LNER Q6 Frame Paint

[brucevoelkerding]

I have a question. Would the Inside Frames of an LNER Q6 have been painted RED ? I see in Pictures of restored 63395 that they are RED. Was the purpose of the RED Paint to make Frame Cracks more visible ?

Bruce

[davewoo]

Somewhere in one of my books on the LNER B1's (I'm completing a springbok) it says the frames were red inside from Level with the rear of the cylinders back to the firebox. I'll see if I can find the reference. I remember being told thar the red frames were to show the dirt that remained after cleaning when a crack developed, presumably only possible in the days when engines were actually cleaned!

[brucevoelkerding]

thanks, Dave. I live in the US, so I don't have easy access to such information. I thought I read somewhere (must have been Model Engineer) that lowly freight Locomotives were painted all BLACK, including inside the Frames.

[mbrown]

Many freight locos looked black everywhere whatever colour they were painted!

I understood that the reason for painting the frames red was - partly at least - to reflect some light from the driver's torch-lamp when he was oiling and inspecting underneath. Hence, not bothering with red in the areas were no inspection was needed or feasible. Note that some companies, and some locos, had the inside frames painted other colours - the Great Eastern painted between the frames in light yellow, and the Gresley A4s (because the streamlined casing cut out all light) were white between the frames, for at least some of their lives. GWR locos has red paint inside the frames but of a slightly more orange colour than most others.

Bob Shepherd, on this forum, is an acknowledged expert on liveries. His thread on building Evening Star in 5"g has a section discussing the colours between the frames where he demonstrates that parts were black and parts were red, if I remember correctly.

But I think you are safe to paint a Q6 red between the frames, at least from behind the smokebox saddle to the front of the firebox. Don't make the mistake that many modellers make of painting the loco rear buffer beam and the tender front buffer beam red!

Good luck and best wishes

Malcolm