Bittern's Garter Blue Makeover

[S.A.C. Martin]

First pic to appear of Bittern's transformation. Looking amazing! Pic comes from Nat Pres, not one of my pics, though I hope to get a few on Saturday at King's Cross!

[redtoon1892]

Brilliant - could a finish like that been achieved in the 1930s? or just with modern techniques ?

[Kestrel]

Good picture but what happened to the 2 in 4492? Did the signwriter fall off his mahl stick? The 2 has fallen to the left and the horizontal stroke of it is too long for true Gill Sans. Apart from that, WOW!!

[Ferrybridge Flyer]

You're right about the 2 Kestrel-i hope it's not a mock-up a-la Fictitious Liveries.If it is kosher,then it looks fantastic,and roll on Saturday!!!!!York station for me i think,otherwise i'll be looking right into the sun by the time it comes!!

[osprey]

Yes, I can imagine, York will be heaving on Saturday

[73D]

The numbering is perfectly correct and matches the LNER specification sheet. Modern Gill Sans is not quite the same as that used by the LNER.

[S.A.C. Martin]

The numbering is perfectly correct and matches the LNER specification sheet. Modern Gill Sans is not quite the same as that used by the LNER.

Not sure that's right, going off these photographs:





What do we think chaps?

In the spirit of the event, its a minor fault on an otherwise stunningly applied livery. Perhaps the thing which has relieved me the most, she's not so dark as Mallard.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

'FANTASTIC'


'how many pots of Humbrol did you say it took'

manna

[Blink Bonny]

And can you imagine howlong it'd take to paint it with one of those little brushes we modellers use, Manna?

WOW! And I can't get anywhere near it. Boohoo

[73D]

Not sure that's right, going off these photographs:

I must admit that I hadn't checked actual photographs when I made my remark. My comment was that they have followed the LNER painting drawing for 4492: Q-110-1.

The 1930s sign writers though do seem to have 'ignored' the drawing office and changed the form of the letters, which to my mind is a great improvement. Looking at the three pictures attached they have increased the weight as well. I expect this was in fact a directive from above as it looked to thin as conceived. It also seems that the counters are larger in the 21st February 1939 version, but this may be an illusion.

I will be interested in seeing the steel cut-out letters.

It will be great to see an A4 with fully valence at speed again!

[Tom F]

My goodness....stunning!

Sadly I wont be able to film on Saturday as I have work but I look forward to the footage that will be surfacing over the weekend

I have to say....from Big Four in Colour of one of the West Riding A4's looking beautiful in Garter Blue...this livery looks far more like it than Mallards.... far closer

One Happy Chappy here!

[hq1hitchin]

How lovely it would be to see this magnificent looking machine hauling a matching train of LNER streamlined stock. Sadly, all that remains today are the two observation cars one of which is being restored to original condition. Not many coaches got to be handbashed every day with Lux soapflakes. 'Shone like a motor car' was how an old hand signalman described the 'Coronation' sets.

[giner]

I don't like that numeral '2' either. Not only that, but the baseline of the lettering is sitting an inch or so too high - run your eye across to the rivets at either side. Compare it with the first close up photo in 73D's post. Also, the letterspacing is less tight on the new paint job. Can I have a revise proof, please, gaffer?

[Kestrel]

I seem to have started a major debate here regarding signwriting but it was something that caught my eye as soon as I saw it. Having had to have an eye for the minutest detail being an engineering draughtsman in a former life, I just had to mention it.

Another thing that bugs me is the track used in model railways in magazines, it's the first thing I look at and when I see the word Peco, I just cringe as there just isn't anything more unlike track than Peco, it's so out of scale and the sleepers are too close together. The most realistic track is something like SMP.

People go through great pains to have their model locos, coaches, trucks etc correctly presented but can't be bothered with the track. Inexcusable.

Right, rant over, but why did the Bittern that we know have to change identity? Wasn't she Bittern to begin with? Why change to Dominion of New Zealand? Is she going there for a holiday?

Some time ago when we had all the fuss with South Africa, I seem to remember reading the 'Union of South Africa' changed identity in protest. What did she change to? Did she go back to being Osprey?

[osprey]

There maybe some connection to the fact that the Rugby World Cup is in NZ this year...........maybe the owner is a rugby fan