Best livery on a Class 47

[hexagon789]

Great thread - many happy memories! And a number of things I had no knowledge of (a darker ScotRail livery, NSE colours in Inverness too!)

I know it's all just personal opinion and all that, but my preference was for the pattern/stripe to carry on underneath the (side) cab windows for the locos that were hauling matching carriages - e.g. the NSE treatment rather than the standard InterCity/ ScotRail treatment (where the big yellow section underneath the (side) cab windows meant that it didn't line up with the carriages. Whereas it wasn't an issue on Large Logo, since Large Logo didn't carry on the same pattern as the carriages (it just used the same blue colour as part of the carriages).

ScotRail and InterCity do look good schemes (I've said before that BR were a lot better at liveries/ design than at actually running trains!), but there's a slight disconnect when you see an InterCity/ ScotRail locomotive hauling a rake of carriages but with a chunk of yellow spoiling the pattern (that you didn't get with the NSE application that went all the way to the edge of the locomotive)

No 47s, or indeed any locos, gained the darker stripe - only a few coaches.

I would've liked to have seen it though in actuality, just to see how a 47 would've looked instead.

Also if you want far travelled regional liveries, while an NSE 47 made it to Inverness, a ScotRail Sector one made it to Penzance!

 

[43096]

No 47s, or indeed any locos, gained the darker stripe - only a few coaches.

I would've liked to have seen it though in actuality, just to see how a 47 would've looked instead.

Also if you want far travelled regional liveries, while an NSE 47 made it to Inverness, a ScotRail Sector one made it to Penzance!

The darker stripe suffers from the same problem the claret stripe tried on IC Swallow suffered from: it looks too dull. The light blue was unquestionably the right decision.

But it’s a fascinating photo - until this thread I never knew that variation had been tried.

 

[Cowley]

The darker stripe suffers from the same problem the claret stripe tried on IC Swallow suffered from: it looks too dull. The light blue was unquestionably the right decision.

But it’s a fascinating photo - until this thread I never knew that variation had been tried.

Nor me. Well done with that one Hexagon, very interesting.
Honestly I’m in such a paint froth vortex right now that I’m going to have to go to bed.
(Also, why after 30+ years do I still retain the pointless information that it was mk2 number 5813 in Scotrail livery that used to end up in the southwest..?)

 

[Jamesrob637]

Intercity. That's why I have a model of one! Might get a Virgin liveried one too once back off furlough and on normal wage/a better-paying job.

 

[Journeyman]

The original two tone green looked really nice, but large logo always stood out as my favourite.

 

[muddythefish]

The original two-tone green with half yellow warning panel was always the best for me

 

[dubscottie]

The darker stripe suffers from the same problem the claret stripe tried on IC Swallow suffered from: it looks too dull. The light blue was unquestionably the right decision.

But it’s a fascinating photo - until this thread I never knew that variation had been tried.

The claret stripe worked however on the various (three I think) versions used on the Gatwick Express.

I liked the provincial livery on 47475 but as mentioned about the early IC/ScotRail livery, the yellow on the cabsides never looked right.

 

[cockneyviking]

Dutch yellow and grey, 47976 carried it well

 

[Strathclyder]

In no particular order...

• ScotRail
• Network SouthEast (both versions)
• InterCity Swallow
• Railfreight Distribution/Freightliner Grey
• Rail Express Systems
• Virgin Red/Black
• BR Blue

 

[AM9]

The original two-tone green with half yellow warning panel was always the best for me

View attachment 87162

I agree absolutely with that. The horizontal banding reduces the slab sided appearance of them and green has always been a good colour for rail in my view. The problem with many of the privatised railway liveries is that the pressure to use them as just another publicity opportunity has encouraged some pretty garish schemes often quite inappropriate for the stock's outlines
As a slight aside, if NSE hadn't happened, it would have been interesting to see the 47s, (and maybe the 33s) turned out in the BR L&SE 'jaffa cake' livery.

