Cab colours

[delticfan]

This is a general question not connected to any specific loco but where a cream colour has been used inside a steam loco cab is there a reference to it or was it any old pot of paint left over which was used.

[Atlantic 3279]

I suspect it depends on the period, the works and the type of loco, but as far as I can tell so far, for the true LNER period and earlier, nobody seems to really KNOW with any degree of certainty. Latter day "restorations" for museums and preservation societies do not necessarily prove what was done in past. I'd be delighted if somebody would speak up with authoritative answers to the question, ideally for all LNER works, all locos, and all phases of the LNER's existence, along with answers for the pre-group companies, all based on hard evidence from the period.

[mick b]

As said by Graeme , no one seems to know.

I have read for the NER and probably the same in LNER Period as they liked to do things the NER way at Darlington, Mid Red .
However I have a photo of the preserved NER D17 with a Teak scumbled painted Cab and I believe the NER Tennant E4 is the same/similar layout.

Bachmann like Cream interiors for their LNER examples.

LNER A3 Apple Green .

LNER A4 Garter Blue. Mallard is that colour at the moment.


The preserved J27 is Cream etc, on the NYMR as below

[john coffin]

GNR locos from Doncaster had a dark green cab interior up until December 31st 1922
I would think that carried forward for some 2-3 years post grouping whilst everything else
was sorted.

I think the GER used light paint, certainly with the Blue locomotives.

Paul

[croesnewydd]

From the excellent book by John Quick

Early Robinson GCR Classes
Cab Interior G.C.R. Loco Cream from Precision Paints - noted to be 'very pale yellow' but the painting specifications say 'stone colour'.
Then the 8K required a green finish inside the cab.

And John Quick notes there is no information about the late classes and he seems to suggest the yellow or green is speculative.

John

[Hatfield Shed]

An NRM reproduction of the LNER's tendering specification for the V2 includes in the section 'Painting':
"Inside of cab and front of tender to be finished dark green and varnished three coats".

[greenglade]

From what I have read and I can only relate to Gresley A1's and 4472 in particular, the cab interior was painted GNR Green, IIRC the darker of the two. The front of the tender coal wall was painted in the same colour.

Pete

[Atlantic 3279]

For me it is quite a revelation not only that the GNR scheme was for dark green cab interiors and tender fronts, but that this specification persisted for the V2s, well over a decade after the GNR ceased to exist. The implication might be that the dark green was standard for for all Doncaster-built green locos up to that time, maybe for all green locos of Doncaster design. That might not apply to the D49s of course, if I have deduced the "rule" correctly, especially given Darlington's non-conformism..

[kimballthurlow]

As said by Graeme , no one seems to know.

I have read for the NER and probably the same in LNER Period as they liked to do things the NER way at Darlington, Mid Red .
However I have a photo of the preserved NER D17 with a Teak scumbled painted Cab and I believe the NER Tennant E4 is the same/similar layout.
..
The preserved J27 is Cream etc, on the NYMR as below

lner j27 cab.jpg

..

This 1:16 model of the NER Tennant 2-4-0 #1463 is I believe quite old. Same as the one held by the National collection.
I know a model cannot be taken as indicative of the real thing, and unfortunately provenance on this item is a mystery.
Anyway it is another look at the question.

NER 1463 cab

Kimball Thurlow

[mick b]

Tennant , this is one from the Dark Side mentioned in earlier post .

[delticfan]

Wow! Thanks for the considered replies. I was sort of hoping someone would say off white, the cab is for my 5 inch B1. I’m repainting the cab as it has seen better days, the outside is easy Halfords black gloss but I did think a cream or stone would brighten up the interior as it usually looks like the black hole of Calcutta! I bought a can of what looked like cream but guess what it was grey white it doesn’t look bad on test but I agree a cream would be better.

[kimballthurlow]

Tennant , this is one from the Dark Side mentioned in earlier post .


Tennant6.jpg.09075cd03ee25dda53d8e8b58d71cc36.jpg

Hello Mick,

The Tennant model is interesting. Is it O gauge?
The frame skirt under the running plate is painted black or a very dark colour.
I have a used picture-post-card dated 1919 which shows this engine in that same colouring.

Yet the Tennant owned by the National Collection (and my 1:16 model) have the red-brown skirt colouring which most assume was used on GNR, GCR and NER locomotives. It is interesting how colour memories are very much subjective.

regards
Kimball Thurlow

[mick b]

Re the Tennant it is 4mm , it is a Arthur Kimber kit .

Sadly not mine, see here

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index ... nt-4106635

[Atlantic 3279]

Depictions of different livery periods? NER livery evidently evolved over the course of time.

[mick b]

Knowing Darlington practicies ,probably not before the 1930's at the earliest.

They were still using NER Class codes on the Bufferbeam , Red Buffers and their own shade of Green till then at least.