When did BR blue first appear?

suffolk · Post by **suffolk** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 6:33 pm

Just wondering when BR blue first started to appear on MK1 coaches, it's for an activity I've just started that's set circa 1970.

Thanks in anticipation.

southcoasttrains · Post by **southcoasttrains** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 6:38 pm

I would of thought the 70's as well, the Mark 1 EMU's were built in the late 50's and 60's and had green liveries.

rwaceyw · Post by **rwaceyw** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 6:49 pm

Its probably around '66, as later BR steam trains wher made up of Maroon and BR Blue and Grey coaches.

David.

DrkAngel · Post by **DrkAngel** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 7:00 pm

First appeared in 1964 on the XP64 set that was used to gauge public impressions of the new look, started to be applied on stock universally from 1966 and was gone only by late 1980

I could be wrong on some points though so anyone is free to correct me on the above

suffolk · Post by **suffolk** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 7:16 pm

Cheers guys.

kimdurose · Post by **kimdurose** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 11:21 am

XP64 blue was a different colour blue, but I get your point.
BR corporate blue saw widespread application from 1965 onwards.

jp4712 · Post by **jp4712** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 11:33 am

By 1970, I recall about two thirds or three quarters of carriages were in blue, it was quite a mix 'n' match in each train for a while - the locos (steam went in '68 ) would also be blue or slowly-weathering green (or electric blue in case of AL1-6).

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 12:05 pm

I would only add that on principal main lines, blue very quickly became dominant (only 2 or 3 years) on the WCML. Scotland would see tatty green and maroon stock into the early 70's ....

The rate of new coach building until the early 70's quickened the spread of blue/grey coaches.

Loco building declined markedly with only the last batches of 20's, 25's, 37's and 47's appearing in blue.

Many locomotives built immediately prior the Rail Blue being adopted retained green ot two-tone green for some years.

Therefore green loco's with blue and grey stock was very common for several years ....

ianm42 · Post by **ianm42** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:24 pm

A Class 31 was wearing green livery with full yellow ends long after Tri-ang had issued a model with the same number in blue.

dforrest · Post by **dforrest** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 5:49 pm

DrkAngel wrote:First appeared in 1964 on the XP64 set that was used to gauge public impressions of the new look, started to be applied on stock universally from 1966 and was gone only by late 1980 :)

I could be wrong on some points though so anyone is free to correct me on the above :)

Can anyone provide details on which of the Mk1 Blue-Grey coaches were introduced before the BR blue period and which were only introduced in the BR Blue period? Also, in which period were the yellow and red stripes introduced?

.

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 11:10 am

ALL the Mk1's were built before the Rail Blue era and appeared in maroon, red and cream, chocholate and cream and green.

The XP64 stock comprised of only about 10 coaches, half of which were hybrid Mk1/Mk2 vehicles ....

If you mean the fawn with red and white striped 'toothpaste tube' livery for Inter-City trains, that was introduced in the early 80's ....

ianmacmillan · Post by **ianmacmillan** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 11:26 am

Due to a lot of 1st class, Restuarant and sleeping cars being stored during the war, not many of these types were built by BR in the 50s.
As a result almost all Mk1 Restuarants, including the RMB, and all sleeping cars never appeared in blood and custard.
By the mid 60s a need was felt for 1st class and so the first batch of Mk2 FKs appeared in maroon and SR green.

saddletank · Post by **saddletank** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 11:27 am

The Mk.1 design was very soon after Nationalisation wasn't it - about 51 or 52 I think, based on LMS coaches IIRC.

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 11:40 am

I would imagine production started as the orders for the 'Big Four' were completed

I remember ex-LMS 6-wheeled sleepers at Euston in the early 70's

mikey2001 · Post by **mikey2001** » Sat Aug 09, 2003 3:04 pm

johndibben wrote:ALL the Mk1's were built before the Rail Blue era and appeared in maroon, red and cream, chocholate and cream and green.

The XP64 stock comprised of only about 10 coaches, half of which were hybrid Mk1/Mk2 vehicles ....

If you mean the fawn with red and white striped 'toothpaste tube' livery for Inter-City trains, that was introduced in the early 80's ....

Were the various different colour schemes that Mk1s were originally painted in correspond with which region they ran on?