Latest release Crimson & Cream coaches

[johnlambert]

Interesting discussion.  I understand that one of the reasons Crimson & Cream was abandoned was because it didn't weather well and, as Chris has said, there would be variations in how the colours looked in real life.

I like the finish on my Graham Farish Stanier and BR Mk1 coaches, can't say I've noticed any colour variation between them.  On the other hand I find the crimson BR Suburban coaches hard to tell at a glance from the maroon versions.  I do also like the flatter finish of the Dapol Gresley coaches but I don't like the crimson and cream Dapol Collett coaches, the crimson looks too orange to me.

The truth is that we can't be certain any of the variants on C&C are correct.  Photographic reproduction can't be trusted and even if you think you remember what they should look like I suspect - sorry to break it to you - that your memory may not be 100% accurate. 

Colour perception is an interesting thing; I remember a BBC documentary that showed how different groups of people see colours differently.  Frankly I'm amazed it is possible to find any agreement at all.

[steve836]

One of the model railway mags did a piece on coaching stock liveries a while back and different regions used different colours below the waist ( I don't mean the obvious like mud and pus for the Western). I think Midland was darker than Eastern and North Eastern was lighter still with the Western using a different shade of red before going back to brown.
I do remember in later blood & custard days on the Eastern the paint used on the old Gresley stock was badly affected by carriage washing plants, the red faded to almost pink with white streaks where water ran down from the mouldings.