Something I need quite a goodly number of - the humble 16 ton mineral. Having recently bought a large batch of these, that oh-so-clean finish wasn't going to last very long in my hands!

I've been trying to get to grips with using gouache (as prescribed by Pugsley and co on here) and here are the first two specimens.

The one on the left is a 1959 build, so is undoubtedly much cleaner (and less bashed about) than its 1955/6 built cousin next to it. This is where the gouache has been used, along with a bit of MIG Black Smoke powder. Base coat for both is a thin wash of Humbrol 186 brown. May give the left hand one a little more dirt......

As an aside, I've had a reasonably good degree of success with using my gas-powered Iroda soldering iron with the blowtorch tip. Carefully used at the right temperature, the insides of the wagon can be bowed out a little as per the real thing. Not too much though, else you'll have a lovely hole in the body (not happened here yet, touch wood!).

More on these to come, eventually!