PNA production line...
Entry posted by James Hilton
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I've had two of the Bachmann PNA wagons (a 5 and a 7 rib) for nearly 18 months and they've never before appeared on my workbench!
These are good quality, value for money models of a nice mundane prototype. Perfect for Paxton Road - which is endeavouring to permeate averageness and mundane in it's environs, scenery and rolling stock (if not in quality of finish and modelling!). The Bachmann model uses their TTA underframe, as did a batch of the prototype wagons. Unfortunately it does not accurately portray the brunninghaus spring arrangement - and when I discovered this the models took a back seat on my project list! The prototype are all currently stored, but were in regular use during the timeframe of Paxton Road, usually in block trains - and often for material and spoil removal.
I needed a work stained and weathered wagon to be left in one of the sidings on Paxton Road, so a PNA was hastily pulled out and weathered, along with the interior being rusted up and some ballast remains added to the interior. Despite this the underframe still bugged me.
I bought a copy of Nigel Burkin's excellent book, 'Making the best of ready to run models: Modern Wagons in 4mm Scale', which covers the type in some detail. I realised the springs were available from S-kits as an aftermarket white metal casting and splashed out on enough sets for my fleet of 4 PNAs. The chassis modification is actually really simple.
Chassis Modification - Step by Step
1. Carefully remove the brake lever from each side, and store safely out of the way.
2. Using a sharp blade slice through the existing spring moulding where it meets the hanger, leaving the hanger in place.
3. Slice out the spring moulding a section at a time, being careful to avoid nicking the body of the wagon (or your fingers).
4. Remove the spring hangers and axle boxes from the S-kits mouldings.
5. Superglue the new springs into position. Note there is a small gap between the spring and the hanger. This is un-avoidable but is not noticeable at normal viewing distances.
6. Re-attach the brake levers with superglue.
This should leave you with a model that reflects the correct chassis for the prototype, and ready for weathering.
On one of my models I also replaced the moulded lamp brackets with thin stainless steel (etch off-cuts) but didn't think this added enough visually to carry over to the other wagons.
Weathering starts with the chassis, then interior, then body sides and then an overall wash if required.
Chassis Weathering - Step by Step
1. Starting with a medium brush, apply a quick wash of thinners to the chassis frame - avoiding the axle blocks.
2. Use Humbrol 98 (matt chocolate) and apply liberally, occassionally cleaning your brush and adding a little thinners. This should give a dirty but translucent effect so you can still make out the works plate.
3. Use Humbrol 98 neat on the new spring assemblys and axle blocks. Apply neat to the buffer beams, and buffers.
4. Use Humbrol 98 with some thinners on the brake rigging, so that the white remains visible, but dirty.
5. Use Humbrol 98 neat on the chassis brake rigging.
6. Use Humbrol 98 neat and paint the front face, back face and axle of both wheelsets. Avoid getting paint on the wheel tread, and if you do carefully remove with another brush moistened in thinners.
7. When dry you can apply a very delicate touch of Mig weathering powders. I use Europe Dust on the brake shoes to represent brake dust, and then use Black Smoke on some of the chassis frame to add some shadow.
8. Apply some silver to the buffer shanks.
9. Mix some Humbrol 53 (Gunmetal) with Humbrol 98 about 25/75%. Paint the buffer heads. Whilst these are still wet stipple on Black Smoke weathering powder.
At this stage your model should have started to look more realistic and certainly less toy like - we're well beyond the point of no-return yet with such a cheap model to start with this should not be of concern, and hopefully you're confidence has grown.
We're now ready to tackle the interior of the wagon. If you study prototype shots you'll see that the interior quickly gets rusty, dusty and in generally unkempt condition. The sides are often quite rusty and scuffed, with some 'tide' marks where a load has been present. The base often appears lighter as it's more dusty with some remnants of it's previous load - these wagons were loaded and unloaded by mechanical grab. Some useful photos were posted by Mark and Brian on my original request for help thread here on the old forum.
Interior Weathering - Step by Step
1. The base of the interior is a good enough base for weathering but the inside sides and ends need painting. I use Humbrol 98 (Matt Chocolate) and some Humbrol 60 (Matt Red), and a spot of Humbrol 33 (Matt Black) to mix up a rusty dirty colour. This is then applied to the insides adjusting the tone slightly by varying the proportions of the mix as you go.
2. The floor will also need weathering. Study photographs and determine the type of ballast or spoil previously carried as this dry dusty load will have deposited a film on top of the rust.
I decided on a light grey (Humbrol 64) and a little orange (Humbrol 82), mixed with a small amount of thinners and varied across the floor.
3. The remnants of it's last load are produced by applying some neat PVA glue in the corners, and in roughly the position where a mechanical grab would miss, and then applying ballast of your choice. I chose granite.
Now the chassis and interior are suitably distressed the final piece in the jigsaw is tacking the body. If you study photographs of the prototype (either in Nigel's book - or online on Gareth Bayer or Martyn Read's sites) you'll find that they appear to be generally dirty, but the info panels have been cleaned up - and also that the dirt is quite uniform, something that a beginner and an airbrush might struggle to achieve. I use a really simple basic technique that is surprisingly effective. This works on this type of wagon because the base colour is quite similar to the weathered colour, and would not give such a good effect on a lighter or brighter wagon.
Bodywork weathering - Step by Step
1. This really is a two step process. Apply some thinners to one or two body panels at a time. Add a little Humbrol 98 (Matt Chocolate) to the brush and 'mix' on the panel until uniform. Don't worry if this appears slightly uneven and transparent. I find this adds to the effect. Use Humbrol 98 neat along the top sides.
2. Whilst this is still damp use a dry clean cotton bud and clean up the data panel and the blue works stencil, and the min curve and loose shunting signs.
I know this photo shows the model with the incorrect springs - but as is life my PNAs are a work in progress and I've not finished the body on the wagons that have a finished chassis!
You should now have a PNA that definitely looks the part, and with a little work a short rake could be assembled, happy to be towed behind your EWS 66 (or similar) or just stashed in a siding full of debris awaiting collection after a weekend occupation and track renewal work elsewhere.
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