Natural Wastage

I'd forgotten I saw Stowe at Beaulieu!

 

I think BR liveries generally look better, but variety looks better still. Gets dull when everything is BR black/green, for authenticity's sake, and they don't complete the authentic look either - much too clean

1940s and earlier liveried locos on blue-grey stock has a strange appeal to me also, as per 61306 and 13065 when paired with the blue-grey sets at the ELR

 

Would it be fair to say that engines were generally cleaner in grouping and pre-grouping times than in BR? If so that provides another reason to go for earlier liveries - if it's in BR it's not authentic unless it's covered in muck, which most heritage railways won't want to do.

 

Right, first question - any NP members appearing there at Middleton, Crich or Beaulieu?

Also underlines the basic fault with the design of the motorway and dual carriageway system - the bridges are too low to allow easy passage of Pullman cars. At least the Stafford (probably still Newport then) lads got away without getting one stuck - when Sunters were recovering at least one of the VSOE Pullmans from France, it got stuck under a motorway bridge. The official hardback book by James Sherwood's wife says they got it out by letting down the tyres - the lorry crew mention hacksaws and roof vents!

Steven

 

Ha! Great stuff - I had seen this before, but wasn't aware that it's on Youtube. The chap with the Fowler traction engine is my late grandfather, and the lady cleaning the brass is my grandmother.

 

Some sheds prided themselves in clean locos right until they closed to steam. Top Shed and Haymarket for example.

 

I think that someone on here owned up to being one of the flag people at the Middleton. I'm in several family pictures with Stowe not long after arrival, but as I was only 2 I think I am excused for not remembering it.
The only steam liveries I saw in Kendal yard were filth and filth. I do remember being impressed by Oliver Cromwell's green and the shiny two black fives in August 1968, after that it was only preservation and we had loads of different colours, the KWVR Ivatt etc. For me the paint is there to act as a rust deterrent and it's not so important as long as it relevant to the loco or location.

 

Well, I'm there!

 

yeah some locos are too clean. I was quite shocked to see 2857 on TV recently with the best gloss finish I ever saw....totally unoriginal imo

 

I'm sure the owners will be gutted to learn that. Realisitic or not though, I doubt the general public would like things as filthy as they got in later BR days

 

What would be the reaction to a preserved line creating their own livery and using it on whichever loco's form their stable?

 

I think that KWVR did this in the 60s. BR didn't like preserved locos running in BR liveries at that time.

 

What, like this you mean?



(Not my photo - via https://www.flickr.com/photos/linda_chen/5523471671/)

Tom

 

WSR still do, AFAIK - or at least did last time I visited.

Tom

 

I think that the process of handing over is well underway. The "trainspotter" generation were born between about 1940 and 1960. That means that they are now at least 54. Looking at the MHR a significant number of the "management" both paid and volunteer is made up of people who were born since 1960.

I agree that BR livery is boring, but only because it is so ubiquitous. A balance is needed, and I think there will be more balance in the future. The reason for the current domination of BR colours is I think that the biggest donor group is currently drawn from the age group that remembers those colours. Personally when I reach "that age" in around 20 years time I would be more likely to want to recall the GWR liveries I remember from the SVR of my childhood.

I would quite like to do what the KWVR did in terms of loco liveries in the early days. A Stroudley improved engine green 9F with MHR on the tender perhaps? ;-)

 

You mean like in the US... thats almost a norm to own brand your locos and the stock.

 

Is there an "unlike" button?

Tom

 

There is an "unlike" button, but you have to "like" it first I certainly agree though, from the front it looks almost unrecognisable with all the random cr*p they've put on it! When was that trip then, and what was it all in aid of? I can understand 4472's trip their, most famous steam loco in the world etc. but Repton? Not wishing to belittle the class, one of my favourites (not just there's one called Cheltenham where I live ) but it's not exactly a celebrity in the steam loco world?