Hi Guys, Trying to find out about the colourschemes of B&O steam locos is a fickle subject and NOT easy to ascertain even when you have colour pics to work from. I spent months trying to find out about reportedly "Black" P7s in the final years of steam for example.This seemed entirely possible and logical as P7s were downgraded in their final years to all sorts of menial tasks like freight working, helping duties and standby duties. Some of the colour photographs from the late 50s certainly "appeared" to back this up. I would certainly have judged some latter day P7s as being black. Likewise some other B&O Pacifics which looked like they could be Blue were indeed proved to be Black. I finally pinned down some info from an old B&O railwayman who worked in the B&O paintshops. He was most definite that all P7s remained in all over unlined B&O blue up to they were withdrawn. I have pictures of B&O P7 5300 for example in her last year of service, she looks 100% black. However I have a B&O video that shows her later the same year most definately in B&O blue absolutely no question. So guys don't take those colourbooks as being definitive. My kitbashed Aristocraft pacific I repainted in the correct B&O Blue. what I notice with this blue paint is how different it can look depending on the quality and amount of light around it. It really is a fickle Chameleon like colour which can look pretty light to almost black depending on these factors. Of course steam locomotive soot and dirt were another factor ! In a private mail from Watash ,he said he was surprised to find that B&O P7 locos at one time were painted green. They were indeed. One of the B18 4-6-0 was also painted in lined green for the B&O's "fair of the Ironhorse" celebrations in 1927. Unfortunately to the best of my knowledge no colour photos from these early days exists. However the locomotives must have looked extremely handsome and not unlike their Southern Railway counterparts the famous Ps4 pacifics. Aristo's B&O model out of the box is in a lined blue colourscheme ,however I think this is a misinterpretation of old black and white photos, and that only green locos were lined out. In the book B&O Power ,it states most categorically that lining and naming went out with the Olive green colorschemes.If anybody has more info on this subject I'd be glad to know of it. I have heard rumours of Blue T3s etc .,etc., but nothing to substantiate this claim so far.??? All the best DAVY DAVY
Davy, I must say we both had fun on the black and white an color photo's in modeling! The blue looks black and with the dirt and road grime and all the soot makes it all even harder to tell forsure.... I must admit we were really digging into the color sceme when you done your P-7 so. We both learned a few new things as well in the process... I'm going to see if I can find some pictures of the green P-7's and all and post either links or the photo's to the page here.... I'll see what I can find already online, I think I know of a few...
