Unexplained livery

[Lambeg man]

Below is part of a photograph taken by H. B. Priestly (published by the Oakwood press in the 2003 New Edition of The GNR(I) book by E.M. Patterson) at Goraghwood. It is dated 16th August 1956.

The carriage in the centre of the picture is the classification 'B 9' Buffet Car No. 124. It will be seen that it is in the GNR 'blue & cream' livery, normally applied to Railcars and their fitted trailer vehicles.    

However No. 124 on this date was NOT fitted to run with any Railcars. Furthermore it is not actually in the GNR 'Railcar' livery (which was carried around the coach ends). It is in the livery applied to the ten carriages that were in the 1953 'Royal Train'. This 'Royal Train' livery had black coach ends as can be seen in the photograph. No. 124 was NOT a vehicle in that train. So how did it end up in this livery?

For the record, it was built in 1942 and would have been in GNR 'mahogany' livery from then. Then in 1951 it was painted into CIE's then current 'green' livery for duty on the Belfast-Cork "Enterprise".

In March 1957 it was fitted for operation with BUT Railcars and painted up in the full version of the GNR's 'Railcar' livery. It finished up in UTA 'green' livery and was put to use on the Derry Road until that closed. It was last used in February 1965 but not officially withdrawn by NIR until April 1971. As far as is known, it was scrapped while still in UTA 'green' livery'.

Any offers?

   

Edited April 16, 2020 by Lambeg man

[jhb171achill]

That's exactly what it is, Lambegman. 

The GNR had started painting a FEW main line carriages in dark blue and cream, and the ends were indeed black. The 1953 "Royal Train" was a mix of NCC and GNR coaches, but all were painted in the then-newish GNR railcar (and Fintona Tram!) livery.

Do we know for certain that it was painted CIE green? The GNR stock working through generally remained in GNR livery - I've seen pics of a full GNR brown train sitting in Cork on this service. While I cannot be certain, I had never heard of a GNR coach being painted in CIE livery until, obviously, after 1958 when the GNR was dissolved. I  can't help feeling that it's more likely that once repainted dark blue / cream for the Royal train, it remained in that livery until UTA green made itself known.

I have seen a pic somewhere of a two-coach local Lisburn - Antrim loco-hauled local in the very early 60s, in which one coach is dark blue and cream, the other either UTA green or brown (it's a black & white pic). 

[Lambeg man]

50 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

The 1953 "Royal Train" was a mix of NCC and GNR coaches, but all were painted in the then-newish GNR railcar (and Fintona Tram!) livery.

Yes Jon, the 6 x GNR and 4 x UTA 'Royal Train' vehicles were indeed painted in GNR 'Blue/cream' livery but with black ends.

 

50 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Do we know for certain that it was painted CIE green?

See Norman McAdams "GNR Coaching Stock" article in the 1961 Journal. Initially the GNR provided BOTH sets of carriages for the Belfast-Cork "Enterprise" service, but at some later point CIE got their act together and provided a half decent set of more modern carriages as their contribution to the service. However they did not have a modern catering vehicle, so the GNR "lent" No. 124 to them for an extended period. To keep the CIE set looking the part, No. 124 was painted into CIE livery. When she was returned to the GNR (date not known), she was presumably painted back into GNR 'mahogany' livery as she was still a hauled coach until March 1957 when she fitted for BUT operation. Like I said, she is not in GNR 'Railcar' livery in the photo, she is in the unique 'Royal Train' livery.

I have not read of any other GNR 'hauled' vehicles getting the 'Royal Train' livery (or similar) other than the six that were in that train. Other photographs showing 'blue/cream' carriages in otherwise 'mahogany' rakes of GNR trains can be confirmed as being Railcar trailers with the 'blue/cream' carried around the ends.  

Edited April 16, 2020 by Lambeg man

[jhb171achill]

Must have been a one-off, then, that's fair enough. Your pic above shows it in blue and cream, with black ends, and it's 1956....so back to blue and cream, then UTA green, presumably, rather than back to brown?

An interesting one.