Original 201 livery variation: 225

[Niles]

Was going through photos to scan and came across this from 19th February 2005. 225 (not long out of the works I think) at Heuston on the 10:45 Waterford-Dublin. The keen-eyed will see that the 'Iarnród Éireann' lettering underneath the windows is a larger font size than normal. I think only a handful were done like this; the 'yellow front' orange variation was rolled out later in 2005 and this dispensed with the company name below the windows (although it was retained on the 'Intercity' version).

 

 

[Niles]

The same day, 222 speeding through Kildare on the 09:00 Cork-Heuston, it appears to have got the same treatment.

[Blaine]

Photos taken during the LED head/tail lights upgrade phase, 225 has had the housings painted yellow, 222 has not

And filling in of the steps under the lights, 222 has had it done, 225 not yet.

The following year (2006) the green/silver/yellow intercity livery

[Noel]

On 27/2/2022 at 3:20 PM, Niles said:

Was going through photos to scan and came across this from 19th February 2005. 225 (not long out of the works I think) at Heuston on the 10:45 Waterford-Dublin. The keen-eyed will see that the 'Iarnród Éireann' lettering underneath the windows is a larger font size than normal. I think only a handful were done like this; the 'yellow front' orange variation was rolled out later in 2005 and this dispensed with the company name below the windows (although it was retained on the 'Intercity' version).

 

 

Often wonder how anybody in the marketing dept of CIE/IE back then allowed a 201 loco livery that had no corporate symmetry nor commonality with the coaching stock or other locos of the day, other than orange being used. Had the entire coaching stock been resprayed in the Galway livery it would have made sense, but some sort of tippex livery might have made more sense and made the locos look like they belong to the same company operating the coaches (ie like the current grey/grey livery intercity sets).

[Niles]

I dunno, mixed liveried sets are quite common on the Continent, including DB, DSB and SNCB off the top of my head (NIR too now that I think about it). The 'yellow front' orange 201 livery is one of my favourites all round. Each to their own.  

The original 201 livery was quite striking compared to what had come before; I have a disinct memory of passing a new one at Shelton Abbey when I was 7—I knew nothing about the different classes at that age but it was striking enough to make a lasting impression.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Niles

[DJ Dangerous]

When I was younger, maybe early teens, maybe earlier, I sent a letter to IR / IE, with some drawings that I had done, suggesting new liveries, and suggesting that they start naming the locos.

The livery that the 201's arrived in is not a million miles off the drawings that I had sent, and all these years on, I still think that it's a lovely livery.

For its day, it was a modern take on the classic ST / IR / IE colours, and it looked great no matter what it was hauling / pushing.

[jhb171achill]

Well done!

 

[Blaine]

13 hours ago, Noel said:

Often wonder how anybody in the marketing dept of CIE/IE back then allowed a 201 loco livery that had no corporate symmetry nor commonality with the coaching stock or other locos of the day, other than orange being used. Had the entire coaching stock been resprayed in the Galway livery it would have made sense, but some sort of tippex livery might have made more sense and made the locos look like they belong to the same company operating the coaches (ie like the current grey/grey livery intercity sets).

As long as the train ran to schedule and the heating was on, 99.999956% of customers could not care less what colour it was. 

Tippex is good for sniffing I'm told, ever give it a go?

Edited March 1, 2022 by Blaine

[Georgeconna]

Tippex is good for sniffing....ah that explains everything.....

[Blaine]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Up the dubs

Edited March 1, 2022 by Blaine