The Sunlander, Inlander, Westlander and Midlander express trains that began running in 1953 sported the blue and white livery, but this was not originally to be.
"I knew from my own research the QR Executive had agreed on a maroon and silver livery as this was publicly reported in minutes of various meetings," M V Tronson explained.
"Suddenly, out the blue (pun), the livery was changed to beautiful blue, maybe to distinguish the QR trains from the Commonwealth Railways carriages (Trans-Continental and The Ghan), which had adopted maroon and silver livery."
There was an uproar in the 1980s when QR changed to corporate colours (Broncos football colours), maroon and yellow. With rail buffs the pique remains!
The Footplate Padre communicated with the Australian Railway Historical Society's (ARHS) research section to ascertain who came up with the blue livery. He paid the research fees and waited with anticipation.
The ARHS was specific: Comeng (the carriage manufacturer) and QR engaged the Professor of Architecture, Mr Bob Cummings F.R.I.B.SA., and Mr Athol Brentell as colour consultants, both of whom were from the University of Queensland in Brisbane.
They had done a lot of work in this field and at a subsequent meeting they explained the Ostwald Theory (http://www.colorsystem.com/projekte/engl/32oste.htm)
to select compatible colours, and agreed to act as consultants.
The comment by many having seen the finished product was that they had "to be convinced this was done by men" (rather than angels) and at a special viewing for 'society ladies' before the official launch to huge acclaim, the then Minister for Transport, Mr J E Duggan exclaimed, 'The Colour Consultants had done their work well."
"As the Footplate Padre, I pondered on the process of my research, and noticed how it is the same process in becoming a Christian, a follower of Jesus," M V Tronson noted.
First, a personal decision needs to be made to follow Jesus and be repentant (as I'd made a decision to seek out the livery research).
Secondly, having made this heart decision to become a Christian, I then needed to follow it through and fall at the foot of the Cross and seek forgiveness and start life afresh in Christ (as I'd needed take action on my decision to research the livery).
Thirdly, Moreover Jesus said, to follow Him is costly, Jesus said in Matthew 16 verse 24, 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me' (and I paid money for the research to discover the origin for the decisions for this particular livery).
The On Track E-Railway magazine of the Stringybark Express Museum & Heritage Park (WAHGUNYAH VIC) can be contacted on 02 6033 3937 http://otrailnews.comfypage.com/