GWR Building and Structure Colours

by John Down

On this page, John Down provides a brief overview of the main livery styles for GWR structures and buildings. In doing so, he takes an outset in acknowledged reference works on the GWR, listed below.

Both the memory and perception of the public is that the GWR was a 'brown and cream' railway. Whilst this was generally true after WW1 for passenger rolling stock, it was not true for structures. The notion of a 'brown and cream' railway probably arose from the fact that British Railways (Western Region) painted structures thus from 1949 until the mid-sixties.

GWR 'No. 2' and 'No. 3' colours applied to a door at Kidderminster Station, on the SVR. Visit the Friends of Kidderminster Town Station to see more beautifully restored GWR station atmosphere.

Basic Colours

GWR No. 1 "Cream"was used as undercoat (not visible).

GWR No. 2 "Light stone" was used on woodwork on awnings, including underside of awning or roof, but excluding mouldings on outside of awning edge.

GWR No. 3: "Dark stone" was used on Colummns, roof girders,trusses ad ironwork, roof lights, window frames and associated woodwork, gutters, fallpipes, and panels attached to valences or end of awning or roof.

Maroon-Brown was used for gutters and fallpipes of other station structures (eg lamprooms, weighbridges). After 1931, there was a tendency to use the maroon brown more widely, instead of No. 3.

Specific Buildings

Timber stations had external walls, door panels and barge boards in No2. Other frames of building, doorframes window frames, mullions, window cills, gutters and down pipes in No. 3. Window sashes and glass framing was white.

Brick built buildings had window frames, cills, mullions, door panels and barge boards in No. 2. No. 3 was used for structural woodwork on the outside of the building, gutters and downpipes, doorframes and doors (except panels), wooden plinths at ground level and ironwork (eg bars on windows). Window sashes and glass framing were white.

When introduced, the maroon brown was used in place of No. 3 for doors, door frames and ground level plinths on both types of buildings. Lower frames or the bottom four or five planks on framed structures were similarly treated.

For Pagoda-style waiting shelters, walls were No. 2. Doors, downpipes and gutters in No3. Window frames, sliding lights and glass framing was in white.

GWR 'No. 2' and 'No. 3' colours applied to 4mm structures on 'Clinkerford'. See the GWR Layouts section for more pictures of Clinkerford. Image courtesy Russ Elliott.

Other details

The general rule was that raised framing of any kind was finished in No.3 and panelling (including falsework) was in No. 2.

Gutters, downpipes and window frames were occasionally seen in No. 2.

In early years of the century,valences were painted with each plank alternately No. 2 and No. 3.

Sources:

• Great Western Way (J.W. Slinn); Historical Model Railway Society, 1978
  
  
• A Pictorial Record of Great Western Architecture (J. Vaughan); OPC, 1991
  
  
• Personal examination of paint fragment and examination and comparison of colour charts.

John Down, January 2002