I suppose some people with a more casual association with the FR might presume this purple colour scheme is a result of modeller's licence, but it is not. Here is the proof:
It's quite remarkable how in two decades the FR made the transition from a railway that gave BR's corporate blue livery of the '70's a real run for its money it terms of dullness and monotony to one which, for a short period in the late 90's, appeared to be painting its rolling stock in all colours of the rainbow.
Small Birmingham number 4's post-rebuild livery was certainly one of the more unusual.
The situation has settled down a lot more in recent years with most rolling stock either wearing the regular maroon / ivory livery or one of a more rationalised range of heritage colour schemes.
Today number 4 wears the rather unremarkable green with red ends scheme of the Col. Stephens era - not a personal favourite, I must say - so I'm quite glad that our Chris Veitch brass bug box looks a little more interesting.
It was a colour that was found during the restoration of carriage 15 and was tryed out on number 4 before 15 was finished. It was later decided that it was an undercoat colour rather than a proper livery and so 15 came out as it is today. Can you picture what 15 might have looked like if it had damson (the colours name)as its colour.
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