The LNER Encyclopedia

I'm in the process of building a scale model of the 1928 Flying Scotsman Locomotive and are wondering if you have details of the shade of Green paint used back then. Is there a Pantone Matching System (PMS) colour available? I would be most appreciative on any information you could forward to me.
Thanks
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If I am correctly informed, then the shade of "Doncaster Green" enamel sold by Phoenix Precison Paints is matched to the original. It is a highly subjective matter, but I find this colour to be alarmingly variable according to lighting conditions, looking hopelessly dark on a small model under subdued daylight or household incandescent lights, especially wheen fully gloss-finished. It only seems to take on the right appearance in full daylight, or with a dull / slightly weathered finish, or (of course) when seen on a full size steam loco!

To my eye, Railmatch Doncaster Green straight out of the jar (sprayed) gives a low-sheen finish that is all but identical to a dulled and slightly weathered treatment of the Phoenix Precison colour.

I second Atlantics comments above. LNER green was variable to say the least but he makes good constructive advice.

Sometimes a colour can be technically 'correct' but just looks wrong. There is a theory about 'scale' colour which sounds plausible to me - basically you sometimes need to alter the shading and/or lightness/darkness of the colour of the real thing to obtain an aesthetically pleasing model.

I too have had a "horror" moment with 'green', though with a model hedge on a diorama viewed alternately in daylight and artificial light rather than rolling stock. I would advise most fervently that modellers always paint their creations in the light they will be seen in...

Although we're getting off the main theme of "is the correct colour of paint available", for completeness I may as well add that the presence of the correct black and white lining makes a further appreciable difference to the interpretation of the basic green colour. A "very questionable" looking basic green shade has more than once started to look "right" to me once the lining was applied.

I think it should also be noted that the RTR manufacturers in the smaller scales also have quite a variation in shade of green. I have yet to put my Dapol B17 next to my Farish A3, but I know neither matches my Union Mills B12/3 which is almost olive!

Modern models from Dapol & Farish also significantly differ in their interpretation of "BR blood and custard".


Richard

Further too Atlantics comments about lining i have seen white and a sort of cream colour used.
Even on 12 inches to the foot scale Darlo and Donny could not agree about colour schemes.

Richard,

Olive? I have seen a colour picture of an A3 (Trigo I think) in LNER livery which looks distinctly olive. Now maybe it was the film-stock or was it the influence of the oily rag?

In any case I suspect that pre-war colours were much less uniform. Maybe someone who has worked in a railway paint-shop could comment?

Chaz