North Staffordshire Railway

I have to admit that the Midland Railway is a favourite probably because of the sheer elegance of S W Johnson's locomotive designs. In my view there is nothing better than a Johnson Single locomotive. Formed from the usual amalgamation of minor railways the Midland became a leading operator in the years before the Grouping of 1923. Even after this date it had a huge influence on the LMS Railway for many years much to the dismay, I suspect, of the LNWR supporters.

Formed in 1847 from the amalgamation of minor railways, this railway served the central part of England in the Yorkshire and Lancashire areas but was always in competition with other railways in the area due to lucrative coal transportation in the rich coal fields. The railway was subsequently amalgamated with the London & North Western Railway shortly before the Grouping of 1923.The locomotives appeared to be quite colourful in the early years being a dark green (almost Brunswick green) This disappeared by 1878

Formed in 1847 from the usual amalgamations this small but important railway was centred round Stoke on Trent. The locomotives seem to have been a rather bright green colour up to 1882 but this was then changed to a "gamboge brown". This is an odd colour that seems to be either a dark lake shade or simply a muddy brown. By 1900 the locomotives were dark reddish chocolate shade (very descriptive, Don) ( try RGB 85-20-28). By 1904-ish the locomotives were painted in madder lake which, by 1914, was described as crimson lake. (try a slightly darker shade of midland Red). Coaching stock was the same colour.