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London Transport Paint Shades

Until around 2000, it was still possible to buy original London Transport paint shades, mixed to order, from PPG Industries’ Speedcoat paint outlets. Unfortunately, these days the only way to obtain paint in the correct colours is to have the colours matched a professional paint mixer. The PPG code is no longer of any use, but I list it here in case you have a pot of paint with that code on it, and don’t know what it is.

Mason’s codes may still be valid.

Listed below are colours I have had matched successfully at Avenue Coatings at Pyle, near Heathrow. You can now order on-line, including custom shades. They can also provide suitable colours of undercoat, and Indian Red Zinc Phosphate primer suitable for brushing.

I only list below paint shades I use – for London RT and RF buses. Some of these shades were used on other London classes, of course.

Some LT shades did vary over the years, especially the red, apparently, as LT kept samples but ordered from new suppliers using the most recently supplied.

It should also be noted that all colours can weather, particularly with outside vehicle storage. Red tends to darken over the first few weeks and then stabilise, but in the longer term will develop a pinkish tint. Green seems to slowly darken over many years. Indian Red (which is a reddish brown) seems to change colour towards brown over time. This is why London Transport kept their master samples in a drawer away from the light, as do I. Modern paints claim to not suffer such deterioration.

Paint shades shown as “suggested” are not my suggestions and have not been verified.

NamePPG CodeMason's CodeAvenue Coatings CodeStandard Code
(Untested suggestions)
Notes
Mail Red (or LTE Bus Red)FLT11230205 W0398RAL3001Avenue Coatings found perfect match to RAL Signal Red. Interestingly, NOT Post Office Red!!
Chiswick CreamFLT3692
Indian RedFLT3445
1946 BrownFLT3688
Dark Floor Brown (or Dark Chocolate Brown)FLT3444AC03477 "Dark Chocolate Brown"
Broken White
(RT Ceilings)
Russet Yellow
(Cream Trim)
1333Y20R
Dark Green
(Green Trim)
Lincoln GreenFLT3464AC03487 "Hinson Green 2021"Also quoted as T & R Williamson 03040BS276 but I suspect this is British Standard Lincoln Green, not LT Lincoln Green!
Ivory (or Interior Ivory)
(RT ceilings)
FLT3462AC03488 "2021 Ivory"20YY5432
RF Dark Green
RF Pale Cream (Ceiling)AC03476 "RF Pale Cream"
1020Y
Olive Green
(Green Line trim)
FLT39158020G50Y
RF Putty Cream
(use?)
RF Middle Green
(use?)
Dark Green
(use?)
1961 (Aldenham) Pale Green
(modernised RF)
FLT5323
Leathercloth BrownAC03360 "L C Brown"

Avenue Coatings can provide Coach Enamel for Brushing from a number of manufacturers:

  • Tractol
  • Tekaloid
  • HMG

Tractol is not recommended by coach painters as it is, basically, tractor paint which is rugged and hard-wearing but does not produce the high sheen demanded by professional coach painters.

The content of Tekaloid and HMG (and the majority of other coach enamels) has changed over the years and now contains Alkyd Resin instead of Linseed Oil. This has produced two results:

  1. The colour is more stable, and does not fade like older paints. Traditionally coach varnish was used to prevent that fading but this is no longer necessary.
  2. The paint dries much quicker. This proved a nightmare during the hot summer of 2022 and I found it impossible to paint large panels without visible “joins”. HMG paints claim their paint features “wet edge” to avoid that, but it didn’t help!

Thinning coach paint with white spirit or turpentine substitute makes them dry faster. Genuine Turpentine or Pure Gum Turpentine is recommended for thinning by professional coach painters – some say this reduces the faster drying effect and others claim it actually increases drying time.

The only paint brand I know of that claims to retain traditional content, and therefore flows well, is Mason’s P-Type Enamel. This is now hard to obtain, and quite expensive. The only supplier I know of is Western Spray, in Devon.

Useful links:

  • Avenue Coatings: https://tools-paint.com/ (search: coach enamel)
  • Western Spray: 2 Ash Buildings Down End, Lords Meadow Industrial Estate, Crediton, EX17 IHN – 01363 775467.

Both of the above can mix paint to match a sample, Western Spray say they may have some LT shades listed.