mortehoe Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Knowing our luck we will get one in Blue, but it will be in the one off livery with a red body stripe, carried by only one member of the class, come on LC&DR over to you( my reference library went up in smoke). Two for me, Belgian Marine with Pullmans and the Royal Head code, and Aberdeen Common Wealth. Oh and of course 4-Cor, 4-Lav, 4-Sub, W, H-15 ( not those awful rebuilds ). Oh and did I ask for a 4-Cor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the ferret Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Couldn't agree more PP, it's like the damfool politicians and "reflation"!!! Seriously though I remember 21C1 in about the August of 1941 drawing up to the stopblocks at Waterloo with what I can only assume was the "UP" Atlantic Coast Express or whatever was in its place as a result of wartime restrictions! Yes! I would love a model of "Channel Packet" in original Bulleid condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaj Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 mortehoe said:Knowing our luck we will get one in Blue, What would be wrong with getting one in BR Blue, it would be nice to see a diffrent livery for a steam loco that the usual BR Green! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 the ferret said:Yes! I would love a model of "Channel Packet" in original Bulleid condition.A Flannel Jacket like 21C1 - as built with a widow's peak, in malachite, would be a delight.The sweep of the casing down to the buffers and pistons on the early Merchant Navies is quite remarkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Yes Mortehoe (oblique reference to the plain blue 4 Vep I presume?)it would be just our luck to get 35024 as the only example in blue with the red stripes!The other regions have had their 8P power in blue so why not the Southern.It is ironic that the LNER could keep blue looking good on the 'Streaks' but BR failed miserably with the 8P blue livery and abandoned it in favour of boring dark green. Even the mixed traffic black lined in LNWR style, if kept clean looked more attractive than the passenger green that BR painted most of its express passenger locomotives. Thank heaven that the LMR had the good sense to paint some of their 8P locomotives red eventually. I suppose I like the LNWR style because the LCDR and the PQR both used variations of it. Linda and Blanche first arrived at Portmadoc in this livery and I saw them there in the 1960s, and jolly good they looked too. Now my air smoothed Merchant Navy in blue is finished I an really pleased with it. It looks more smart than any of the West Countrys in BR green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenRB Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 forester said:The Unrebuilt MN is one of the last 8P express locos still to be produced by any manufacturer. Time to fill that gap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenRB Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 I would also like to seee this loco type modelled to run with the Waterloo to Exeter section of the Devon Belle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 The Devon Belle ran between June 1947 and September 1954 (7 years) and it only ran between June and September and it did not run every day. Initially it ran Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but in the final three years it only ran at weekends. The departure from Waterloo was almost always in charge of the Merchant Navy class as far as Exeter, and always an 'air-smoothed' Pacific. The locomotives were changed at Wilton and Exeter Central. The change at Wilton was done because it was believed to be quicker to change engines than for the first engine to take on water! The Southern did not use water troughs. The change at Exeter was because the Merchant Navy was too heavy to go further west. Passengers therefore had the chance to ride behind two Merchant Navys and a West Country. The Merchant Navy class were painted blue between 1949 and 1953 (4 years) so for most of its operation it would almost certainly have a blue engine on the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortehoe Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 LC&DR said:The Devon Belle ran between June 1947 and September 1954 (7 years) and it only ran between June and September and it did not run every day. Initially it ran Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but in the final three years it only ran at weekends. The departure from Waterloo was almost always in charge of the Merchant Navy class as far as Exeter, and always an 'air-smoothed' Pacific. The locomotives were changed at Wilton and Exeter Central. The change at Wilton was done because it was believed to be quicker to change engines than for the first engine to take on water! The Southern did not use water troughs. The change at Exeter was because the Merchant Navy was too heavy to go further west. Passengers therefore had the chance to ride behind two Merchant Navys and a West Country. The Merchant Navy class were painted blue between 1949 and 1953 (4 years) so for most of its operation it would almost certainly have a blue engine on the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortehoe Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Hi LC&DR, I read a day or two ago, that three of the class were not painted blue. I was under the impression that all the class received the blue treatment ????. Can you shed some light on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 It is true 35011, 35014, and 35023 went straight from Malachite to dark green in 1951, I had forgotten that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulleidboy Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 You will recall that the blue livery was only used for a short time because it didn't wear well (a bit like auto Red). