NS2498

They would have been a remarkable sight, those first 20 locomotives from the 2400 series. The sky-blue engines contrasted sharply with the pitch-black tank wagons of the oil trains they pulled. That sky-blue gave way to a russet colour and then, when the NS’s new house style was introduced in 1968, to a yellow and grey scheme. Originally, the locomotives had large number plates at the front and smaller, oval plates on the cabs. These plates were removed from every engine because they did not match the new house style. The 2400 series was used to pull goods trains. These locomotives began to be taken out of service in 1982. France purchased a number of the engines for use in building the High-speed lines. For a farewell voyage in 1991, three locomotives from the series were repainted in the original colours of blue, red and even lilac (the final locomotive in the series, known as ‘The Bishop’, was given the latter hue). This marked the start of the tradition of returning a train to its original colours for the farewell voyage.