A3 pacifics in BR blue livery on GC section

[patch]

Has anyone any knowledge or information regarding A3's allocated to the GC section which ran in the early BR blue livery? I am particularly interested in any blue liveried A3 which may have been used for the 'Master Cutler' and passed through Nottingham Victoria.

[Flamingo]

I rather liked that early BR blue livery on the A1s and A3s.

RCTS Part 2A gives the dates for livery changes and shed allocations. There are quite a few possibles but I can't say which of them would definitely have worked the Master Cutler:

60048
60049
60050
60052
60059
60102
60103
60104
60111

.

[stembok]

The B R blue livery was first applied to A3s around May/1949 and the last A3 to carry it was 60104 May/1953. During that time the following A3s worked on the GC. 60048/49/50/51/52/53/54/59/61//102/103/104/107/108/111. Some for a short time ,others for several years. I have before me a picture of 60052 entering Nottingham Victoria on the Master Cutler in blue livery in 1950. I'm sure there are lots more. Hope this helps and that I have not missed any A3s.

[Flamingo]

Not all of those carried BR Blue during their time on the GC Section. 60053 was only there for 3 months in 1949, and was not painted blue until after it left. 60063 did not arrive until early 1953 by which time it was in BR green. 60108 just missed out, arriving on the GC one month after it went into BR green.

[patch]

Thanks Flamingo/Stembok. Your replies are very helpful. I've been commissioned to paint a picture of the 'Master Cutler' departing Nottingham Victoria in the early 50's, preferably with a blue liveried pacific in charge. It seems I have quite a choice! I am particularly drawn to three possibilities - 60052 which I understand to be the last A3 scrapped - 60103 - and 60104 as this appears to have been a long time resident on the GC section and the last A3 to be repainted out of the blue livery. I would welcome your views.

[stembok]

60052 had a varied career on the GN and GC and was then on the North Eastern Region on Tyneside and also spells as main line pilot at Darlington from C1957 until 8/1963 when it moved on to Scotland for its final years, withdrawn, January,1966.
60104 was one of the original A1s. Life spent on GN and GC. The first A3 to be condemned 12/59, though, the pioneer Gresley Pacific 'Great Northern' had been rebuilt by Thompson in 1945.
60103 was at Leicester GC 4/6/50 until 15/11/53 when it moved back to the GN, plus a short spell at Gorton C1944. Undoubtedly the most famous and iconic member of the class because of its exploits, but despite this not reputedly one of the best, either pre or post-war. In my own purely personal view I'd go for 60104, as 60103 has received its share of attention and continues to do so. But good luck and thanks for asking.

[Flamingo]

I agree with Stembok that Solario would be a good choice. Not that long ago Hornby were selling an 00 gauge model of 60052 in BR blue, don't know if it is still available but I have seen them on EBay. Always been outbid whenever I've tried to buy one there.

Here's a photo I found of an A3 in BR blue, not one that ran on the GC though. I remember the blue as rather darker than this - maybe this is noe of the few that were painted in experimental blue before the darker blue came in.

I saw 60163 for the first time recently and learned that they plan to paint it in BR blue when the first repaint from LNER green is due. The A1 sales stand were selling a nice colour print of 60145 in blue and that is definitely the darker shade that I remember.

Don't forget to make it a right hand drive engine for your picture - they were not converted to LHD while in blue livery.

[andrew spencer]

I clearly remember as a young boy and avid spotter one hot summer afternoon in the early 1950s seeing 60111 Enterprise resplendent in fresh blue livery leaning over on the curve at speed in the cutting approaching Kirkby Bentinck Station from the South at the foot of St Wilfrids Church fields. It is a vision of an A3 in Blue that still remains in my memory 65 years later!