Great Western 'Merlin' Livery

[AlistairCowell]

Hi folks

As far as I know, there have been HSTs in 'Merlin' green and white livery before First took over in the late 1990s.
There were Class 47 in Green 'Merlin' livery as well.

Is there other vehicles that were in 'Merlin' livery? I think there were Mk3 sleeper cars for the 'Night Rivera' service.
Wondering if there is Mk2 buffet or a something like a guards van in that livery for the Night Rivera?

 

[Puppetfinger]

Did any of the motor rail vehicles get it?

 

[pdeaves]

I believe the motor rail vehicles, like the class 47(s?), were all-over green, whereas the passenger stock (and HST power cars) were green/ivory stripes.

 

[fgwrich]

As far as I’m aware, the only stock to gain the full Merlin Livery was the HSTs. The 47s as you mention gained the all over GWT Green scheme with Merlin logos, while the Night Riviera Mk3 Sleepers also gained it. No Mk2s received GWT Merlin livery, nor did the NVA Motor-rail wagons, which were delivered in FGW Green with gold band. A number of the Mk2s did later go on to receive FGW “Fag Packet” livery (painted upper band, vinyl lower), while the HSTs simply had the FGW Gold vinyls applied over the Merlin base.

 

[Bulleid]

Vividly remember photos showing the GWT Mk2s in Merlin livery without any decals in a magazine at the time of their refurbishment in 1998(?), however I’ve never come across any photos or reporting of them carrying this livery with decals in service so I assume they went straight into fag-packet livery to coincide with the launch of the Motorail service (again, there were photos of the launch event in magazines at the time.) Also, I have never seen any photos of the Mk3 sleepers in Merlin livery (although I do remember Lima produced a model) - does anyone know of any online?

 

[Anthony061]

Here's video footage of a mark 3 sleeper in Merlin:

 

[ScottGallagher]

Was this a post privatisation livery or shadow franchise as I'm fairly sure they still carried the Intercity logo on Merlin. Great Livery.

 

[DB]

Was this a post privatisation livery or shadow franchise as I'm fairly sure they still carried the Intercity logo on Merlin. Great Livery.

Post privatisation. It had its own logo.

 

[pdeaves]

Was this a post privatisation livery or shadow franchise as I'm fairly sure they still carried the Intercity logo on Merlin. Great Livery.

Post privatisation. I remember seeing from my then office window the first set pull into Swindon station and thinking how bold it looked (compared to IC that had been the norm before). Early on they retained the IC logo but I think that fizzled out before the 'fag packet' livery came in.

 

[uvarvu]

Yep I think it was the best. I wish the chevron around the HST windscreen was carried all the way to the green GWR livery but it was axed in the latest rebrand.

 

[Devonian]

A simple but elegant livery. If you will permit it under "other vehicles", at least one rail link bus was painted into Merlin livery too.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Was a lovely livery. It conjures up very faint memories of travelling on them when I was very young.

The FGW livery was awful in comparison, it looked so dull on HSTs. Of all the nostalgia of British Rail-privatisation gave us some great liveries- GW Merlin, Teal Midland Mainline, GNER, the orginal Thameslink scheme, Silverlink etc.

 

[pdeaves]

A simple but elegant livery. If you will permit it under "other vehicles", at least one rail link bus was painted into Merlin livery too.

In Swindon, two Thamesdown Transport buses received a version of the livery. They were dedicated to the then service 19, that linked the station with the new designer outlet centre.

 

[ScottGallagher]

I vaguely remember the family carriage. Yellow stickers on windows to show it as i recall. That might warrant a Pre FGW memories thread though.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

I vaguely remember the family carriage. Yellow stickers on windows to show it as i recall. That might warrant a Pre FGW memories thread though.

I made a thread on that a few years ago... https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/first-great-western-family-carriages-fgw-kids-fun-pack.176394/