For some reason my steel road frame has two coats of different coloured paint.

Any suggestions how I might remove just the top layer as the colour underneath is nicer?

From what I can tell it’s been painted and lacquered, and then painted and lacquered again??

I doubt that’s even possible, and if it was the finish would be pretty rough – better to get it repainted in the same colour. It could be primer.

Yep I had thought it was a bit shonky, but removing a small patch of paint on rear stays it’s definitely two distinct paint finishes, a nice red underneath, white on top.

Was hoping to avoid re spray as its my winter frame

Sand it back then re lacquer?

you could do a Lucio Fontana on it.
it’s possible to sand it back, but it’s really, incredibly hard to do at all well.