#ttte liveries

[sonardisc]

Custom thomas liveries

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[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

What do the colours symbolise to the engines?

@togetherness23 posed this question some while ago. I hope my late response to the conversation can be excused as it took me a while to mull.

I think the tl;dr is that, interestingly, the colour symbolism on the NWR has some overlap, but also some divergence, with the usual associations we make with these colours.

But, as for what those associations are... well, for that you'll have to read.

BLUE: For all these colours, I think we have to take a good look at where they first cropped up on the railway. Because for later arrivals their choice of colour doesn't happen in a vacuum—the connotations have already been shaped.

So, from what we can tell, blue was the railway's original, standard color. Getting painted in it was a mark of favour (you weren't just some loaned engine—you were a North Western engine). It was also likely designed by FC1.

I'm sure for all three of the original blue bois it still holds that significance: acceptance, pride, memories. That said, each of them has their own twist on it.

I do think some of Gordon's snobbery is bound up in the colour. He's probably gotten over it now, but Gordon probably started the idea of "blue is the only color for a really useful engine," given that at first all the exceptions to the standard livery were all engines that he considered in some way to be... well... substandard. (Yes, two of the three of them were also his best friends?? Look, Gordon is weird and complex, all right. I don't know what you want me to say. I think he could consider them friends while also, compartmentalizing, be like "... there but for the grace of Gresley go I. Coming off the rails! Silly little saddletanks of questionable origins! Couldn't be me.") Thomas of course picked up on that idea. Probably he tried to resist it (sharing in a Gordon snobbery) up until the Alliance, but after that all bets were off. Now I'm thinking of it, Thomas getting the notion that blue signified his closest relationships (at that time) and therefore Gordon perhaps being right about the colour could have well be cemented when the three of them were assigned to be the royal visit dream team.

All this said, blue is also, in the books and magazines, the commonest colour for North Western engines. (TVS doesn't portray this at all; that'll be a different story.) Common. I think it speaks well of Gordon, who is so often flanderized as nothing but me! me! meeee! and who does in fact often consider himself a cut above the rest, that he also happily spent a century sporting the standard railway livery, shared by "proper" engines and little shunter tanks alike. There is a solidarity to the colour.

To a greater extent than Gordon (though it's not exactly non-existent with him), I think blue also represents for Thomas and Edward the history and origins of the railway they both helped to build "from the ground up." For all five of the blue engines, actually, blue seems to be associated with tradition and dare I say a sense of loyalty and collective identity. Donald and Douglas have been very explicit that blue represents their own origins on the Caledonian. It also however represents their own acceptance on the North Western, which is something that is very important to them.

This is speculation, but I would add that I think for Edward there is, in addition to the previous paragraphs, an association of blue with water and the sea, which (especially assuming his Furness shed was Barrow, which makes sense if he wound up sort of being shifted over to Sodor bit by bit) has been an important element of his entire life, both pre- and post-Sodor. So there is a parallel here to Donald and Douglas, where blue was not their original livery, but it has associations that resonate with their past even as it shows they are very much living in the present.

However, in TVS we strip Donald and Douglas off team blue and we also lack the assorted background characters who wear the livery. In that case it loses a bit of its association with humility but gains a certain distinction. There are then only three engines who wear it. And, to be sure, they all denote a certain leadership as well as just longevity. I've said it before but it's still true: if I live on North Western rails and I want something big to be done or changed, I probably am best advised to apply to Gordon, Edward, or Thomas. In roughly that order, though of course it depends on exactly what the matter is. And, if I can somehow manage to get the support of all three of them, then the matter's pretty much settled.

Keywords: traditions, collective identity, origins of the railway, loyalty; a slight emphasis on oneself as a company engine; (TVS only) leadership

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GREEN: For Henry and Percy, green represents individuality. It is definitely a soft opposite to the way that blue on this railway represents the collective.

Henry arrived in green, so it represented his origins and all his troubled early history. We saw that he rejected it for a while in his youth in favour of blue—explicitly in order to "be like Edward," and I don't doubt, it was (or became) an attempt to also get in on Gordon's and even Thomas's deal too, as favourites of the Fat Controller. It's interesting how in the books he realized—even before his whole physical rehabilitation thing—that there is no point in trying to be like someone else, no matter how much a sense of friendship or admiration (or envy?) you feel. It's incredibly cool how, even before he'd proven himself, he started being true to himself.

He had to be at least a little annoyed when Percy—cheeky little industrial—arrived in green, and stayed green. Before Percy, Henry appears to have been the only green engine so, like James, it was a special colour, you know. For a special engine. But with both Henry and Percy in green, there's no doubt that other engines pointed out quite explicitly that on the North Western green seemed to represent dubious, non-standard engines of no respectable origin!

It's also worth noting that Henry had to be repainted after his rebuild and so he had another chance to choose, and despite everything (because of everything?) he chose green again. For Henry green represents owning his whole history and being comfortable in his own... erm... paint I guess.

No doubt that Henry also has very positive associations of green with forests and nature. Not only is the colour the same, but in both cases he chose what was not at all an obvious thing for an engine in his position to like and made it his own.

