GWR two tone livery

[steve howe]

One for the GWR buffs, when the simplified two tone livery (i.e umber lower panels, plain primrose upper panels) was applied to panelled coaches, were the bolections also painted red as were the droplights? I can't find much reference to painting details for this later style. Also does anyone know if the change from brown to black ends corresponded with this change to simplified livery?

Thanks

Steve

[jon price]

According to Lewis's GW Way:

1927 GWR abandoned fully lined for plain two colour livery. At that point ends (except railmotors and trailers) were black and window frames and bolections were mahogany.

1947 Frames of drop windows and recessed surrounds, top inside doorway check, inside check of door pillars and doorway pillars painted maroon. Ends black.

[Noel]

According to the HMRS Livery Register [1974 edition] and "Railway Liveries", Brian Haresnape, Ian Allen, the 1927 livery was brown below, and cream above, the waistline, without lining, although photographs show a brown band below the cantrail. A yellow or gold line at waist level, with a black line above, dividing the colours, was very soon added. The word "Third" disappeared, but later reappeared on end door stock. In 1929-30 stock for important expresses started to get double waist lining. In all cases, externally, the droplights alone were Venetian Red/Indian Red/Mahogany [all three names appear]. Black ends came in with the 1922 reversion to brown and cream. The photographs in Haresnape are all of steel stock, but neither source suggests any difference for wooden stock.

[steve howe]

Thanks chaps,

I'm hoping Noel's interpretation is correct for post 1927 with only the droplights being red/brown, painting the bolections after the glazing has been put in (not by me!) was going to be a labour of love! finishing other people's work can be trying at times!

Steve