The sets were delivered in Brunswick green, with cream lining. The roofs were carriage grey, with a white roof canopy at the leading ends. The bogies and underframes were black. By the time these sets were delivered, speed whiskers had been replaced by yellow warning panels, but their front gangway and route indicators left little room for these. Instead the front gangway had a yellow moulded plastic cover fitted. Over the years a variety of types of these covers were used, including old flat top wood / canvas ones, curved top fibreglass ones, or on occasions none at all.

Being Inter-City units they bypassed the all-blue stage and went straight into blue / grey, with the grey stopping before the cab sides. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, and Tim Hall reports "I have a clear memory of one vehicle, a TS, painted in blue, in an 8-car formation of otherwise mixed green and blue/grey stock, in about 1970.  I only remember seeing this vehicle once, so I assume it got repainted in blue/grey soon after."