BR Depot 'pets' and special liveries

[alexl92]

This is inspired by the thread on Stratford TMD's custom liveries. Someone mentioned on there that many depots had a depot pet or used to put their own twist on the standard liveries, so I'm just interested to hear of some examples (with photos if possible!)

Were there any other examples similar to the Liverpool St pilot J69 that was painted in GER blue?

 

[Bertie the bus]

Tinsley had a pet shunter – 08691. It was first outshopped in blue with a grey roof https://flic.kr/p/qx2Sew and then green with a grey roof https://flic.kr/p/rurMGK and was frequently the Sheffield station pilot.

 

[pdeaves]

08869 at Norwich was done up in green with a local name and badge (someone's picture here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc31176/6599795451/)


Edit: 08601 done up by Tyseley to look like an LMS machine (https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevor-plackett/5665748622/)

 

[xotGD]

Tyseley also had 08604 painted green with brass '604' numbers. New Street station pilot.

 

[Cowley]

Tyseley also had 08604 painted green with brass '604' numbers. New Street station pilot.

There were a few interesting liveries put on 08s in the 80s weren’t there? 08673 in Intercity exec springs to mind along with the green one at Norwich called ‘The Canary’ (08869 maybe?).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There were a few interesting liveries put on 08s in the 80s weren’t there? 08673 in Intercity exec springs to mind along with the green one at Norwich called ‘The Canary’ (08869 maybe?).

Yes 08 673 did indeed carry full InterCity livery although not with the typeface - seen here ( left ) at Manchester Piccadilly on 07/03/87. Also thus treated was the similarly numbered 08 873 at Stratford, seen here ( right ) at the open day at Bounds Green on 04/05/87 - also showing the Stratford cockney sparrow motif. This one does not say InterCity on it; that presumably makes this Mainline livery?

 

[Cowley]

Yes 08 673 did indeed carry full InterCity livery although not with the typeface - seen here ( left ) at Manchester Piccadilly on 07/03/87. Also thus treated was the similarly numbered 08 873 at Stratford, seen here ( right ) at the open day at Bounds Green on 04/05/87 - also showing the Stratford cockney sparrow motif. This one does not say InterCity on it; that presumably makes this Mainline livery?

Thanks Peter. I’ve never been too sure about the difference between those liveries to be honest. Great photos though.

 

[pdeaves]

the green one at Norwich called ‘The Canary’ (08869 maybe?).

Yes (referred to two posts up!)

 

[Helvellyn]

Longsight also had 08721 painted in Blue with Red Star parcels red stripe and logo (like a number of the Red Bank CCTs).

There was also 08500 in red, named Thomas 1. I think it operated around York, possibly at the BREL works? (Sorry the only photo I can find is of the Hornby model!)

 

[pdeaves]

Yes 08 673 did indeed carry full InterCity livery although not with the typeface - seen here ( left ) at Manchester Piccadilly on 07/03/87. Also thus treated was the similarly numbered 08 873 at Stratford, seen here ( right ) at the open day at Bounds Green on 04/05/87 - also showing the Stratford cockney sparrow motif. This one does not say InterCity on it; that presumably makes this Mainline livery?

Modern day take, 08822 at Bristol in InterCity colours https://www.flickr.com/photos/pdeaves/30657269586/

 

[Mag_seven]

Shields depot in Glasgow put fish (Salmon) on the side of their Class 81s.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Shields depot in Glasgow put fish (Salmon) on the side of their Class 81s.

Like this, you mean...? 81 013 at Carlisle on 05/09/87. Not a brilliant picture; I think I have better ones somewhere...

 

[Cowley]

Yes (referred to two posts up!)

Oops!

OK let’s go more obscure, what about the wee Cornish lizard on the side of some of the St Blazey (Laira) 37s?

(not my photo)

 

[Mag_seven]

Like this, you mean...? 81 013 at Carlisle on 05/09/87. Not a brilliant picture; I think I have better ones somewhere...

That's the one - the fish comes from the City of Glasgow coat of arms

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I've also got Marylebone depot's pet 08 556 in green livery, seen here on 02/11/85.

How am I finding these so quickly? I've started a basic database in Excel of my photo archive; I already have 3,300 images logged on it and I can search by number, location, date... in due course I'll add more details but for now my aim is to get a basic log done as soon as possible.

