The LNER Encyclopedia

Those of you who have followed my thread on computer coloured monochrome will appreciate the importance of getting colours and shades correct. Permanent way, locomotives and to a lesser extent rolling stock do not present problems but station architecture can be a headache. The attached pictures are extracts from a negative exposed on Potters Bar station in the late 1930s. I need some help with colours for the following:

PB1: Gas lamp post, step handrails, background to the signal box name.
(The light panels on the signal box will have been cream.)

PB2: Gas lamp post (again, and almost certainly the same), platform seat.

If anyone knows for sure what any of these colours would have been, please enlighten. Many thanks, DW

Sorry Darwin, but I can't help with certainty, though I'd hazard a guess that the background to the box nameboard was the usual LNER dark blue.

The upper part of the box looks fairly unusual one side brick and one side wood was that how the box was originally built or was that a later change to the box for some reason?.

It's not a box that was photographed that much i've only ever seen a couple of photographs of it in 45+ years!.

As you say Micky unusual arrangement with Potters Bar box having half brick with timber front. My thoughts on this is that it would be easier to make alterations to the frame and interlocking with the timber construction at the front. Having the brick construction at the back where the fireplace is reduces fire risk.

G'Day Gents

GN and LNER station colours did change over the years, try here, http://www.stationcolours.info/ hope it works.

manna

The strongest possibility is that the box and the other fittings would have been in brown and cream since the green and cream livery was only introduced in the latter part of the 30s and took quite a time to be fully implemented. You do not hazard the dates of the photos so unless they are late 30s they have to be brown and cream. This would be confirmed by the fact that a repaint seems overdue?

2512silverfox wrote:The strongest possibility is that the box and the other fittings would have been in brown and cream since the green and cream livery was only introduced in the latter part of the 30s and took quite a time to be fully implemented.

I have a vague feeling that on 2 separate visits to Welwyn north box circa 1972 & 1973 the interior was still as mentioned by 2512silverfox with (faded) cream coloured walls and the backwall desk and fittings painted in a dark brown?.

The unattractive all brick doorway to Potters Bar (above) seems a bit basic looking compared to the more ornate wooden front part of the box?.

Micky wrote:The upper part of the box looks fairly unusual one side brick and one side wood was that how the box was originally built or was that a later change to the box for some reason?

It was almost certainly built like that - note the brick chimney which implies a hearth rather than stove was provided. The hearth would require the rear wall to be brick and to discourage the rear wall from falling over it is usual to support it with a section of one end of the box in brick too. It is more common to find that at the non-stairs end but perhaps there were ground conditions that dictated otherwise here.

John

The date of the Potters Bar photograph isn't known but is almost certainly the late 30s. I attach the whole picture which may help further. Thanks to 'Manna' for the link, which I have found useful.

I also attach a portion of another photo taken at Alnmouth in 1952. Again, no details but I would especially like to know more about the leading vehicle behind the D20. A parcels van? LNER built or earlier? Livery?

Someone will probably be able to date that first picture by the Pullman cars. That someone isn't me, however.

The second photo shows a Thompson 63' BG much like this one. Available from Bachmann I believe as well as this kit from Blacksmith and possibly also from Comet. Availabililty of both is uncertain at the moment.

Hi Darwin 4975

The full brake is a Thompson Dia 327 deal plank sided vehicle designed in 1944, of which 53 were built in 1945/6. According to Harris one or two were still in service in the mid 1970s.

By coincidence I saw a Blacksmith 4mm model of one today on a layout I was operating on here in Adelaide. I also have one but it is built from the Mailcoach kit.

I have been following this Potters Bar subject as I lived at Potters Bar until we emigrated in 1964 when I was 8 years old. We lived in Laurel Ave which was very close to the station.

Woodcock29

G'Day Gents

Darwin, your welcome. That's a very nice picture of Potters Bar (North End) and an area of the station you very rarely see, especially in the 1930's Potters Bar and Hadley Wood were very much out of favour, such a pity.

manna

jwealleans wrote:The second photo shows a Thompson 63' BG much like this one. Available from Bachmann I believe as well as this kit from Blacksmith and possibly also from Comet. Availabililty of both is uncertain at the moment.

Isn't/wasn't the Bachmann one the smooth panelled diagrams? (Sorry can't look up reference because I haven't unpacked those books yet.)

There is one of these available on the Cooper Craft website. (Their list as MC19). Does anybody have any experience of building one?
I was considering making one using a Bachmann vehicle as a donor, but the kit might me quicker.

If it's actually available (a phone call before ordering is de rigeur these days, the ones I've seen make up quite well. Usual advice about heavier bogies and underdanglies applies.

I did think Bachmann had done the planked one as well but I may be wrong.

George Dent gives a very brief summary of building one here.

jwealleans wrote:If it's actually available (a phone call before ordering is de rigeur these days, the ones I've seen make up quite well. Usual advice about heavier bogies and underdanglies applies.

I did think Bachmann had done the planked one as well but I may be wrong.

George Dent gives a very brief summary of building one here.

Many thanks. I will do that. Sorry Darwin4975 for hi-jacking this thread.