Hornby Dublo 'City of London': a restoration....

[Prometheus]

Ray - I honestly don't know, but I don't think that Testors is acrylic. I have also used it on many different paint finishes without difficulty [so far....].

 

I got fed up of having to constantly clean out Railmatch spray heads....!  But as Garry has suggested, I do tend to go with what I know works for me so if you have any concern, you're probably wise to stick with what you know.

 

Tony

[Il Grifone]

What is supposed to be the issue with acrylic on enamel?

 

I've never had any problems.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Il Grifone

[Golden Fleece 30]

David, You should never put acrylic on enamel as the solvents in the enamel as they evaporate/dry out can cause the acrylic to peel and lift off.  People say a few days is okay to wait, I say NO.  The photo here had enamel put on the roof a few years ago yet early this year by mistake I used an acrylic on top and you can see the result.  This was good compared to what happened to a Dublo loco a few years ago, that I had to strip and start all over again. It results in looking like Nitromors ( the old good stuff) has been painted on.

 

Using enamel on acrylic does not give any issues.

 

Garry

[DCB]

That's absolutely my view: I don't know who'll have her in 60 years but she could well still be running happily then.

Incidentally, here's another die-cast lump of a loco that I did a year or so ago, an absolutely shocking Wrenn Devizes Castle reinvigorated as Penrice Castle [and how's that for a cab full of motor?]:

 

These projects are just so hugely satisfying.

 

Tony 

 

On the Castle fitting odd bits of clear perspex to the cab windows, I just cut them dead size and press them in and there they have stayed for 20 odd years, and fitting a new tender drawbar to close couple the tender makes a huge difference to the appearance and the motor virtually disappears.

The Duchess / City also benefits from a new tender drawbar especially the Montrose/ Atholl where the tender has a downward facing pin as this lifts the rear of the tender under load, the City has the pin facing up which lifts the tender instead increasing traction.  Sadly those Hornby City wheels are badly undersize,  late Wrenn was better but mine has 26mm Romfords, couldn't quite get 27mm's in.

Edited November 25, 2017 by DavidCBroad

[cctransuk]

David, You should never put acrylic on enamel as the solvents in the enamel as they evaporate/dry out can cause the acrylic to peel and lift off.  People say a few days is okay to wait, I say NO.  The photo here had enamel put on the roof a few years ago yet early this year by mistake I used an acrylic on top and you can see the result.  This was good compared to what happened to a Dublo loco a few years ago, that I had to strip and start all over again. It results in looking like Nitromors ( the old good stuff) has been painted on.

 

Using enamel on acrylic does not give any issues.

 

Garry

 

 

The lower coach roof looks remarkably realistic for an 'in-service-for-some-time' model !!!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

Edited November 25, 2017 by cctransuk

[Il Grifone]

David, You should never put acrylic on enamel as the solvents in the enamel as they evaporate/dry out can cause the acrylic to peel and lift off.  People say a few days is okay to wait, I say NO.  The photo here had enamel put on the roof a few years ago yet early this year by mistake I used an acrylic on top and you can see the result.  This was good compared to what happened to a Dublo loco a few years ago, that I had to strip and start all over again. It results in looking like Nitromors ( the old good stuff) has been painted on.

 

Using enamel on acrylic does not give any issues.

 

Garry

 

Garry,

Thanks! I'll try to avoid doing it in future. I must have been lucky up to now, but some of my enamel paintwork has been there more than a few days....

 

David

[Golden Fleece 30]

The lower coach roof looks remarkably realistic for an 'in-service-for-some-time' model !!!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

 

That maybe so John but I would not want to try to do it again lol.

 

Garry

[Prometheus]

Garry

 

I was going to say that I'd been trying for years to achieve that finish....

 

Tony

Edited November 25, 2017 by Prometheus

[NCB]

There is acrylic and acrylic. Some acrylics don't work under enamels because the acrylic never really dries out, so doesn't form a suitable base for the enamel. Some acrylics are OK on top of enamel. Virtually all my 3mm scale GWR locomotives are sprayed with Railmatch GWR loco green. Later the black is picked out using Polly Scale Steam Locomotive Black, which gives just the right sort of finish. There's probably a few days in between applying the colours. Never yet had a problem.

Edited November 26, 2017 by NCB

[Prometheus]

Another Dublo restoration, this one an early Dublo 2-rail BR 48073 8F, now in the guise of LMS 8414, a Swindon-built early-WW2 example. The tender and pony wheels have been replaced as the originals were chipped and, well, nasty. The front buffers too are [sprung] substitutes, the original castings being somewhat battered. Everything else is original [or, at least, as I bought it!]. Decals by Pressfix, although it is a shame that the appropriate sheet did not have Grotesque Sans Serif numerals of the correct size.

 

 

 

Tony

[sagaguy]

In the 80s & 90s,i used Humbrol coal black for Dublo locos & electric signal bases.It was a superb semi matt finish that was very near to the original,Sadly,after the fire & the Hornby take over,the modern coal black is not a patch on the original,dries shiny,that`s if it dries at all.Most modern Humbrol paints Today are not a patch on the original Humber Oil company products.

 

                              Ray.

[Prometheus]

Ray, for straightforward single colour jobs like this, I find Halfords Matt Black in an aerosol is absolutely ideal. It has a pleasing almost satin sheen, quite similar to the original and three of four coats with a top coat of Testors Dullcote delivers quite a durable finish.

 

Tony

[sagaguy]

Yes,i use Halfords paint on nearly all my repaints now followed by Railmatch Satin varnish aerosol( once i get the spray head unblocked for the umpteenth time).I also have discovered that Fox Tranfers are unaffected by Halfords satin laquer.

 

                                             Ray.

[Golden Fleece 30]

I use Hycote satin black which is very similar to the Dublo originals. Then the same as Ray its Railmatch satin or gloss varnish depending what I am doing.

 

I also use Hycote Brooklands green for a Dublo passenger livery.

 

Garry