Privatisation liveries on preserved diesels

However logical and well-reasoned the case against non-authentic liveries, the fact remains that many enthusiasts and interested on-lookers like something a little different from time to time. My own comfort zone is broadly bounded by what might reasonably have been, but who could have foreseen the Porterbrook Deltic?

In weighing up the pros and cons for my collection of digital railway 'might have beens' (link below), I concluded that it's largely about what it is, and how well and why it's done. For the 'what', I would not like to see the sole survivor of a historically important class repainted in a fantasy livery; nor fantasy liveries applied whilst historically accurate schemes remain unrepresented (but of course it's up to the owners). The 'how' and the 'why' refer to the quality of the job and the rationale and intentions behind it.

Two early examples come to mind. Firstly, the temporary repainting of Warship 'Greyhound' in mock DB livery in the early-80s - perhaps not the highest quality of jobs, but short-term and well-reasoned. Secondly the excitement of seeing 14029 in blue at the Great Central Railway in the mid-80s - it looked 'right', was well done and could have happened in 'reality'. I have been less enthusiastic about other, more recent and less plausible renditions - but with so much preserved stock to play with, surely there is room for us all? Please spare a few minutes to visit my railway collection:

http://northernblue109.fotopic.net/c1712048.html

GARRY
www.northernblue109.fotopic.net

 

We all know that the single most important thing about all the many thousands of pounds and hours which go into the restoration and running of any railway vehicle is...



... what colour it's painted.

 

Some very nice photoshops there, especially like the DB liveried Western.