The LNER Encyclopedia

I have recently purchased my first 7mm GCR engine which will be painted in its original livery (all my 4mm scale stuff was LNER livery)

It is an LNER class B4. (GCR 8F), 'Immingham'.

Firstly, even though this engine was designed for fast goods/fish duties, would it have been painted fully lined green/dark red splashers, instead of a goods stock black? It seems like a top-link engine so I assume green, it certainly was green in LNER days (yeah- but some classes of ex-GCR 4-6-0's were half and half in LNER days!)

secondly, does anyone know of good approximations of GCR green/red paint? (or even a good colour rendering of the period to work from)

thirdly, are there any generic/ other company lining decals available that could be used to line out this train? I think GCR used white/black/white like the LNER? I would never be able to get mapping pen lining to look good in such a big scale.

many thanks.

Will

You may have your choice!According to the RCTS Vol2B "Though painted in GCR green livery when new,engines of this class fairly soon lapsed to lined black only to be restored to green by the LNER....".Thats all that the RCTS has to say but I'm sure you will get more info from here before too long-best of luck with it,lovely engine,I have one to build in 4mm eventually.

thanks.

I am sure 'Immingham' was named for the opening of the docks, which was in 1913. Surley it was painted green for this purpose? It was pulling the King, Queen, all the directors and other VIP's.

But Immingham was built in 1906, and my layout is based in the early 'teens. So it makes me wonder if it carried black/green between different works visits as it aged. A decade is a long time for a pre grouping loco to keep its original livery no?

So looks like I could almost choose what colour I want! Nice situation to be in I suppose!

any other info would be very nice. Cheers Rob.

P.S- is D11 Butler Henderson, i) currently on display in York, ii) currently in GCR green? Pictures I see on the web show it in BR black, but I am sure it is static condition now no? If so, I may pop up to NRM and get some detail photos of the Green livery.

Will

The GCR 4-6-0 volume of "Yeadon's" may have the answer - it will probably also have pictures. Alas I don't have that volume yet, so I can't check.

Richard

Yeadons does not seem to be that helpful,adding nothing extra that I can see-probably needs a more specialised book.It does state that almost new "Immingham" hauled the train that brought VIP's to the 1906 "first sod" ceremony.It lasted to become the last surviving GCR 4.6.0 apparently.If I come across more,I will of course update.Cheers,
Rob

great!

Interesting that you clarify it was th sod-cutting cermony Immingham was named for, as the train was more or less new then. Sources I have read, alas mainly local history publications, said it was present at the OPENING of Immingham, which was 1913. I thought that was strange!

Assuming it was green in 1906, I think I can safely assume this 'pet' loco may well have lost its significance by 1910-14, and become just another black loco. Afterall, as a named 4-6-0 in 1906 it was unique, but if you think what illustrious engines were named on the gcr in 1910-14, a solitary 8F wouldn't be so important as to permit green livery over her almost certainly black painted sister engines?

Cheers guys, this info is all very much appreciated.

Will

finally sorted this one- took a lot of detailed line-by-line reading.

Immingham class was shopped green, but reverted to black within a fe wweeks of each other in mid 1908. Seems it was a concious livery change rather than a 'we'll do it the next time it's due at Gorton for servicing' decision.

Dow's book confirms this, and so does a lovely detailed summary in 'Locomotives of the Great Central Railway' by Johnson. And to make things even better there is a lovely A4 sized picture of no'1096, Immminghams sister engine, in fully lined black livery- dated 1909. Bingo!

now all i need to do is work out exactly what that black engine lining was. white-rd-white on cab/tender/boiler? with plain red spashers? really not sure. Maybe LNER green-loco white-black-white lining would work on a model? Most sheets include the red goods lining as well, so i could combine the two?

Will