Graham Farish 371-502

British Rail Class 101 British Rail Blue

Contents

Class & Prototype

  • Running Number: -

The British Rail Class 101 was Metro-Cammell's most successful first-generation DMU, with over 700 vehicles built 1956-1959 serving across Britain for 47 years until 2003. Powered by twin 150hp BUT AEC or Leyland diesel engines, these distinctive units operated from Tyneside to Scottish Highlands, dominating Birmingham's Cross-City Line for 35 years. Comprehensive 1970s-1980s refurbishment programmes extended their operational lives dramatically. The type carried every major BR livery including green, blue, blue/grey, white/blue, Strathclyde orange, and Network SouthEast schemes. With 41 vehicles preserved and comprehensive model availability from Bachmann (OO), Graham Farish (N gauge), and Hornby, the Class 101 remains essential for depicting authentic British branch line and suburban operations from the late 1950s through early 2000s.

Operator & Livery

  • Operator: British Rail
  • Livery: Blue
  • Era: 7 - British Rail Blue TOPS

British Rail (1965-1997) transformed Britain's railways through revolutionary modernisation, introducing the iconic double arrow logo, Rail Blue livery, and business sectorisation. BR pioneered high-speed rail with the InterCity 125 and Advanced Passenger Train, electrified major routes, and created profitable divisions like InterCity and Network SouthEast. From steam succession through diesel and electric development to privatisation preparation, British Rail's diverse locomotive fleet, multiple livery schemes, and operational scenarios provide unparalleled variety for railway modellers across all scales and periods.

BR Blue, also known as Rail Blue or Monastral Blue, was introduced in 1965 as part of British Rail's comprehensive corporate identity overhaul that accompanied the rebranding from British Railways to British Rail. The colour was officially defined by British Standards BR28/6001 (airless spray finish) and BR28/5321 (brush finish), representing a dark, greyish blue tone specifically chosen to hide dirt and weathering effects well.

The livery was prototyped on the experimental XP64 train in 1964 before becoming the standard scheme from 1 January 1965. Rail Blue was applied to all diesel and electric locomotives with yellow warning panels (initially small, then extending to full yellow ends from 1966). The standardised application included the iconic double arrow logo and Rail Alphabet typeface, creating one of the most successful transport corporate identities of the 20th century.

The livery dominated British Rail operations for over two decades until sectorisation in the 1980s began fragmenting the unified appearance. Despite initial colour fading problems in early applications, these were resolved by the late 1970s when the Large Logo variant was introduced featuring extended yellow areas and full-height double arrow symbols. Rail Blue's enduring appeal among railway enthusiasts reflects its role as the definitive British Rail image during the organisation's most unified period.