Rhondda & Swansea Bay Railway (Note: Numbers in brackets refer to specific references)
Started in 1882 but only fully opened in 1890 the line was built to use new docks at Swansea for coal exports due to the increasing congestion at the existing Cardiff dock complex.
In its final form it operated a system with only 29 route miles. The railway was controlled by the GWR from 1909 but oddly this small line remained semi-independent after the 1923 grouping and continued to operate a limited number of goods vehicles in its own livery.
Freight stock was originally chocolate brown with the company name in full on the sides, but by the end of the 1890's this changed to a light grey with the company initials R & S B RY,
this changed again when the GWR took over the operations side to a dark grey, similar to GWR grey, with the initials six inches high R. &. S. B. R. note all the full stops, including the one after the &.
Fig ___ R&SBR
References:
Great Western Way - J. N. Slinn - HMRS - 1978/79/85 - ISBN 0 902835 09 2
This book details the livery practice of the GWR and also briefly covers the principal liveries of absorbed companies. There are not as many photographs as one might wish but there are plenty which suggest modelling ideas.