 

[Neptune]

Work stained Large Logo blue with a black headcode box and snowploughs. (Ironically I’d say exactly the same for the class 37).

 

[ge-gn]

Did any ever get Regional Railways applied?

 

[Cowley]

Did any ever get Regional Railways applied?

No the only thing close was 47475 in Provincial livery.

leeds to liverpool

 

[Logan Carroll]

I think i’m in the minority here but i completely despise the NSE livery. I find it very tacky and garish. It looks slightly better on locos than on mutiple units but it still looks horrible .

My favourite is probably Scotrail Blue Stripe but i also like First Great Western.

 

[hexagon789]

The darker stripe suffers from the same problem the claret stripe tried on IC Swallow suffered from: it looks too dull. The light blue was unquestionably the right decision.

But it’s a fascinating photo - until this thread I never knew that variation had been tried.

I agree that Green made the right decision in the end, but part of me would've liked to have seen it applied to one loco as well as at least three coaches

Nor me. Well done with that one Hexagon, very interesting.
Honestly I’m in such a paint froth vortex right now that I’m going to have to go to bed.
(Also, why after 30+ years do I still retain the pointless information that it was mk2 number 5813 in Scotrail livery that used to end up in the southwest..?)

All part of my layout research. Prototypically I can have the Mk3A TSO or Mk2D TSOT for a 1985 layout with ScotRail Sector 47/7s.

In no particular order...

• ScotRail
• Network SouthEast (both versions)
• InterCity Swallow
• Railfreight Distribution/Freightliner Grey
• Rail Express Systems
• Virgin Red/Black
• BR Blue

I do miss Virgin Red

Never quite as keen on the 57s in silver/red

 

[Royston Vasey]

Scotrail with a red stripe, IS Depot stags in the yellow box, and black indicator panel

View attachment 87101

Unusually for Intercity Executive, also a black cab roof which Swallow later adopted albeit with a window height warning panel. It looks great that way.

My least favourite Intercity front end was the cantrail height yellow panel with no wrap-around yellow at all, just a clumsy slab of yellow. Also later seen on at least one Swallow variant, although IIRC with some rather sharp looking black window surrounds.


I also just remembered the Midland Railway red on 97561, the two thin yellow stripes really integrated the yellow ends into the historically inspired design and the light grey roof always smartened any livery. I preferred it to the LNER apple green on 47522 which was outshopped at around the same time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37260/9718411240/

 

[pdeaves]

From my view of the world, almost any livery is 'best' when freshly-outshopped (i.e. sparkling clean) That said, I prefer the later NSE version to the earlier one (i.e. the straight ends rather than the upsweeps; not fussed about the changed blue shade).

 

[Logan Carroll]

Never quite as keen on the 57s in silver/red

I quite like the novelty of modern liveries on older trains.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I quite like the novelty of modern liveries on older trains.

I think Virgin red and silver is a modern classic and would look good on a Pacer. Certainly on a loco.

 

[hexagon789]

I quite like the novelty of modern liveries on older trains.

Depends on the livery, some just don't suit the body styling or aren't modified to suit. Some are just not great liveries to start with.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I think Virgin red and silver is a modern classic and would look good on a Pacer. Certainly on a loco.

Virgin red and silver was on a loco - a 57? Which were rebuilt 47s? Or have I wildly missed something ?

 

[hexagon789]

Virgin red and silver was on a loco - a 57? Which were rebuilt 47s? Or have I wildly missed something ?

Possibly because they are rebuilt 57s and not exactly 47s? Virgin's hlaoaohad modded front ends but the Freightliner ones I believe didn't change anything of the outward appearance so still looked exactly like a 47.

 

[delt1c]

I think i’m in the minority here but i completely despise the NSE livery. I find it very tacky and garish. It looks slightly better on locos than on mutiple units but it still looks horrible .

My favourite is probably Scotrail Blue Stripe but i also like First Great Western.

I would agree, always thought the NSE was a step to far, also never liked IC ( on any stock or loco) but the adaptingf with the Blue strip think that Scotrail was the nicest and wore well. As for 2 tone Green , was nice when applied but quickly weathered.

