The double arrow and steam locomotives

Was the British Rail double arrow logo ever applied to a 'kettle'?

 

Not kettles, at least not in my kitchen but, the 3 Vof R 2-6-2T steam locos were given the Double Arrow, when they were painted in Rail Blue, about 1968

 

I understand that there were specific instructions that under no circumstances was 'Corporate Image' branding to be applied to steam.

The VofR was the exception

 

I recall 1369 painted blue at Buckfastleigh with a double arrow.... bit of a volunteers joke after painting with undercoat I assume. (around 1969

 

or these 9Fs..... http://www.fictitiousliveries.co.uk/photo.php?S_9F_rfg.jpg

 

The 9Fs also appeared in BR Blue as well as Freight Grey with the double arrow.
http://www.fictitiousliveries.co.uk/photo.php?S_9F_brb.jpg
http://www.fictitiousliveries.co.uk/photo.php?S_9F_LLB.jpg
Joking aside, the 9Fs were designed and initially scheduled to work until 1985, so who knows what might have happened?

 

I seem to recall seeing a photo of that in one of the Ian Allan Combined Volumes - 1975?

 

45337 carried a double arrow... Albeit recently!

 

In my opinion better in this unlined blue rather than the later lined version:



Steve B

 

The double arrow would have looked fine on the Leader.

 

BR large logo would have really suited it.

 

Indeed it did, May 2012, There was a dining train booked to run during the NNR diesel gala which was booked for steam haulage, and as 45337 (according to the loco record card) wasn't due for scrapping until 1977 we decided to do our take on the double arrow logo it may have carried if it had survived until the mid-seventies.

 

Possibly the most likely livery for all steam locos had they lingered on until the mid 1970s

 

not a chance... you forget the old story about station announcers being told not to refer to diesel failures but to say locomotive failure in a bid to protect the modern image and denigrate steam. The modern BR image was sacrosanct back then.

 

wouldnt any steam loco have recieved rail blue , i would have thought that the "Corporate Image" would have dictated yellow buffer beams and rail blue, then may be later lined out with grey and white lining, do we have any images of what a large engine would have looked like in blue with grey and white lining? prehaps thats what Carnforth has in mind for 35018 with double arrow on the tender

 

you would have thought exactly the opposite of what BR thought. "Corporate image" was not applied to dirty old steam and never would have been.

 

Precisely. the whole point was to provide a contrast with what hhad gone before.

 

the problem though was that rail blue didnt last that long, i can remember some emu's in green with full yellow ends going straight into the blue and grey livery , or being withdrawn still in the old by now vary faided green, it was not unusual to see a rake of 2 bills ,with a mix of green and blue units

 

Surely the arrow of indecision was the worst logo ever to be applied to any railway.

As for the blue livery did no one look back and see why it was abandoned for Express steam locos in the early 50s. Blue just doesn't wear very well and looks awful when it's dirty

 

That's why, if steam had lasted long enough, I thought a relatively discrete double arrow on a red, not blue, background would probably be the least they could do ... or possibly plain black steam locos with no branding at all (including express classes).