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postman Prat Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 So they say. It did on the LNER and Caledonian Railway not to mention the GER (oh, I did mention it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenRB Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 I saw several Devon Belles arriving at Exeter Central from Waterloo with an M.N.,then going on to Ilfracombe with a B.o B. or W.C. and also doing the opposite when returning from Devon to london. I have still got my notebook with details of loco and pullman names and car nos. of several trains spotted in Sept. and Oct. 1954, at Exeter Central.LC&DR said:The Devon Belle ran between June 1947 and September 1954 (7 years) and it only ran between June and September and it did not run every day. Initially it ran Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but in the final three years it only ran at weekends. The departure from Waterloo was almost always in charge of the Merchant Navy class as far as Exeter, and always an 'air-smoothed' Pacific. The locomotives were changed at Wilton and Exeter Central. The change at Wilton was done because it was believed to be quicker to change engines than for the first engine to take on water! The Southern did not use water troughs. The change at Exeter was because the Merchant Navy was too heavy to go further west. Passengers therefore had the chance to ride behind two Merchant Navys and a West Country. The Merchant Navy class were painted blue between 1949 and 1953 (4 years) so for most of its operation it would almost certainly have a blue engine on the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 A Devon Belle Maxi train pack would be a formidable luxury item, hugely expensive of course. An air smoothed Merchant Navy,plus a similar West Country, four or five pullman cars and an observation car. However I doubt if anyone on this forum could afford it, but what a Christmas present! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortehoe Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 LC&DR, can you play the Banjo ? cause I am pretty good on the spoons, and I have a large enamel cup, a bit of busking and it will be a sinch, they will pay us to move on.All joking apart, that is a good idea for a super set, but the cost wow !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I cannot play the banjo, but if I were to sing it might have the same effect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forester Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 Anyone else noticed how many people model West Country class locos in blue? (incorrectly).I've seen professional West Country repaints in blue. I've seen them on exhibition layouts. Wrenn did one, Graham Farish?.... All this must show there is a pent-up demand for a proper blue original Merchant Navy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortehoe Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 forester, I had a stand up sit down argument with a guy at the Halifax exhibition a few years ago.He was selling a Hornby original West Country in black. A far as I know they were green from the start, and since the Hornby model has the V cab black is a no no.The only real break you could get away with, and that will be pushing it, is renaming City of Wells ( apart from renaming Wells ) is naming it O.V.S. Bullied, but she only carried that name whilst undergoing attention in the work shop.A Blue Merchant would be great, but LC&DR's idea of a super set with Pullmans and Blue Merchant Navy, with a West Country would be great. To finance it I am applying for EU membership, as a small country, to qualify for a bail out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Suggestion - set yourself up as the Kingdom of Wessex, and declare independence? Home Rule for Wessex!! See the movement has started already!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortehoe Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 The Kingdom of Wessex, in West Yorkshire, might be pushing it a bit. I can see the coat of arms, a wallet with a thumping big padlock on it !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postman Prat Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Yorkshire wallets come with a big padlock as a standard fitting!!Anyway, who says we'd let either of you into Wessex!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortehoe Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I could do with another stamp on my passport. I am going to have to make my own carriage destination boards, and engine head board. The Royal Wessex has just become The Royal Wallet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forester Posted November 5, 2011 Author Share Posted November 5, 2011 mortehoe said:forester, I had a stand up sit down argument with a guy at the Halifax exhibition a few years ago.He was selling a Hornby original West Country in black. A far as I know they were green from the start, You are right mortehoe, West Countries were never black. Why do people do that? Would they paint them LMS crimson Lake?But early unrebuilt Merchant Navies were black and looked smart if they were clean. I would have to have a black one if Hornby ever produces an U/R MN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 The light pacifics were subject to the livery experiments in 1949 and a few ran in apple green lined out grey yellow and red. Apart from these the light pacifics only really had two liveries Malachite with yellow stripes, and dark green with orange and black lining. There were individual variations on these themes however. (I am ignoring works grey of course).The Merchant Navy class, or at least members of it, managed to appear in Malachite lined yellow, Black unlined , Blue lined red, Blue lined black and white (at least two different shades), and dark green lined orange and black. Unfortunately none of these apart from dark green was ever applied to the locomotives in BR service after they were rebuilt. In preservation one did get painted blue for a little while, and very nice it looked too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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