 

[Helvellyn]

Yes, there are a few of both the Mk3A TSO and at least one of the Mk2D TSOT that I know of on Flickr.

Here is probably the best one of the Mk3A TSO as it's actually the subject matter, in the other photos it's in the background.

There's also the chosen colour stripe on the coach next to it for useful comparison. Note on the darker blue scheme the Executive Light Grey extends above cantrail height up to the roof line as well:

Mk3s - Montrose - Experimental ScotRail livery

Mk3s - Montrose - Experimental (?) ScotRail livery. Prior to the adoption of the light blue for ScotRail vehicles I noted several Mk3s (mostly on the E&G push-pull services) in a Rail Blue (?) variation of "Intercity Red Stripe" livery. The treatment of the beige above the cantrail strip also...

www.flickr.com

(Photo credit to Andrew McConnell)

Thank you! As a couple of others have said that was completely new information for me. The dark blue looks like rail blue, but definitely looks dull like the later claret stripe did.

The light grey extending up above the cantrail was certainly present on the first two HST sets painted and also Mark 3A FO M11011. I believe BR blue was applied above the cantrain on the Mark 3 stock, but replacing it with a lighter colour meant dirt showed up whereas the blue hid it well.

Nor me. Well done with that one Hexagon, very interesting.
Honestly I’m in such a paint froth vortex right now that I’m going to have to go to bed.
(Also, why after 30+ years do I still retain the pointless information that it was mk2 number 5813 in Scotrail livery that used to end up in the southwest..?)

Haha, that's a nugget that stuck in my head as well. I can only think that because it was back and on forth on one of the Anglo-Scottish "Scots" (Devon/Scots) it became memorable when seeing it every day in the holidays, or every Saturday out of them.

 

[47360]

A heavily weather beaten two tone green on a Class 47 still remains the best livery I've seen on any loco

 

[hexagon789]

Thank you! As a couple of others have said that was completely new information for me. The dark blue looks like rail blue, but definitely looks dull like the later claret stripe did.

The reason it looks like Rail Blue is because it is Rail Blue! Effectively the original version was to be as per InterCity but the red stripe replaced by a Rail Blue one.

Haha, that's a nugget that stuck in my head as well. I can only think that because it was back and on forth on one of the Anglo-Scottish "Scots" (Devon/Scots) it became memorable when seeing it every day in the holidays, or every Saturday out of them.

I have also seen one of the 5 ScotRail Mk1 BGs, one of the 5 ScR Mk2C CKs and a ScotRail branded sleeper appear in Scotland-West Country trains, so the use of the Mk2E TSO was by no means unique.

 

[paolocoopio]

Another vote for the GWR green of Isambard.

Does anyone remember the Waterman black?

 

[AM9]

Another vote for the GWR green of Isambard.

Does anyone remember the Waterman black?

I think so. I also think that the WCR maroon is quite smart and looks good, even when pulling a rake that isn't all MK1&2 maroon.

 

[sprinterguy]

Does anyone remember the Waterman black?

Yes, though I preferred the Fragonset livery that followed it on the 47/7s they took on from Waterman Railways.

I think so. I also think that the WCR maroon is quite smart and looks good, even when pulling a rake that isn't all MK1&2 maroon.

Personally I can't think of a worse livery than West Coast Railway's drab brown. If they wanted a livery to suit maroon coaching stock then BR-two tone green would have been much more aesthetically pleasing.

My personal favourite livery on a 47 is BR large logo. I'd also commend original two-tone green, BR Executive and Scotrail as well as Virgin Trains red/black.

 

[hexagon789]

Personally I can't think of a worse livery than West Coast Railway's drab brown. If they wanted a livery to suit maroon coaching stock then BR-two tone green would have been much more aesthetically pleasing.

I agree with that, it's just rather bland and having a complementary livery such as two-tone green would suit maroon stock arguably even better. Or even the green used on IKB