Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow

Yellow Warning Panels have been a part of the UK railway scene since the early 1960’s
Diesels were initially painted all over in Brunswick Green with a red buffer beam – although some multiple units had whisker stripes added to the front more for decorative purposes than any other reason.

It was soon discovered that diesel locomotives were more dangerous to track maintenance staff than their steam counterparts, being quieter and not accompanied by billowing clouds of steam – so it was decided to apply small yellow warning panels to the ends of the locomotives

With the advent of BR’s new blue corporate livery it was decided that the whole of the front of locomotives was to be painted Yellow to improve visibility further…

…Indeed such was the urgency of the situation that some locomotives had Full Yellow Ends applied whilst still retaining their original green livery!

Having some yellow on the front of trains in the UK remains a requirement to this day although the advent of beam headlights now makes it less important and it is no longer necessary for the whole of the end to be painted yellow

Shunters have always been an anomaly – having yellow and black ‘wasp’ stripes applied to their ends

You can read about the Weekly Photo Challenge at https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/yellow/