Plain Blue Livery

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156.459 at Hindley near Wigan. 21 August 2004

156.459, photographed at Hindley near Wigan on 21 August, 2004.

List of all 156s to carry Plain Blue Livery

4 units 156.426,429,455,459 (also car 57424)
First 156.459 (August 2004)
Last -


Description of Plain Blue Livery

During 2004, the Porterbrook owned units operated by First North Western had been undergoing C6 overhauls at Wabtec Doncaster, including repainted.

Following the anouncement of Serco-Nedrailways as prefered bidder for the new Northern franchise in July 2004, several units were painted in all over indigo blue - the base colour of First group livery.


156459 at Blackpool North, 25.September.2004

156459 at Blackpool North, 25.September.2004

Full yellow cab ends are carried, with black painted window frames, the same arrangement as First Group livery.

 
cabside of 156459 25.September.2004

The cabside of 156459, 25.September.2004

Doors are silver-white and the foot step is yellow.

The door-open button is highlighted with an orange rectangle.

Solebars are painted the same blue as the main body.

 
150203+156455 at Bolton, 09.June.2005

150203+156455 at Bolton, 09.June.2005

The class 150 unit carries the blue livery with gold stars used by First North Western before the adoption of 'barbie' livery.

 
156455 at Preston,  25.September.2004

156455 at Preston, 25.September.2004

 
156429 at Manchester Piccadilly,  30.October.2004

156429 at Manchester Piccadilly, 30.October.2004

 
156429 with Northern logo  21.January.2006

The first of the four plain blue 156s to receive Northern branding, was 156455 by October 2005.

The unit is seen at Sheffield, 21.January.2006

 
156429 at Manchester Piccadilly,  18.August.2006

156429 was the last of the four to receive Northern logos in March 2006, and on this unit they are positioned under the first large window.

156429 Departing Manchester Piccadilly, on 18.August.2006

 
156424 at Liverpool Lime Street, 24.August.2007
Photo: James Rawlinson
Northern Rail's 156424, seen here at Liverpool Lime Street on August 24th 2007, with carriages in two different liveries.

Originally in First Group 'Barbie' livery, car 57424 has been victim of graffiti attacks twice, first on the left hand side in October 2006, and then on the right hand side in April 2007 (photo).

In July 2007, 57424 had the remainder of it its vinyl stripes removed on the right side, and the white roof stripe was been painted grey. The left hand side features a Northern Rail logo (photo).