Editing LSWR N15 class (section)

==Livery and numbering==

===LSWR and Southern Railway===
Under LSWR ownership, the "Urie N15s" were painted in Urie's LSWR sage green [[livery]] for passenger locomotives.<ref name=Bradley5>Bradley (1987), p. 5</ref> This was distinct from Drummond's sage green because it was more olive in colour, and yellowed with cleaning and weathering.<ref name=Bradley5 /> Black and white [[London and South Western Railway#Locomotive liveries|lining]] decorated the boiler bands and borders of the sage green panels.<ref name=Bradley5 /> The lettering was in [[Gilded|gilt]]: the initials "LSWR" located on the side of the tender, the locomotive number on the cabside.<ref name=Swift-50>Swift (2006), p. 50</ref>

The first Southern livery continued that of the LSWR, though with primrose yellow [[decal|transfers]] showing "SOUTHERN" and the locomotive number, placed on the tender.<ref name=Bradley5 /> The lining separating the black border on tender and cab side panels was changed to yellow.<ref name=Bradley5 /> Primrose yellow [[decal|transfers]], showing "SOUTHERN" and the locomotive number, were placed on the tender.<ref name=Swift-50 /> An "E" prefix was located above the tender number (e.g. E749), denoting that the class was registered for maintenance at Eastleigh works.<ref name=Bradley5 /> The gilt numerals on the cabside and tender rear were replaced by a cast oval plate with "Southern Railway" around the edge and the number located in the centre. Yellow numerals were painted onto the front [[buffer beam]] to ease identification.<ref name=Swift-50 /> In February 1925 Maunsell developed a deeper green with black and white lining.<ref name=Swift-50 /> This was applied to his new King Arthur class locomotives and the "Urie N15s" were similarly painted when overhauls were due.<ref name=Swift-50 /> Wheels were olive-green with black tyres.<ref name=Swift-50 /> From 1929 the "E" prefix was removed and the cast numerals on the tender rear were removed and replaced with yellow transfers (e.g. 749).<ref name=Bradley5 />

In May 1938, after Bulleid's appointment as CME, No.&nbsp;749 ''Iseult'' was trialled in bright unlined light green with yellow-painted block numerals replacing the cast numberplates.<ref name=Bradley5 /> The tender was given two designs of lettering, with "SOUTHERN" on one side and the initials "SR" on the other.<ref name=Bradley5 /> The Board of Directors disapproved and Bulleid repainted the locomotive in darker [[malachite green]] with black and white lining (this would later be applied to his Pacifics).<ref name=Bradley5 /> The legend "SOUTHERN" in block-lettering remained on the tender, though the number was relocated to the cabside on one side and the smoke deflector on the other.<ref name=Swift-56 /> Both were painted in a light "sunshine yellow". No.&nbsp;749 was returned to Maunsell's green livery.<ref name=Swift-56 />

Several variations of the Maunsell green, Urie sage green and Bulleid [[malachite green]] liveries were tried with black, white/black, and yellow lining, some sporting a green panel on the smoke deflectors.<ref name=Swift-56>Swift (2006), p. 56</ref> However, from 1942 to 1946, during the Second World War and its aftermath, members of the class under overhaul were turned out in unlined-black livery as a wartime economy measure, with green-shaded sunshine yellow lettering.<ref name=Swift-64 /> The final Southern livery used from 1946 reverted to malachite green, with yellow/black lining, and sunshine yellow lettering. Some of the class (Nos.&nbsp;782 and 800, ''Sir Brian'' and ''Sir Persant'') did not receive this livery.<ref name=Swift-64>Swift (2006), p. 64</ref>

===British Railways===
British Railways gave the class the power classification of 5P after nationalisation in 1948.<ref name=Swift-65>Swift (2006), p. 65</ref> For the first 18&nbsp;months the locomotives sported a transitional livery: Southern Railway malachite green with "BRITISH RAILWAYS" on the tender in sunshine yellow lettering.<ref name=Bradley6>Bradley (1987), p. 6</ref> As each member of the class became due for a heavy general overhaul, they were repainted in the new standard British Railways express passenger livery of [[Brunswick green]] with orange and black lining from April 1949.<ref name=Bradley6 /> Initially, the British Railways "Cycling Lion" crest was located on the tender, replaced from the 1957 by the later "Ferret and Dartboard" crest.<ref name=Swift-65 />

Numbering was initially a continuation of the Southern Railway system, though an 'S' prefix was added to denote a pre-nationalisation locomotive, so that No.&nbsp;448 would become No.&nbsp;s448.<ref name=Bradley6 /> As each locomotive became due for overhaul and received its new livery, the numbering was changed to the British Railways standard numbering system, in the series 30448–30457 for the first ten and 30736–30806 for the rest.<ref name=ABC>Ian Allan ABC (1958–59), section "N15"</ref>