I have seen model fire boats at boat shows that have the decks painted blue and they don't look right at all

I can never understand how RAF blue was never used, they must have had gallons of the stuff and asthey painted everything else blue how did 93 and 94 escape? OK rant over
GoWell
Roger

Know exactly what you mean Paul.

Perhaps he has been overcome with BS631 fumes 😁

Its always a bit annoying that a question gets asked, many go out of their way to get the answer and the original poster does not come back with any acknowledgement!

Hello Captain Colin, there has been many discussions on the paint for the old Fireboats, my good friend PM Devlin has given you as much info as possible, I like Paul have copies of the original drawings sent too me by V/T and the info given by Paul is taken off these drawings and clearly stated the correct BS colours at the time, go with the flow.
I have spoken to at least two ex crew members of these craft and on one occasion one of them was told by the skipper to repaint the mast, despatched to the stores and came back with the answer that they had no white paint to to do the required job, when asked what colour was available the reply was given "Brown", so at that point No 93 had a Brown mast, how long for I have no idea, that info was not given to me.
Regards Pete D.

HI Colin
Good old Google provided a sort of answer:
Paint Colours
Following moves made in the paint industry in the early years of the 20th century the first range of standardised paint colours was published in 1930. BS381, which (with additions in 1931) became BS381C: 1931 provided the limited palette of paint colours available from most paint manufacturers throughout the next 25 years. Reduced versions were subsequently issued by the British Standards institution in 1943 and 1944 (see above). These amended ranges that appeared during the Second World War specified the particular uses that various colours were to be employed. Three categories were given:

a) General Purposes;
b) Special Purpose Colours;
c) Colours Used on Public Service Vehicles.
So from a commercial viewpoint 1956 was possibly the year when the BS standard became adopted for the domestic market, but the War Office was almost certainly using them for many earlier years.
I believe Paul's paint codes are as good as we will get for the original paint schemes, but any repairs and repaints would more than likely have been in the nearest colour match available!
With all this glorious sunshine about we had best keep our models in the shade or our chosen colour will fade! Oh happy days 😀

So sorry if my last reply was missleading, but the fact about the bs paint numbers seems to be puzling. I was told that bs paint codes didn't come into use till 1956. This came from a paint mixing company in Hereford that has been mixing paint commercialy since 1948.
So I hope that I've not upset any of my fellow boaters, you all do a great job in helping us mortals that do not have the knowledge.

Try these

I will type here what is stated on the document, dated 28 May 1951 By Vosper

CABIN COAMINGS
1 coat cerrux undercoating BSS 631 GREY
1 coat cerrux smooth deck paint

DECKS AND AFT COCKPIT FLAT

1 coat cerrux undercoating BS631 GREY
1 coating cerrux non-slip deck paint bss631 grey

CABIN TOPS
1 coat cerrux undercoating bs631 grey
1 coat cerrux smooth deck paint

Now, unfortunately it does not say what colour the "smooth deck paint" is for cabin tops, have we all got it wrong with the white cabin roofs!

Above this, on the plan, some instruction has been crossed out, its too faint to read, but it is about the roofs, and the word yellow can be seen

BS631 is correct Olly, however, you have a point here. A few years ago, a great authority on Fireboats, HS93 dug up an old Vosper plan I had not seen before, which sadly has now been lost. it stated paint colours that slightly differed from the plans that I and some others have, that states BS631 to be deck and BS647 (RAF light grey) was Superstructure. Sadly after Peters death 18 months ago the plan never turned up again, I think it was mixed up with some other plans and sold with a job lot of stuff. I did however keep the paints he had mixed at the time, and can confirm those paint codes on the tins.

He painted one of his Fireboats this way, and although correct as per the plans, it just didn't look right, so I have never copied his method. We argued about this when I started my 4 footer build! 😀 We suspected that the two colour paint scheme was on the original, and as refits went, and the boats where repainted, they ended up as just BS631. The only problem being these codes might have been a different shade all those years ago!

The deck and cabin roof where cerrux none slip finish. I spoke to someone several years ago who had been on one of the Fireboats, he stated the boats where always getting "touched up" with anything that was similar in colour, and never resembled the floating perfect palaces we have recreated in our models!, problem here is if we finished them in this way, people would think we have done a really bad paint job. I could be a mile off the mark, but its a nice story so I stick by it! 👍

Colin, those codes where around, they are written on the Vosper plans I have, unfortunately very faint, and too big to copy on here. Ill give it a go, see what it scans like as this is a question and topic that comes up regularly. As stated, any grey will do, it depends on the level of detail and authenticity you require I suppose

Paul

HI Olly,
the bs numbers you quoted weren't around when the real boats were made, so a paint colour that looks right is right, I used Johnsons Grey floor paint, which is non-slip and waterproof.

HI olly, not sure about all those paint numbers, Paul will probably tell you the correct one, myself, I am about to use an Halfords grey primer and then give a coat of clear lacquer.

Alan