Well, here goes nothing.., or rather what I’d hoped to be “something”. This is a posting that I didn’t really want to post... but it’ll close things out for a while.

The photo below shows my model of Nimbus in as a complete state as she’s likely to get... for the time being... or maybe longer.

This weekend, we had no "family going out" plans, so we stayed in... and I had some time to devote to railway modelling. I decided that the time had come to practice and attack the BR blue finish that I’d been dithering over... and spend some time adding the structure for the upper level to my boys layout/trainset. The latter I achieved; the former was not so successful.

So... here we go. First of all, I’d been wondering about needing to apply some paint or varnish over the masking tape edge to avoid paint creep; I didn’t, and it was fine. I used Tamiya tape for the edges – smoothed down carefully – and blimey, getting that demarcation between the yellow and blue was a little fiddly to get “right”. I then used ordinary DIY masking tape to cover the larger areas... all with edges/folds filled in with maskol. I did this for the GUV coach bodies I would practice with and my 55. So far so good.

I wanted to achieve a relatively gloss finish (quite possibly my downfall) so that the transfers had a good surface to bond with... and I could have a relatively clean loco recently released to traffic – per some photos I’d referred to for reference – when these locos were looked after in the early ‘70s... their blue really shon... just look at RSG in March this year; I digress... sorry. And yes... I should have used a matt paint and gloss varnished afterwards; I realise that now... but back then, I didn’t.

I opted for Precision BR Blue... Gloss (I have smaller tinlets of dull and faded too) and thinned down in the usual way with enamel thinners – yes the paint was fully stirred even though its consistency was very even on opening the tin after a reasonable shake. It was warm too. Airbrush checked.... and first GUV attemped.

I started with a mist coat, then opened out the paint nozzle and methodically started to apply the flood coat. This took several going-overs, back and forth, slowly working over the whole coach. End result was, reasonable... but not brilliant.

Right, put that down and try again.... pick up next GUV and repeat process, with a little more even misting and then a slower applied flood coat – taking it to the point of running... but not quite. Look ok... not bad at all. Let it stand for a bit. Check; reapply a little more as a second coat and stand. Yes, that “looks” ok. Leave it.

Check paint... looks ok... check chamber ... top up (I shouldn’t have !!!!) re-check GUVs... yes, not bad; pick up 55.... dust off with big brush, allow airbrush to blow all over body to remove residue... and apply dust coat. Yup, that’s ok... now go for the flood coat. Starts ok... then splattering! Put model down (resting holder on block – not the loco)... wipe airbrush tip, test... ok... carry on. Apply as before hmmm... not so good this one; add more paint to let it get to the point of flowing together... and rest. Done. Put in box and allow to dry. Clean up... and check. Hmmm Orange peel.... how impressed was I..?!?!?!? Not!

I left this overnight allowing the paint to harden... which it did. The GUVs’ hadn’t dried to evenly either... In the morning, I gently rubbed down the side of a GUV... yes, that was ok, then carefully tried to do the same with the 55... using 2000 grade paper. I managed to clean it up quite a bit... then left it for a couple of hours to harden (if needed to)... then remasked the nose ends (quite tricky) and inners.

Having checked the Ian Rathbone book again (on orange peel) I wondered whether the paint I’d added to the cup at the end had been a little thicker that that I’d used on the GUVs. This time, my mix would be thinner. Repeat preparation and test on GUV... much smoother; maybe not so shiny... but that’s ok. After some prevarication, I check again and try on the 55. The result is a vast impriovement... and happily I put this away in its container to dry... and tidy up again... I have some MDF and wood cutting and fitting to be getting on with!

Once dried, I check back... .... ... ... ... ... ... well... ... ... at a reasonable viewing distance, it might not be too bad; maybe once some matt varnish goes over the top, once the transfers are on... maybe it’d be ok. I took some photos – and these changed my mind.

As you can see, the finish is not as desired... in fact, I think it’s ###t (self edit out). Seeing those lumps around the cab doors and handle really pee’d me off.... Time to walk away.

The GUVs are still not perfect, but they’re better than this. And that in itself is more than a little annoying.

I took a few (last?) photos – shown in this post. I didn’t bother adding the headcodes – I should’ve, they previously looked good with them; I’d selected 1E05 and 1S17 (suitable top-link workings from 1974), both with some dropped characters – and they looked good.

I posted a “Status” message earlier today: “to strip or not to strip – that is a question”... and this gave me plenty to think about whilst at the gym after work.

Sorry about the "light" in these photos grabbed this evening... and in bright sunlight yesterday emphasising the problem.

Answer – I cannot live with the bodywork in this condition. I have never tried any of the paint strippers available, so I’m unfamiliar with how they work and what can be achieved... and here’s my conundrum: Will the paint stripper (micro strip or whatever):

• Manage to remove the enamel and leave the Halfords primer?
  
• Manage to remove the paint and not unglue all the etched parts I’ve fitted
  
• Process remove all traces of paint from the fine grills, leave them undamaged (won’t use of a tooth brush that I’ve heard referred to used when using the microstrip cause damage? – I guess it could)
  
• What’s the likelihood of this process being successful and removing all the paint (or as much as needs to be removed – only really the blue layer needs to be removed!) without needing to replace many etch parts – and will the finished (stripped) article be a sound/clean surface to begin again with.
  
• Or...
   
  would I be better spending my time starting again with a different loco body..?
  

Not all is lost... the chassis is ok... although I’ve just checked that and found that the bogie nudge bars now catch on the exhauster pipes when rotated... limiting minimum turn radius a bit – fist check since securing buffer beams (bother)... otherwise that’s fine.

The cabs are ok too – crew complete (as far as I was intending to, recognising that not much can be seen through the thick glazing (I’ll not be chasing for flush glazing for a while now Brian)... so those bits are salvaged.

Most importantly, the journey has been a fun one... I started this project in October last year. I was probably among the first to start to try to use these Extreme Etching parts on the 55... and possibly one of the first to “journal” my work as I went along. However, others have completed theirs... and I understand that some projects have involved mass conversions – well done to those of you that have achieved where I failed. I must also thank those of you who have stayed with me on this journey, offering support and encouragement as I’ve gone along what was sometimes a trying challenge for the novice that I am... and I hope that maybe just one or two of you have found some of the material that I’ve posted just a little useful... or if not, I hope my writing style hasn’t grated too much. The journey was a long one.... I just didn’t get to where I wanted end up.

Oh... and worse things happen... this is nothing in the overall scale of “life” [don’t talk to me about... quit it Marvin], I will just see where I go now – and whether I’ll be tackling all of these little projects again... your answers will be of grate help here... and this time perhaps having half a clue about what I’m doing (doubt that). So, please accept my apologies for this “down” posting... I’d be grateful of any suggestions to my above requests... but for now, I need to spend some time thinking about where to go from here.

Sorry for letting the side down.

I think, she’d have looked nice all shiny... with a little dirt along the tumblehome. Never mind.

Suddenly lacking inspiration.... Jon