Externally, the cars were delivered in standard green "Malachite" livery with cream lining and whiskers. In time, yellow warning panels were added. In the late 60`s, all-over rail blue became the norm, with full yellow ends. Later, this became blue grey, and some of the longer surviving members received NSE and Regional Railways livery.

Original Green A works picture.
Green with small yellow panel
Blue with small yellow panel. 55000 at Barassie on the 17:15 Ayr - Kilmarnock, 1/3/69. Hamish Stevenson Collection
Standard all-blue. 55011 at Kilmarock, waiting to depart with the 13:58 to Ayr, 10/6/68. Hamish Stevenson
Blue / Grey. Glasgow Central. John Horne
Blue / Grey 'Tayway'. 55007 at Haymarket 19/11/83 with 'Tayway' sticker on cab. Hamish Stevenson
Blue Grey WM. 55003 at Dovey Jct with the 10:20 Aberytswyth - Shrewsbury 12/9/85. Hamish Stevenson
Blue / Grey with black cab windows. 55000 at Exeter St. Davids 14/9/91. Hamish Stevenson
Loadhaul. 55012 in Tyne Yd. 5/6/99. Ross Aitken
Class 131
Blue with small yellow panels. 55015 seen at Stirling 14/5/71. The different tone of grey between the nearest cab door and the nearest 'passenger' door with a droplight signifies where body panels have been altered. Through the can windows we can see mesh has been fitted to the insides of the white painted windows. Hamish Stevenson
Blue / Grey. 55015 again. Although by this time numbered TDB977177, in this 4/11/83 view at Glasgow Queen St it is only numbered '1'! Hamish Stevenson
Other non-passenger
Railtrack seen at Aylesbury on the 25th August 2003, 55019 is now sandite car 975042, set 960015. Robert Frise