LNER B17/4 Streamliners

[Don Kastre]

Hi, I'm new here and this is my first post. I apologise if this question has been asked before. Concerning the 2 locomotives of the B17/4 Class (LNER 2859 & 2870). I think I've seen a picture of one of them in LNER ('apple'(?)) Green and later 'BR Brunswick Green' before the Streamlining was removed. I believe they were black during the war. Were they at any time, whilst streamlined any other colour as I've seen one of them coloured 'garter blue' on a local public house sign. I'm assuming the artist was using poetic licence as the train in question is also shown as a '4 6 2' rather than a '4 6 0'. I'm just curious. Thank you.

Don

[karlrestall]

Don, I don't think the B17's ever carried LNER Garter Blue livery, but i'm sure someone will correct me if they know any different . However the locomotive on the sign, if its a 4-6-2, then its a LNER A4 Pacific or a 'streak' as they were nicknamed and these did carry LNER Garter Blue for much of thier LNER lives apart from the first 4 which were finished in a silver/grey livery to match the new Silver Jubilee trains that they pulled.
Hope this helps.

Regards

Karl

[richard]

Don, Where did you see the colour pictures of the streamlined B17s? I'd be interested for the website pages...


Richard

[Don Kastre]

Richard, sorry to disappoint, the colour picture I remember seeing was in a library book, I just wish I could remember the book's name. As for the internet, the only colour pictures I've seen are of models.

Karlrestall, thank you for your reply. The public house sign did confuse me at first because the painting appears to be what looks like an A4 Pacific in Garter Blue. However, the number on this train is 2870. That number corresponds to the B17/4. This train number would make sense as I live in Essex and I guess that particular train (2870) would have passed through the town from Liverpool Street to East Anglia.

[karlrestall]

If the number is a B17 as you say Don, then the artist has used some 'modellers' licence as the B17's were a 4-6-0. He could have though, just put a number on the side which he may have remembered seeing at some time.

Regards

Karl

[PaulG]

In July 1937 2859 emerged from Doncaster Works in streamlined condition and renamed "East Anglian" to work the titled train of the same name.

2870 "City of London" was similarly treated

Under the LNER 1946 re-numbering scheme 2859 became 1659 and in BR 61659.

Originally finished in LNER apple green but painted black during the war.

There is a colour slide by Roy Vincent of 61659 in black, carrying "British Railways" on the tender at Liverpool Street in 1949. This photograph has been reproduced a few times in the press and is included in Peter Swinger's book "On Great Eastern Lines".

There are black and white photos of 2859 and 2870 in LNER green in "Locomotives Illustrated No 34" and the RCTS series - I haven't a copy of Yeadons.

Regards
Paul

[karlrestall]

Just an ammendment. The East Anglican was an identical set to The Coronation set minus the observation car. IF the locomotives were given the same treatment as the A4's then the B17's may well have been turned out in garter blue. But I am not 100% sure.

Regards

Karl

[jwealleans]

Hi Karl,

Not so. The 'East Anglian' sets were teak finished but specially constructed and operated as a set in much the same way as the dedicated Flying Scotsman sets.

The set you're thinking of was the West Riding, built to be hauled by Golden Fleece or Golden Shuttle.

I thought the streamlined B17s were green. Does anyone have the relevant RCTS/Yeadon to confirm?

[karlrestall]

Thanks Jonathan. Thats what you get for trying to remember information from a book without looking first.

Regards

Karl