Anyone only knowing Britain's railways through the model world would be within their rights to assume that once a loco was repainted from BR Green, or Maroon, to BR Blue it gained a TOPS number.
In real life BR decided on blue as a standard livery in 1966, and some locos were painted blue as early as 1964, but TOPS only arrived around 1971 and was not fully implemented until around 1973 or even 1974.
So my question is this. Am I alone in wondering why so few BR Blue locos are being reproduced by model railway manufacturers in their pre TOPS number schemes? I know a few are, but the vast majority of classes are only available as TOPS coded in blue and I feel Dapol/Farish are missing out in this way. How do others feel about it?
I have included a poll elsewhere for you to vote, if desired.
Its an incredibly narrow time period - can't say I blame them for not doing much in that numbering with blue. It's not as if its hard to renumber BR blue locos.
Good point (both) - have registered my vote :D
There's a cracking layout called Crossfields featured in issue 5 of Modelling Inspirations (http://www.modelling-inspirations.co.uk). It's set in the West Midlands or somewhere like that, with an interesting mix of pre-TOPS blue and green locos, as would be accurate for that time. It all looks and feels a bit grey, which is apparently what the owner of the layout was going for. While the scenery is competent rather than breathtaking, the locos are the real focus, and apparently they've all been sent to Mercig Studios for detailing and painting which gives it the teeniest taste of a rich man's plaything, but that may be jealousy talking! The models really do look amazing and right at home on this layout.
I think one problem for the 68-73 time frame is that it isn't one people think back fondly upon. Numerous strikes, three-day weeks, the fag-end of what had been the swinging 60s under Wilson merging into the bankrupt chaos of the Heath administration. A lot of modelling is down to nostalgia, and I think most of us prefer to model times when the world was smiley happy place. Much nicer to model Beatles-era 60s if we can, when England was happily swinging and singing!
Cheers, NeMo
Quote from: EtchedPixels on April 13, 2014, 03:16:57 PM
Its an incredibly narrow time period - can't say I blame them for not doing much in that numbering with blue. It's not as if its hard to renumber BR blue locos.
Between 1966 and 1974 is 8 years, hardly the blink of an eye and to my mind the most interesting period of railway history (at least for "train spotting") so sorry EP, I can't quite agree.
As for "renumbering" you are probably missing the point - I believe these models should be produced in pre TOPS numbers as well as TOPS versions.
At the moment they seem to have enough trouble producing anything, regardless of numbering...
Apparently more than a trivial number survived in green into TOPS renumbering, and I've never seen one of those modelled...
Quote from: Luke Piewalker on April 13, 2014, 09:29:04 PM
Apparently more than a trivial number survived in green into TOPS renumbering, and I've never seen one of those modelled...
Curious, isn't it.
There's an excellent list of these green TOPS engines here (http://www.railblue.com/rail_blue_history_2.htm).
Don't forget either that the Class 01s at Holyhead actually survived until withdrawn (c. 1980) in BR Black with the early-style "wheel and ferret" crest!
Cheers, NeMo
Yeah, that was the site I found. The green 20 from 1978 is a bit of an eye opener
Quote from: Luke Piewalker on April 13, 2014, 09:29:04 PM
At the moment they seem to have enough trouble producing anything, regardless of numbering...
Apparently more than a trivial number survived in green into TOPS renumbering, and I've never seen one of those modelled...
The rare sight of a Class 47 at Aeonian Hills
(http://www.etchedpixels.co.uk/Gallery/NGF/47365.jpg)
Resin 47 kit from a bit before the Farish release.
I've also got 47815 I did but that's really a retro-livery not a real TOPS/green.
Quote from: EtchedPixels on April 14, 2014, 12:07:05 AM
The rare sight of a Class 47 at Aeonian Hills
(http://www.etchedpixels.co.uk/Gallery/NGF/47365.jpg)
Resin 47 kit from a bit before the Farish release.
I've also got 47815 I did but that's really a retro-livery not a real TOPS/green.
The 2 people on the platform look a tad retro as well ;) They are either overdressed or going to a very fancy do!
Personally, I love the pre-TOPs era. Whilst 1968-73 may have been a bit drab and dispirited as mentioned above, the same cannot be said of the variety of colors and rolling stock in use. Plenty of Pre-TOPs numbered locks exist for lovers of the Western Region... Sadly only because none of the hydraulics hung around long enough to be renumbered :(
Quote from: NeMo on April 13, 2014, 09:43:53 PM
Quote from: Luke Piewalker on April 13, 2014, 09:29:04 PM
Apparently more than a trivial number survived in green into TOPS renumbering, and I've never seen one of those modelled...
Curious, isn't it.
There's an excellent list of these green TOPS engines here (http://www.railblue.com/rail_blue_history_2.htm).
Don't forget either that the Class 01s at Holyhead actually survived until withdrawn (c. 1980) in BR Black with the early-style "wheel and ferret" crest!
Cheers, NeMo
True, NeMo. I can confirm them being in black as I saw both of them.