidence of how things were at some points in time.
Present day photographic evidence is something I find often inaccurate, with the false naming or numbering of locomotives and places. In years past research has relied on photographic evidence; I wonder how future researchers will cope with some of the distortions made by the heritage movement?

 

I got to Holt fairly early on the Saturday of the NNR gala for my turn. Just as I was walking down the platform the standard 4 tank pulled the goods set out of the down siding then ran round. It was only me, the signalman and the train crew on the station.

Is the station 100% authentic? No, the main building is from Stalham, the box is from Portland sidings, other buildings are either new or come from various other places.
Is the train formation authentic? Probably not. Its got a southern brake on one end, a LMS brake on the other and various wagons from various places in various liveries.

All the elements were very well restored and to me the scene gave me an idea of what the days of steam were like. The overall picture felt right, and I think that is what preserved railways should aim for as it is near enough impossible to get a whole line 100% correct for a chosen period

 

Hahahaha! You Brits have got it so good that you can actually have a perfectly reasonable conversation about the possibility of attaining perfection!

 

Two words: BOWES. RAILWAY.

 

As the old joke goes, you are now arriving in the Isle of Man please reset your watch to 1953. So maybe that could be a selling point - come to the Isle of Man (or the Isle of Wight) for authentic Victorian trains and mindsets. (I am joking and not suggesting that everyone on the IoM or IoW is a mouth breathing reactionary in case anyone is offended)

 

There was a big overlap period. It wasn't like today where things seem to get repainted instantly, there ware a few blood and custard couaches running around in the early 60s and Faded GWR livery lasted on a few locos well into the 50s

 

That's because it's a vinyl wrap now, John. Much quicker than the painstaking application of paint and lining.

 

I'd also add John, that a vinyl wrap is easier to deal with on modern rolling stock that's likely to get vandalised with paint tins in service. I'd be gutted if I was a carriage painter being brought a carriage I'd worked on to get rid of someone's "self-expression"...

 

Yes, 7816 from Reading. Not sure if that was its last shed though. I think the tender was previously attached to mogul 6324 withdrawn in 1962 , also allocated to Reading.

 

foxfield railway with whiston on a rake of coal wagons

 

I’ve seen a photo of at least one loco in Barry Scrapyard still with the early BR emblem.

Also I wouldn’t necessarily agree that things get instantly repainted these days. Still loads of 66s around in EWS livery, 9 years after they were sold to DB.

 

Not really. 1C33/1H32 Cornishman was a 100% booked Castle duty - I guess a Hall *may* have appeared in emergency if the booked loco had failed en route and one happened to be on hand at Gloucester or Stratford. Choc/cream mk1 stock was used between 1958 and 1962 and then only on the premier named expresses - again the chances of a Hall working one of these would have been limited to taking over from a failed Castle, King or Warship. Maroon mk1 stock is much more 'authentic' for a Hall as they formed the majority of WR based coaching stock, with carmine and cream before then.

 

That's part of the problem Ross, we do have it pretty good, thing is there's always those who want more! I really think you can never be 100% 'authentic' would the OP suggest we bring back Asbestos to lag coaches and boilers again?

 

Spot the deliberate mistake that says this is not BR in the 1950s

 

Taken in digital HD colour?

 

Not so much mistakes, but the way the world has changed.....
The loco is clean.
Hedges cut by flail mower not cut with a billhook or saw and layered.
No telegraph lines along the railway.

But it looks good.

Cheers, Neil