I think for Percy it's all a little less complex, but similar. It represents his origins: "I've always been green!" Like Henry, he's comfortable with who he is. Also, to be frank, he thinks he looks good in it ("Excuse you????? Everyone says I'm handsome!") Let's not lie, he's right; he'd probably look very silly in any other colour. When Henry returned in his new shape and was oohed and aahed over, I reckon it would have cemented the association of green with handsome in Percy's mind.

FWIW it works for Rex too. Perfectly confident guy, nothing to prove.

What about Duck and Oliver? Well, what about them? They don't wear a colour; they wear another railway's livery. Like, I don't think green has quite the same associations for them as it does with Henry and Percy (also, I'm sure it's a different shade of green, so there's that). Interestingly, while for most of the engines I think we can assume the colour they wear is also their personal favourite, I don't think we can assume that for Duck and Oliver at all. My guess is the Duck's favorite is blue (color of the horizon and the sea) and Oliver's is red (or something else kind of badass or Aries or pulp-heroic-esque), but this is pure speculation.

Then there's Daisy and BoCo and Bear. And... it's tough to know whether their green is in the Henry&Percy category or the Duck&Oliver category. I do subscribe to the headcanon that Bear associates his green with Henry's green just because of the literary closure. And for what it's worth, I very much hope the diesels are in the lighter green of Bear's last illustration in EE and Daisy and BoCo's TVs models instead of BR green because they absolutely slay in the former. If so, it would suit, as I think all of them do in fact follow that established symbolism in the Henry&Percy green of individualism and being comfortable with yourself. 

Keywords: self-respect, self-esteem, self-confidence; individuality; wholeness; a slight emphasis on a sense of oneself as one's own engine

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RED: I mean, James has been pretty explicit about what red represents to him. Splendid. Admirable. Unique. Un-overlook-able. Beloved. Unique. Special.

I said green represented individuality, which may have occasioned surprise. But I don't think red represents individuality as much as it does aspiration and ambition.

This also holds true for other red characters in TVS, which is nice. Arthur seems worlds apart from James in personality and values, but like James he is ambitious. He wants to shine! A sort of perfectionism in them both, perhaps? James can't abide physical dirt, and Arthur can't abide a spot on his record.

When Rosie goes red, too, it can be seen as a sort of aspiration. She hasn't been taken seriously enough to suit her in the past, so (whether rightly or, as Moonie might argue, wrongly!) tries on red, which on this railway has become the colour of distinction. It's waving a flag: Take notice of me! I'm prepared to show my worth—bring it on!

It maybe works for Mike too?

Green is "i'm comfortable with myself, i don't have anything to prove." Red is "i have plenty to prove, there's something in particular i want to be known and recognised for."

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BROWN: I'm not sure what to make of this one because I feel like Toby might actually be a case similar to Duck and Oliver? Inasmuch as he wears brown because his livery is a callback (if, unlike the Great Western bois, not an exact reproduction) to his old LNER livery?

If Toby has any colour symbolism to go in for, it's probably in the one aspect of his (RWS) paintwork that is new—his sideplates and cowcatchers in the book are painted in blue, in fact what is probably the NWR's signature blue. This would in fact give him the similar associations of the blue boys, and, honestly? It would fit.

But, with both the brown and the blue alike, I think it's worth noting that in RWS we see the Fat Controller decide on Toby's new colours:

It's a useful reminder that sometimes (most times) the engines appear to have chosen their colours, but that other times (and, perhaps, this was true for all of them early on, even if they could change in these times of more liberal management) their colours are chosen for them. And in those latter cases, their colour probably then takes on a significance for the engines because it is also a reminder of the director/controller* who cared enough about them to give it to them.

*or driver? heh. though i'm sure awdry, if asked, would have retconned the end of 'edward and gordon' such that a more likely person made the call about the paint job. though this also goes to the point—relevant also to the paragraph above—that awdry wavered wildly back and forth on how much agency he wanted to give the engines versus how much he wanted to be realistic, and that this probably accounts for the various ways in which they appear to acquire their colours in the books

Okay. But if brown does mean something to Toby because it's brown, and not just his old livery? It would represent his origins, of course, and probably the earth; he's always dealt in produce and farms and now quarries, so the earth is an important theme connecting his pre- and post-Sodor life.

Also... (sorry, Moonie)... I deeply dislike Murdoch's paintwork in TVS. So, let me unveil my personal headcanon, which is that he is in fact painted chocolate (because that would be scrumptious) and then, in this timeline, you'd start to have a vibe on this railway that brown is the colour of engines who are the earthy, strong, silent reliable, reserved type.

(Again, I know you like his paintwork a lot and I do not mean to bash that at all! That said, riddle me this: Would it even be possible to draw a line connecting the values of Murdoch, Nia, and Billy? I ask you.

