Rovos Rail 5E1

[John Ashworth]

Photos by Cliff Avis, Capital Park, October 2009

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

I am a bit dissappointed in this scheme - somehow I expected something fancier, more discrete. I just find it a llittle "in your face"...............

[Dylan Knott]

Yes, don't like the SA Flag and logo!

[Steve Appleton]

Me neither!
1. I like the dark green, but do not like the thick yellow stripe down the length of the loco. The colours clash. It simply doesn't "go" with the green.
2. I think the SA flag is a nice touch, but should have been much smaller and more discrete and, why is it wavy? What's wrong with a stationary flag? TFR has got that one right.
3. The "Rovos Rail" in such a huge font is un-subtle and terrible. I would have thought they would have used their older but rather stylish inter-twined RVR logo, the one used on the front of their steam locos.
4. The high, central location of the oval cab-plate is also strange. If there must be some (and electrics do not normally carry any), why is it not in the traditional position, on the driver's cab sides?

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Why is the flag back to front.The black triangle should be on the left. Why did they not use the Rovos logo below the plate, I do however like the plate. Is it Brass

[Steve Appleton]

You are right, Stefan. The flag is mirrored. That is a serious breach of protocol in respect of displaying the flag.
[quote]
General Instructions
11. When the National Flag is displayed vertically against a wall, the red band should be to the left of the spectator with the hoist or the cord seam uppermost;
when it is displayed horizontally, the hoist should be to the left of the spectator and the red band uppermost.
[\quote]
That implies that the part that is closest to the imaginary staff/mast must be on the left.
I'll leave the material used for the cab plate to someone who knows the answer.

[Luca Lategan]

Very nice, but I must agree, a bit TOO much. One of that Yellow stripes could have stayed in the paint tin. I guess they wanted to creat the effect that the flag is affixed to the loco and 'waving' in the wind, but the TFR way of attaching a small flag is much better. The rovos name is also in bad taste, rather put the plate there. Maybe the plate has been put there so that it can not be stolen, especially if Stefan is correct and it is made from brass.

The poor soul that needs to keep those wheels white... Train wheels should not be white...

[Jez Smith]

I realise, not being a South African, that my opinion may count for veeeeery little, but what was wrong with the original 5E green scheme? Rovos rail's steam locos are discretely (and sympathetically) painted, so to apply this scheme is something of a mystery to me...

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Luca I agree with you about those white wheels

[Barend Botha]

The more I look at this livery the more it doesn't work... What is with the red cow guard?

Regarding the flag I think that: the side facing the(the triangle side) flagpole should point to the front of the vehicle, creating the illusion that it is waving with the wind.

Union Pacific painted the US flag on the sides of some of their diesel locomotives and on all of them the flag painted on the right side is the "wrong" way around with the "flagpole" side of the flag facing towards the cab on both the right and left hand sides of the locomotive.

The name plates attached to the "deflector?" plates on steam locos are also mirrored.

What to do on a duel cab loco I'm not sure, triangle left I would say....

Love the white wheels though..

[Morne Bothma]

I agree! Certainly not the greatest livery esp. the yellow stripe on the side, but this freshly painted unit still has something special to it.

[Nathan Berelowitz]

I do believ that the original colour schem was green and crea a-la-coaches, but the safety aspect called for all units and diesels to have bright fronts and cow catchers, so I suppose to get this in order, cream for yellow! I reckon the logo and flag is getting away from it looking like ex SAR as there are definately more units in everyday service then steam, and so perhaps with all the new colour schemes on the market, this would be branded as Rovos. There are photos somewhere showing the front of this unit.

I reckon the fluttering flag is the way to beat an idea already in use but without replicating it ?

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Its like having the yellow reflective stripes on trucks and busses. Even my trailer