LNER Flying Scotsman No. 4472
A preserved A3 interpretation in LNER-style green as No. 4472, with a single chimney and no smoke deflectors.
Bring the engine
to life.
Start with the suggested palette or choose your own colours. Build gentle layers around the engine's distinctive shapes.
Suggested pencil shades and approximate screen swatches. These are not historical paint specifications.
Layer green lightly and darken the lower curves. Keep a narrow highlight along the boiler.
Build dark areas gradually so rivets and panel lines remain visible.
Use a sharp point for the fine bands and leave the buffers grey.
Reserve fine white edges to suggest reflected light. Avoid colouring every metal fitting brass.
Look a little closer.
Three modern colour photographs show BR No. 60103 with smoke deflectors. Two monochrome preservation views show No. 4472 without deflectors. They record different appearances of the same locomotive.
Preserved Flying Scotsman as BR No. 60103 crosses the viaduct near Corfe Castle on 22 March 2019. Its green finish and later smoke deflectors are visible.
andreboeni · CC BY 2.0 · Source photograph. Resized and converted to WebP.
Restored Flying Scotsman as BR No. 60103 leaves York on 10 May 2016. This front view shows its later smoke deflectors and red buffer beam.
Phil 62005 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source photograph. Resized and converted to WebP.
Restored Flying Scotsman as BR No. 60103 departs Wye on 17 March 2022. This is a modern mainline appearance with smoke deflectors.
Road-hog123 · CC BY 2.0 · Source photograph. Resized and converted to WebP.
Preserved Flying Scotsman as LNER No. 4472 at Carnforth in the early 1980s. This monochrome side view shows the wheel arrangement and an appearance without smoke deflectors.
Barry Lewis · CC BY 2.0 · Source photograph. Resized and converted to WebP.
Preserved Flying Scotsman as LNER No. 4472 at Rainhill in 1980. This monochrome three-quarter view shows the boiler shape and running gear without smoke deflectors.
Barry Lewis · CC BY 2.0 · Source photograph. Resized and converted to WebP.
Know the version.
Flying Scotsman became an A3 in 1947. Its familiar single-chimney A3 appearance in LNER green as No. 4472 reflects the 1963 preservation restoration rather than its original 1923 condition. The National Railway Museum records BR blue and green appearances as well as changes to the chimney, tender and smoke deflectors.
The pencil example uses bright apple green, black and a red buffer beam. Its colouring is an interpretation of the preserved LNER-style appearance. The modern BR gallery photographs show a darker green and later fittings. Monochrome views cannot establish paint shade.
National Railway Museum: Flying Scotsman history and changing appearancesDid you know?
A corridor tender fitted in 1928 allowed replacement crew members to reach the footplate from the train without stopping.
Make the details count.
Follow the long boiler curve with light strokes and leave the upper surface brighter.
Keep the driving-wheel spokes and rods separate with small areas of clean white paper.
Use a sharpened pencil around the 4472 numerals and fine tender lining.