BUT Railcars

[airfixfan]

See this photo from 1959 showing a BUT Railcar at Foyle Road station. Note the UTA logo. How common was this?

[Galteemore]

I asked my source, whose railway journeys really began around the time of this photo (he got to Killybegs and Kilrea that year). This is his text reply as received:

Quite common in early post 58 days but after wasp stripes they disappeared more common pre repainting in uta colours by which time their crest transport is civilisation appeared on side panels only

[airfixfan]

29 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

I asked my source, whose railway journeys really began around the time of this photo (he got to Killybegs and Kilrea that year). This is his text reply as received:

Quite common in early post 58 days but after wasp stripes they disappeared more common pre repainting in uta colours by which time their crest transport is civilisation appeared on side panels only

Just never seen a photo before where the UTA logo was where the GNR number had been?

[Galteemore]

Yes, not familiar to me. May have been an interim measure before going through the paint shop (Duncrue St?).

[Mayner]

There is a 1958 Keith Bannister photo of a BUT 900 Class railcar in GNR Blue & Cream with Ulster Transport crests leading a Derry-Belfast train at Strabane in "Irish Railways in Colour" a second glance. The train appears to be made up of 4 power cars, 2 non-powered trailers and what looks like a GNR 4w Bread Van.

In addition to the front of the railcar a crest is visible midway along the side of the railcar.

Dundalk appears to have completed the BUT railcar assembly programme in October 1958 after the assets of the company were divided between the CIE & UTA   https://web.archive.org/web/20191101134727/http://www.irrs.ie/Common Files/GNRB.htm

[airfixfan]

5 hours ago, Mayner said:

There is a 1958 Keith Bannister photo of a BUT 900 Class railcar in GNR Blue & Cream with Ulster Transport crests leading a Derry-Belfast train at Strabane in "Irish Railways in Colour" a second glance. The train appears to be made up of 4 power cars, 2 non-powered trailers and what looks like a GNR 4w Bread Van.

In addition to the front of the railcar a crest is visible midway along the side of the railcar.

Dundalk appears to have completed the BUT railcar assembly programme in October 1958 after the assets of the company were divided between the CIE & UTA   https://web.archive.org/web/20191101134727/http://www.irrs.ie/Common Files/GNRB.htm

Do you know who has the copyright to the Keith Bannistervphotos?

[Lambeg man]

The last '900' car to come from Dundalk Works in late October 1958 was actually turned out in CIE 'green' livery as the GNR(B) had ceased railway operations on 30th September that year.

As the paint was hardly dry on most, the UTA initially did nothing to its inheritance of BUT (and AEC Railcars) other a) apply their new UTA numbers and b) then stick their 'red hand' crest over the GNR number on the cab fronts and sides. Repainting into UTA 'green' did not apparently start until 1960. The 'wasp' warning panels appeared later the same year when some of the older Railcars were still in the GNR 'blue/cream' livery.

UTA Railcar No. 101 (formerly GNR Railcar 'A') arrived at Omagh on a service from Derry circa 1961 - Rev. John Parker    

[airfixfan]

Found this photo from August 1959 at Foyle Road today.