Great Western Coffee Shop

Something I have always wondered is why preserved steam locos, predominantly GWR one's seem to be more in BR colours rather than Great Western.  Both working Kings in the last 20 years have been in BR, Most of the Castles are in BR, Most of the Halls are in BR. Apart from 5521 and 5526 all of them are BR.  I know heritage railways have to cater for a mix, but what is so special about the BR era?, one from which my grandparents told me was pretty abysmal compared to GWR days.

IMO ex GWR locos look good in BR livery.

....and

1 - The lined Brunswick Green livery applied to many Western Region locos is particularly attractive
2 - Quite a few preserved "GWR" locos were in fact built in BR days, so a BR livery is authentic (eg final batches of Manors and Castles, most Modified Halls, Hawksworth panniers)
3 - And a number of engines were further modified after nationalisation, so BR livery is more authentic for them too (eg - double chimney Castles)
4 - For many of us who can remember "real" steam, our memories are from the last days of steam
5 - If you are loaning engines to heritage lines that are not ex-GWR (and there is a disproportionate number of surviving ex GWR or GWR designed locos), then running them in BR livery is perhaps a little less anomalous for the rivet counting section of your customers.
6 - GWR liveries and signwriting were constantly changing, so its probably easier and safer if you are concerned about authenticity to use BR liveries.

Can anyone think of any more?

I'm going to suggest that many of the people who enthusiastic about travelling behind steam these days are doing so to bring back fond memories of their youth ... perhaps in the 1950 to 1965 period ... when these locomotives would have been in BR colours.

Having those people love the product is key ... if they love it, they will treat their children and grand children.

I think you could be right, this is the era perhaps when many of the senior volunteers on heritage railways were children.  Also there are more colour photos and moving images of the 50's & 60's to base the authenticity on

You are probably right. Thanks for the opinions.  I just think it would be nice to see a GWR liveried King or Castle for a change. A bit of variety!

Likewise, the majority of preserved Bulleid Pacifics are in BR livery (although would be interesting to see a rebuilt one in Southern livery!)

Not sure it would work rebuilds were almost built for BR Green.

I'm looking forward to seeing a steam loco in all-over Rail Blue, with yellow ends.

IIRC there is a picture of one on the a website devoted to liveries that don't actually exist, cant find it now though.

I've been trying to find that site too but couldn't ... seems to have gone away.  I personally liked the 153 in NightStar livery - a sleeper train from the UK to mainland Europe, photoshopped at Blaeneau Ffestiniog.

See early experiments at http://www.passenger.chat/23926

No yellow ends, but with a quick Google I did find this https://www.flickr.com/photos/trainsandstuff/15821629600 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/trainsandstuff/15821629600). No photoshop required as far as I know (I didn't see this in the flesh so I may have been fooled).

Something I have seen picture here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/76103602@N03/8585545422/in/album-72157633072950945/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/76103602@N03/8585545422/in/album-72157633072950945) is the steam loco 'Nunny Castle' in a compromise livery, with 'British Railways' on the tender in the style of the older 'Great Western' livery.

Again, no yellow end, but a variation of BR Blue, seen on an ex-GWR King, 6023 King Edward II, on the Torbay and Dartmouth Steam Railway

Click in the image to enlarge (https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwakely/44102022095/in/album-72157651395742172/)