The LNER Encyclopedia

Did the blue background name plates have anything to do with a loco being based in Scotland?

Was it just A4's of did other loco classes get the same treatment?

Regards,
Mike70

from my photo records it would indeed appear to be only ScR (i.e. Haymarket) A4s that had the blue (Scottish Region) background. I'm aware that 4mm plates are available in blue for all 64B streaks but I've yet to see confirmation for example of 60024 thus adorned. Does anyone know otherwise? Similarly I have still no sight of A2 60534 having Emerald Green backed 'plates

STAFFORDA4 wrote:from my photo records it would indeed appear to be only ScR (i.e. Haymarket) A4s that had the blue (Scottish Region) background. I'm aware that 4mm plates are available in blue for all 64B streaks but I've yet to see confirmation for example of 60024 thus adorned. Does anyone know otherwise? Similarly I have still no sight of A2 60534 having Emerald Green backed 'plates

60534 - I assume the Emerald Green background is down to the name 'Irish Elegance'?

Have you any idea when the blue backgrounds started to appear on the A4's?
The one that drew my attention to it was the Hornby version of 60011 'Empire Of India' (late crest).
I was wondering if the the blue background nameplates were fitted in 1952 when it was first painted Brunswick Green with early crests.

Not able to help with dates,however I would have thought 1958 onwards. I do have photographs of 60011, 60024 & 60031 all carrying Red backed nameplates as did many of the Kings Cross A4's.
Certainly the Light Blue was more common than the Red and without doubt the normal was Black.
Regards, Derek.

I agree that 1958 onwards appears about right for the blue nameplates as I've never seen a single chimney/blue plate A4 photo. The 4 double chimney A4s prior to 1957 were not Haymarket allocated. I'll dig through my files and check which ones for sure had this colour. And yes its Irish Elegance that I had heard had green backed plates but no evidence to date. Fascinating isn't it?

so from my humble files I can advise that the following have definite Colour-Photo evidence of blue-background plates circa 1958- 1961

60004 **
60011
60027
60031

the remaining Haymarket A4s (9/12/24) certainly had black or red backed plates in BR days but as yet no trace of blue

** I cant help but mention this one seems to have been the rarest Streak; carved on various parts of Darlington station's infrastructure was the legend "I died here waiting for Willie Whitelaw" (sic)

did we really follow this beautiful machinery with such awe?

or is this glass of Jamiesons taking hold?

60012 certainly had blue background on a works visit to Doncaster in 1962.

thanks for that 60074!
another piece for the jigsaw
now all we need is 60009 & 60024