I would like to know which loco classes received the BR experimental ultramarine or purple livery.
I remember when I was a kid, that I had a jigsaw puzzle that showed a 'purple' locomotive crossing a bridge, possibly the Firth of Forth bridge. At that time to me a locomotive was a locomotive, but now I tend to think it may have been an A3 class; certainly no A4.
Well, taking Colombo as an example (according to the same book)...
It was painted in the experimental purple in July 1948, and ran in it for a year before it was repainted into the BR blue. This didn't last very long either, as it received Swindon Khaki in December 1951.
Only a kid at the time, I can vaguely remember the blue that was used, but I'm jigged if I can remember the purple. Does anyone have a colour photo of a pacific in purple. I don't think I'd be the only one to enjoy such a sight.
There is a good picture of No 28 in the colour album "The A4 Pacifics" by Peter Townend carrying the experimental blue livery. Given the quality of colour film in 1948 I would hesitate to use this photo as a painting guide. I can't post as this would be a breach of copyright. I have found a couple of photos of A3s wearing the colour but the quality is so poor that they are little use.
Sayajirao wrote:
One more question, if you don't mind: Besides the A3s and A4s, did any of the A1s or A2s receive this livery?
I am not sure about the A2s but having checked the books I'm pretty certain none of the A1s were painted in the so called "purple" livery. In fact from No 60153 onward they didn't carry apple green, but were "standard" blue from new.
Agree with giner: I would also very much like to see a good picture of any of the 'purples'.
Unfortunately I do not have the book "The A4 Pacifics" by Peter Townend or any book with purple engines.
I guess this color was only tried on former LNER loco's, is that right?
Sayajirao wrote:
I guess this color was only tried on former LNER loco's, is that right?
Jos
I can't answer that question. I do know that other experiments with colour were tried by the fledgling BR. I have seen a picture of an LMS 4-6-0 (Patriot or Scot) in apple green. I think I read that the BR blue was adopted to draw a line - separating the new from the "Big Four". At least we were spared the sight of an A4 in LMS crimson lake.
I think this color looks great on the pacifics. Does anybody know if this color impression comes close to the real ultramarine / purple ?
Jos
Now you're asking! People's memories of colour are notoriously open to query and controversy. The effects of light, distortions introduced by photography, fading, wishful thinking etc all conspire to colour (sorry) the memory. The drawing of 91 certainly looks good, whether it's accurate.... you have to view it as a good guess. As someone with an "art" background I can only say that it is ultramarine. As none of the LNER pacifics that received the colour are amongst the survivors we can't even hope for a paint fragment.
chaz harrison wrote:People's memories of colour are notoriously open to query and controversy................wishful thinking etc...
Hahaha, understood Chaz and you are absolutely right; Talking about people's memories, I started this thread with memories of a old jigsaw puzzle from the 1950s! This colour comes close to the 'purple' I remember.. could be a bit more purple though.. wishful thinking?.. Well we never know until we will find THAT perfect colour photograph I guess. Perhaps B.R. (or NRM) has kept samples of the colours they tried in their experimental days..who knows.
One thing we can be sure of and that's the fact that memories fade a little. After all it was a very long time ago. I did the Captain Cuttle illustration from the memory of seeing the actual locomotive on more than one occasion as well as several other A3s (that was in my Doncaster days). I'm as sure as I can be that the colour was ultramarine. The "purple" effect was only the effect of light striking the surface and, perhaps, the effect of the use of oily rags used during the cleaning process. The experimental locomotives were kept clean as BR wanted to show them off ( a "bright new future" for Britains railways and the establishment of a brand).
Well we never know until we will find THAT perfect colour photograph I guess. Perhaps B.R. (or NRM) has kept samples of the colours they tried in their experimental days..who knows.