Which means... if anyone wants to request a search for anything known to have had a special livery, just ask. I probably won't have it, but if I do I'll be able to find it quickly. As time goes on, the chances will increase; I already have over 6,000 of my archive photos scanned and the logging process is much faster so will catch up soon. Scanning continues in the meantime.

 

[Mag_seven]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Eastfield depot Scottie Dog yet or the Inverness TMD Stag

 

[sprinterguy]

Also thus treated was the similarly numbered 08 873 at Stratford, seen here ( right ) at the open day at Bounds Green on 04/05/87 - also showing the Stratford cockney sparrow motif. This one does not say InterCity on it; that presumably makes this Mainline livery?

Yellow cab roof would suggest that it's still Intercity Executive livery: Mainline was without such embellishments.

 

[Whistler40145]

Thornaby could always come up with some unique livery variations

 

[pdeaves]

During the 1980s/1990s there was a spate of 'heritage' repaints. I can think of:

• 47401 in two tone green (and later 47004(?) that EWS kept on)
• A 31 (I can see in my mind's eye a double page photo in one of the magazines of it freshly outshopped at Stratford in the company of another pair of green locos)
• 40122 for railtour use

Then there was 73101 in Pullman-style livery, a 47 in LNER apple green (but not branded as LNER).

Do these meet the spirit of the thread? I am certain there are others.

 

[Whistler40145]

Crewe Diesel had it’s own unique livery, a combination of oil and grime

 

[Cowley]

During the 1980s/1990s there was a spate of 'heritage' repaints. I can think of:

• 47401 in two tone green (and later 47004(?) that EWS kept on)
• A 31 (I can see in my mind's eye a double page photo in one of the magazines of it freshly outshopped at Stratford in the company of another pair of green locos)
• 40122 for railtour use

Then there was 73101 in Pullman-style livery, a 47 in LNER apple green (but not branded as LNER).

Do these meet the spirit of the thread? I am certain there are others.

I remember the 31 in BR green and I think that was a Stratford job, as was D6700 (37119/350). There was also 33008 ‘Eastleigh’ which was a bit of an Eastleigh pet.
Laira did quite a few unusual liveries on their class 50s towards the end, off hand there was:
50007 GWR green (obviously it was done a few years before but still a bit different)
50008 and 50019 in Laira blue
50015 in Dutch (the only member of the class and I think done for railtours)
D400/50050 back into original BR blue and working on the Waterloo route.

 

[Whistler40145]

I remember the 31 in BR green and I think that was a Stratford job, as was D6700 (37119/350). There was also 33008 ‘Eastleigh’ which was a bit of an Eastleigh pet.
Laira did quite a few unusual liveries on their class 50s towards the end, off hand there was:
50007 GWR green (obviously it was done a few years before but still a bit different)
50008 and 50019 in Laira blue
50015 in Dutch (the only member of the class and I think done for railtours)
D400/50050 back into original BR blue and working on the Waterloo route.

D7672 Tamworth Castle was repainted into Two Tone BR Green by Leeds Holbeck apprentices

 

[Cowley]

D7672 Tamworth Castle was repainted into Two Tone BR Green by Leeds Holbeck apprentices

I’d forgotten that one. It was also a bit of a depot pet before that when it was ‘The Ice Cream Van’.
55002 was another green repaint along with a few 1st gen DMUs.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

47 145 was a Tinsley pet in a unique shade of blue and with non-standard size numbers and a couple of other tweaks; seen here at Peterborough on 08/09/90.

 

[Cowley]

47 145 was a Tinsley pet in a unique shade of blue and with non-standard size numbers and a couple of other tweaks; seen here at Peterborough on 08/09/90.

Another celebrity 47 was the one painted in Midland Railway colours (47973?).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Another celebrity 47 was the one painted in Midland Railway colours (47973?).

This one? That was a good one wasn't it?

 

[Cowley]

This one? That was a good one wasn't it?

Ah brilliant!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ah brilliant!

Just looked it up, 97 561 was 47 561 but did indeed later become 47 973, so you remembered correctly.

 

[Bonemaster]

A 31 (I can see in my mind's eye a double page photo in one of the magazines of it freshly outshopped at Stratford in the company of another pair of green locos)

31165 "Stratford Major Depot", was the last loco overhauled at the works and was outshopped in green. Stratford later painted up 37216 in Green.

 

[Whistler40145]

31110 was restored at Old Oak Common into BR Green and had it's original radiator grills donated by scrap loco 31541