What livery is this?

[Heather Kay]

I am a bit of a closet LNWR fan, it's fair to say. I like to think I'm fairly clued up on things Crewe, but not overly so.

Anyway, Bachmann have released a 4mm scale 0-6-2T Coal Tank, and it comes in several liveries. One has been puzzling me, as I'm not sure I've ever see it before.

Catalogue No 35-050

Now, I have always understood that all LNWR locos, be they ever so 'umble, received the full red/cream/grey lining out over their blackberry black. This white edge to the top of the tank and bunker beading is one that, so far, has escaped me. Any clues?

 

[AJC]

The 'white' edge - more clearly in other pictures of these models - is actually silver: it's meant to represent polished beading. I've read (somewhere over there) that this was a feature of a certain point in time, but now can't find it... The absence of lining is right up until a certain point- and gain, I can't find the reference - (and is how the surviving loco' is currently presented).

Adam

 

[Heather Kay]

Thanks Adam. That makes a little more sense.

 

[Mike W]

Adam is absolutely right and lining was discontinued for all engines during the Great War anyway. Unless an engine was specially prepared so far as I can see those top horizontal beads were (almost) always black rather than polished but modellers think they look nice.

Mike

 

[AJC]

...so far as I can see those top horizontal beads were (almost) always black rather than polished but modellers think they look nice.

Mike

*Some* modellers. I could live without...

Adam

 

[Bill Bedford]

The polished beading and handrails were almost certainly a loco men's embellishment.

 

[John D]

Bowen-Cooke's 'edict' of 1908 to all steam sheds states......" Bright Work.....hand rails, angle around tank tops, hand pillars, coupling rods, spindle rods and weigh bars ....the above parts to be greased over with cleaning oil then scoured with No. 1 emery or bath brick and oil, and a little tallow rubbed over them"
It doesn't help that Bachmann seem to have gone over the top with the silver paint, perhaps toned down to a dull steel colour would improve.
As we know the Coal Tanks started off life in plain black.....wonder who's going to be the first to convert the smokebox of the Bachmann model to one with a sloping front and lift up door to suit.......

John

 

[Heather Kay]

Thanks, everyone. This is all interesting stuff and filling in some blanks in my knowledge.

Perhaps I was conflating the L&YR livery with LNWR.

 

[David Varley]

According to 'Bashers, Gadgets and Mourners' (the definitive book on the humble Coal Tank in my humble opinion), when the first of the class appeared in 1881 it was in 'the standard LNWR goods livery of plain black'.

"The appearance of the paint in this era was not glossy, but nearer to mid-sheen or sation, as it would now be known. The semi-matt appearance would only be improved by the work of the engine cleaners at the shed. To achieve a glossy appearance varnish had to be applied. This was only used for passenger engines, which also had red, cream and grey lining applied prior to the varnish."

"The date when Coal Tanks first carried passenger livery is unknown. It is considered that goods engines first appeared in this manner during 1892 and certainly before the end of the century, Coal Tanks could be seen in both plain black goods livery and lined passenger livery."

The book includes at least one photo where the handrails, tank beading and the arm of the reversing rod have been kept bright.