Heritage Painting ceases trading
HERITAGE PAINTING, renowned for its high-quality loco repaints, ceased trading at the end of November 2020 due to the illness and retirement of founder Ian Hewitt, 42, who started the firm after a career in the RAF. The Darwen, Lancs-based firm was renowned for its high-quality traditional work, rivalling the finest painters and signwriters employed by the ‘big four’ companies. As a result it undertook a number of high-profile projects, most notably A4 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower for the National Railway Museum’s ‘Great Gathering’ and the NRM’s 60103 Flying Scotsman repaint into its 1960s lined BR green.
Talking about the firm’s work Mr Hewitt said: “We’ve painted Gresley greats including the world’s fastest locomotive, Mallard, but it was an absolute honour to transform Flying Scotsman, the most famous of them all, into its new livery. It took just over a week and used 45 litres of paint plus 20 litres of varnish, 20 litres of thinners and hours of painstaking work for our team of five.”
Explaining the decision to close Mr Hewitt said: “It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with health issues throughout the entire time of Heritage Painting, but these last four years have been the hardest as my condition deteriorated. It has become more of a burden to manage all the various aspects of the business, while also relying on the rest of the team more and more. It has genuinely been a wonderful experience and it’s been a huge honour to apply our handiwork to many of the nation’s treasures. As yet, it’s not decided if Heritage Painting (in some form) will carry on without me.”
Whilst being well known for its steam loco repaints, Heritage Painting also carried out many preserved diesel and stock repaints, as well as vintage vehicles, traction engines, showman caravans and other wooden structures. It also repainted LNER’s HST in BR blue/ grey for its farewell tour in 2019.