Also—frankly, I feel we could definitely use more chocolate or umber-coloured engines on this railway! If not Murdoch, then someone—please! *mutters something about how useful and splendid engines can be brown, too*)

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Well, we've already started bleeding into TVS a bit. Let's continue venturing beyond RWS into the rather shakier grounds of TVS canon colour symbolism:

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BLACK: It's often observed that, while Donald and Douglas look better in black, it unfortunately misses the significance of blue representing both their past and present family bonds.

But maybe their TVS black is not devoid of symbolism? In RWS black does consistently seem to mean a sort of deadening corporate-ism; it's the colour of engines who are used but not particularly valued or appreciated. But that is a shame, considering that in real life black often completely slaps on an engine (especially if they are clean and matched with some colourful stock for contrast!)

So it would be nice if in TVS black didn't carry those associations. And indeed, I think you could argue in that continuity that it shifts Donald and Douglas's characters slightly to have presumably chosen that colour but it does them no real disservice. I'd say it represents a certain toughness or scrappiness. They proved their worth on Sodor by doing a job no one else wanted (snow-ploughing) and going at it with a will. The black continues to represent that—although part of the NWR family—they are proud of their role of utility engines, somewhat in contrast to some of the silly showboats that surround them. It also might have a bit of a pirate vibe? It represents them embracing their appearance essentially as it was on arrival, when they spent some time as the bad boys of the Fat Controller's railway. Add to that Donald's slyness and Douglas's outright helping a fugitive escape the braying diesels, and yeah. C'mon. Black represents their indomitable, I-don't-give-a-shit badassery!

Some might observe that Donald and Douglas continue to wear BR Lined Black, not specifically the plainer CR goods livery, and does that make sense considering their history with BR? To which I'd argue it does. Continuing to wear it (and look great in it, tbh) is an act of defiance—which of course is another thing that this colour could be said to symbolise.

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EMERALD GREEN: Emily's colour, I feel, is pretty clear! She is the railway's own Stirling Single, and she has indeed made the dark emerald she wears the sterling colour of high value and of singularity.

It's utterly gorgeous, and it sets her apart while still being practical and in good taste (arguably, a lot of latter TVS liveries—some of which I like!—are rather bizarre designs for railway engines).

But with Emily's singularity does also come a sense of being just... single, too (small or large S). She seems to struggle throughout the show's run with feeling accepted or connecting to others on the level that she wants to. 💚🥺  This is all kinda similar to the red? But there's a distinction here, too, that I'm not sure I'm articulating. James does have a place. He does have friends who are like family. (We don't see as much of Arthur but I see no reason to believe he wouldn't.) James doesn't always get the recognition he wants but he has roots, a role, a clear identity.  Emily spends season after season either explicitly or implicitly searching for Her Place.

Anyway, her dark emerald is definitely a very royal colour, which comes with all the burdens as well as the prerogatives thereof.

It doesn't work for Peter Sam; if we must lump the narrow- and standard-gauge together then I'd put Peter Sam in the Henry&Percy green category for colour significance.

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YELLOW: Yes, while Molly's and Rebecca's liveries are rather different in design, I feel comfortable drawing some conclusions about their yellow. What's tougher is the relative paucity of material to work with re: Molly but let's give it a go.

Probably the typical associations of yellow are in play on the NWR, given Rebecca's sunny and optimistic personality. Molly is much shyer and more anxious but it's not at all a stretch to think that either she (or someone else, like TFC) chose yellow for her in that same spirit of hope. Given that they both seem to arrive on Sodor well past mainland dieselisation it's possible that they were both purchased from scrap and also (given Molly's greater age, and given how many seasons apparently pass before Rebecca's arrival) that they would have had to wait a very long time to be restored. So in their yellow colour there would be an element of a fresh start, a new life, and hope fulfilled.

I'd also hazard that (especially in TFC's mind, if he proposed this colour for them) that yellow represents renewal in another way. While to some degree probably all the TVS engines are acquired for their interest to steam enthusiasts, a Claude and a Light Pacific would probably be particular jewels in the NWR collection. I reckon the yellow literally highlights that status. It also gives a sense that, while they very much "fit in" on the Sodor fleet, that they are in some way a fresh, updated version of, say, long-standing stalwarts like Edward and Gordon. (I didn't say updated as in better but, c'mon. Think like you're the NWR promotional team, all right? And don't come after me.)

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PURPLE: Since in the books the non-NWR railways don't, like, really do anything but boring bog-standard liveries I've mostly been ignoring them and I will also be ignoring the Culdee Fell engines.

I think this leaves Charlie and Ryan. They seem very different sorts, but in both cases there is something rather... subordinate about them? They're both quite eager to be liked, and I'd say that this is what the colour symbolises on the NWR. Not the high-flown associations purple has for most of us, but a signifier that the engine in question just wants to be able to vibe and live in harmony. Charlie's idea of having a good time involves a lot of laughs and bonding, and Ryan's idea of having a good time revolves around being a Very Good Boi, but in both cases I really feel that their end goal is as simple as that. The simple life. Happiness. 

We don't know a single thing about Ivo Hugh's whole deal but honestly my gut tells me that this works as an element for him too (for the many people who headcanon him as purple in a television-flavoured SR).