Yellow fronts to trains

[adamskiodp]

Hi Folks,

Sorry for the obtuse questions

When did mainline trains start having the front (and rear) painted yellow?

Also, why don't other trains that run above ground (Steam Locos, Sub surface and tube stock etc. . .) have them?

Thanks,

Adam

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Must have been the early 70s I suppose.
100mph Deltics and electric locos did not have yellow fronts initially.
My perception is that it was a by-product of the APT/HST programmes as part of improving visibility on the track for high speed running at 125mph.
It was then retrospectively applied to all BR stock, and must be a Railway Group Standard now.

Like most Health and Safety measures, once introduced it's hard to reverse a policy.
Other countries' trains run happily all over the world at high speed without coloured ends (at least not for safety reasons).
It also means Eurostar sets have to run in France/Belgium with GB-mandated yellow ends, unlike all the other TGV derivatives on the same lines.
As a result the stylists made the whole train's colour scheme yellow!

The other networks are low speed and don't have to use mainline standards.
I think steam is regarded as making enough noise to provide sufficient warning without resorting to paint.

 

[Taunton]

I guess about 1962.

Initially it was a rectangle just on the lower portion of the nose, progressively it grew over the years to most of the front, then all the front and wrap around the edges.

Prior to this there were "speed whiskers", which were cream stripes across the nose, applied to diesel multiple units and the Deltic pioneer diesel loco.

One of the issues was that early paint scheme for diesels and both electric and diesel multiple units was dark green, which merged with lineside foliage when trains were approaching from a distance.

 

[theblackwatch]

This has already been discussed in detail at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=106602

 

[yorkie]

In addition to Yellow Warning Panel (2014) as posted above by theblackwatch...

• Yellow fronts on trains (2012)
• Why do some trains not have yellow front panels? (2011)
• Yellow Fronts Of Trains (2010)
• Quick question*...Why are British cab fronts yellow ended (2010)
• Yellow Ends (2010)
• Yellow-fronted trains (2009)

There's probably more I've missed!

* Note that any thread prefixed with "quick question" usually results in a longer thread, hence that one lasted 49 posts. This is because quick questions are never quick (even more so if fares-related).