# Aster Blue Duchess



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

MLS'ers who enjoy the UK steam scene might enjoy a video I posted a few weeks ago. 
http://youtu.be/2V9ckL99cdA
AsterUK


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Posted By AsterUK on 18 Jan 2012 11:15 AM 
MLS'ers who enjoy the UK steam scene might enjoy a video I posted a few weeks ago. 
http://youtu.be/2V9ckL99cdA 
AsterUK

Hi Andrew,
That YouTube link didn't work for me, so I assume that this is the correct video.
If not, let me know.
All the best,
David


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

WELL - that's strange, it wouldn't let me embed it either!!!! 
Sorry, I haven't a clue what's going on. 
I had to go to YouTube and find ASTERUK, to see it. 
Anyway, it looks good to me. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

However, when I emailed THIS link to friends, it seems to work. 
Maybe it's my computer! 
http://tinyurl.com/6tyvg9o 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

Your last one on MLS worked for me David.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Well, now they are ALL working. 
Must be something to do with Youtube, or MLS, or something!! 
Computers - can't live with or without them, but either way they will at times drive you crazy! 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

David-- 

Your "embedded link" seemed to work fine it shows on my screen but when run played for a while then it crashed my player then my computer all the way blue screen of death then black nothingness ... never had that happen before!!! It seems no lasting harm was done though.


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## Jim Overland (Jan 3, 2008)

Was the Blue paint for the first year of nationalization? 


jim


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

That is one beautiful engine and great video.
Problem is I have Asterd out. No more bread or room to keep another engine. 
She is beautiful though.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Posted By Jim Overland on 22 Jan 2012 03:19 PM 
Was the Blue paint for the first year of nationalization? 


jim 
Hi Jim,
From what I can see in my books, following nationalisation in 1948, numerous experimental liveries were tried on the Princess Coronation (sometimes called Coronation, sometimes Duchess) class of locomotive.
Then in 1949, British Railways decided to standardise the liveries.
All but 9 of the 38 were painted the blue, although some were darker than others. I believe that the other nine were already in their post war black.
Then between 1951 and 1955 they were all repainted into the BR green livery.
Then still later, in 1958, those allocated to the old LMS lines (15 locos), were repainted into the BR red livery. 
So, depending on the loco, it was between 2 and 6 years that they were in the 'blue'. 
Since I began my serious train spotting days in 1956, no wonder that I never saw a blue one.
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks David, that is a good summary of the 'blue' period of Duchess steam locomotives. 

Please keep in mind that other classes of locomotive like the ex-GWR Kings and Castles and the ex-LNER A3's and A4's all got the blues in the late 1940's until the early/mid 1950's. However there are no plans for Aster to do any of these, although thinking about it ... Flying Scotsman and Kingswear Castle could look quite smart in blue!

AsterUK


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

A "West Country" class 4-6-2 also looks very nice in blue (they are similar to the unstreamlined SR Merchant Navy class). I have seen a few of them in various scales. 

Yours, 
David Meashey


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