I think they look great. Maybe a bit of toning down with some powders, but as you say they are 'incomplete'. A fabulous first effort.

Boogy

Ah a fantastic book the Martyn Welch one! I've a well thumbed copy as well and it really improved my weathering when I first got it about 10 years ago So armed with that is armed indeed!

I'd say these look a brilliant start. I suspect some transfers would finish them off, then a touch of weathering to tone them in and seal with matt varnish - especially important if any of your finish has become shiny with handling if you're trying to depict a work worn wagon.

You don't say what techniques and materials you have used - if you haven't got some MIG weathering powders I'd definitely recommend the Europe Dust and Black Smoke ones for adding variation in underframes and tonal shadows - a lot quicker and easier once the base coat of gunge is on then working with washes.

I find if you bring all the techniques together, in moderation, and closely observe prototype photos for both colour and weathering pattern then you can't go far wrong. A good start and I look forward to seeing your next item

Very well done, and can only agree with James about following the prototype and also in some final toning to blend the shades together. And this is 2mm too! Puts a lot of 4mm offerings to shame. Perhaps you can go over materials and methods used for this.

Richard

I think you've done very well, much better than my first attempt. Like James Hilton, I'd be interested to know what materials and techniques you used. I'm also curious as to why you've weathered it before applying transfers, after all, the real thing would have come out of works all squeeky clean with running numbers, tare weights and such like neatly applied before any road grime ever became attached. All in all a very good effort.

Thank you for the positive feedback, helps gird the loins for some more.

Everything you see is done with Railmatch Arylics, a variety of stiff brushes and a Mk 1 fingertip. Having stripped the wagons down (remove the bogies and the wheels from the bogies) I've approached them as follows:

Load:

Bauxite(ish) as supplied. Dry brushed with Dark Rust (2405), then dry brushed with Oily Steel (2415).

Bogies:

Paint with undiluted Frame Dirt (2402), then dry brush first Dark Rust and then Light Rust (2404) onto the raised parts of the bogie. Dry brush the axle boxes with Oily Steel.

Underframes:

Paint with Matt Black (2419), then sparingly dry brush with a mixture of Light and Dark rust. I plan to dry brush some Weathered Black (2412) to give a more worn appearance, then a light brushing of thinned Frame Dirt for wheel splash. Brake handles painted with diluted Matt White (2421).

Frames:

First paint all over with Dark Rust. Then dry brush Light Rust around joints, bolt, chain loops etc. Next paint continuous areas of BR Early Grey (2322), and stipple dry/brush some of the frame so that the rust shows through. For the steaked grime to the right of the third wagon I applied diluted Matt Black with a fingertip, smearing from left to right. I thin used a damp cotton bud to remove to get the sharp line to the left.

Painted the buffer heads and shanks with Weatherd Black, and dry brushed the centres of the buffer heads with Oily Steel.

The decks still need to be done (which is why you don't see them!), I'm looking for a suitable weathered wood colour, and I'll dust them with a mix of Carr's Grey weathering powders to give the partially rotted wood effect.

I've yet to add decals, and then weathering powders to tone things down. I'm considering if a very dilute layer of weatherd black will tone the colours down, and will Matt Varnish once the decals are applied.