Springsbury Croft.'O' gauge 1977-'87 era depot.

[Jerry1975]

That van is very impressive, looking forward to more.

 

Jerry.

[hayfield]

Not much to report today only i did manage to get the base layers of paint on the car filler walls. After scraping out the mortar lines i sprayed them with some old spray cans i had..the expiry date was April '15. thankfully they still worked ok!...i then painted them with a 50/50 mix of Matt Black and Humbrol Matt Brown No.29. which was later when fully dried rubbed down with 1200 grade grit paper. A long way to go on these yet weatherin' wise so next job is to cut them to length and glue them into position first.

2011-02-05 23.08.52.jpg

2011-02-05 21.12.25.jpg

2011-02-05 21.11.40.jpg

 

Owdbob

 

Some very talented bit of model making, How did you make a master, then what did you make the mould from. Also I guess you used some form of release agent ?

 

It would certainly be interesting to hear a few more details about the process please

[hayfield]

Hi Marc,

 

I echo what you have said, brick papers have improved no end and Im inclined to use them towards the back of a layout - painting brickwork takes an age even with speeded up drying times (there are umpteen methods for painting embossed or carved brickwork).

 

For acrylics, I use retarder to help with using acrylics for weathering, I also tend to use three brands, basic colours are Humbrol, their black/weathered black is more black than GW brush on Chaos Black as that has blue notes within and can affect my 'three colour' weathering mix. I use Lifecolor (sic) for one off finishes, whereby the colour is right out of the tin and thus saves wasting a mix of separate colours, provides consistency and coverage. I also use LC special effects - for special effects, such as mould etc.

 

I now tend to use enamels for those effects that need to be washed off again quickly and for specific washes used with odour free thinners which, like with acrylics, makes for a safer and more pleasant working environment. Also the use of enamels in the airbrush makes for an easier life re issues like 'dry tip' etc, although retarder and certain brands of acrylic thinner help no end too.

 

Ive used the Tamiya weathering products and MIG powders for a many, many years now and they are the finishing touch as far as I am concerned, they add depth and texture so often needed in 7mm.

 

'Bob's work, like yours is superb Marc - very inspiring!

 

A little liberty of a few photos (please forgive photo quality) demonstrating what I have written herewith, resin into rust and corroded galv, using acrylics, powders etc. 

 

ATVB

 

 

 

CME

 

A very talented piece of modelling, sadly painting is one of those gifts some have which come naturally to some and unachievable to others.

 

Would make a wonderful topic/thread in its own right.

 

Painting and weathering for dummies would be great for us mere mortals

[Owd Bob]

Thanks for the nice & encouraging words Folks,   Hayfield! please go back to page two of this very topic for the mold info' it's not hard to make and the mold will last a lot longer than i will probably need it for, i made similar ones for my garden railway stuff and i've cast concrete and mortar in those, and even after dozens of castings they are still in good condition. 

 CME i believe i've seen a few mag' articles on the weathering etc...was this you? It's all being read & used by myself to better my modeling efforts, they say imitation is the best form of flattery....such a shame all the folks who copied my garden rail ideas and stuff over the years and probably made good money off them, then pass the idea's off as their own    ...just a sly dig at a few i know who did it on a previous forum. 

C.M.E.'S article?

 

[CME and Bottlewasher]

That van body looks great, I'd love to know some more about your techniques.

Steve.

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the kind words. I was to start a weathering thread, yet over the past three years life has gotten in the way. It could still be on the cards though. Sometimes Im not sure how I weather a model-I get lost in the doing-there are some basic rules and experience (mistakes and happy accidents) comes into play too. If you have a project you need help with, then drop me a PM with photos and I will do my best to help....

CME

 

A very talented piece of modelling, sadly painting is one of those gifts some have which come naturally to some and unachievable to others.

 

Would make a wonderful topic/thread in its own right.

 

Painting and weathering for dummies would be great for us mere mortals

Hi,

Again thanks for the kind words, I hope to start a thread on that very basis, yet time has been limited of late. As with Steve, if you need any help then please PM and I will do my best to help in the interim. I hope Ive, recently, encouraged a couple of old friends to start model making again and via Whatsapp I was helping a friend with advice on painting a tank hes building, very rewarding for me to see folk having a go and involved with hobbies.....

Thanks for the nice & encouraging words Folks, Hayfield! please go back to page two of this very topic for the mold info' it's not hard to make and the mold will last a lot longer than i will probably need it for, i made similar ones for my garden railway stuff and i've cast concrete and mortar in those, and even after dozens of castings they are still in good condition.

CME i believe i've seen a few mag' articles on the weathering etc...was this you? It's all being read & used by myself to better my modeling efforts, they say imitation is the best form of flattery....such a shame all the folks who copied my garden rail ideas and stuff over the years and probably made good money off them, then pass the idea's off as their own ...just a sly dig at a few i know who did it on a previous forum.

C.M.E.'S article?

2011-02-07 16.16.48.jpg

Hi 'Bob'

Your work is superb and I appreciate your kind words - apologies for the hijack of your thread.

 

I am happy for folks to seek advice use my models as inspiration etc.-makes the writing thereof very rewarding. Im sorry to hear that folk have done more than just copy your ideas, Ive had similar happen to me-in my 16mm scale work. Im very respectful of others' IP, including photos and ideas, sadly not everyone is though. I have also seen the other extreme whereby, when younger, I have asked a skilled modeller/demonstrator how they did X,Y or Z, only to be told;'Thats for me to know and Im not telling...'. I understand protectionism of one's 'living', thats why guilds were created, yet showing a teenager or youngster 'how to' model make isnt going to immediatley harm anyone's living, I would have thought, as experience and execution of the craft/skill is required, wisdom and using said knowledge for such too. Most modellers are nice folk though and share wonderfully well. Its a fine line though at times.

 

Guilty as charged re the article. My articles are like London buses, none for ages, then several show up at once LOL! Dont look too closely at the text, it was perfect (with the help of an editor friend-copy ready in fact, which was great as Im lower spectrum dyslexic and have some mild learning challenges) yet something went adrift in the reproduction thereof. The photos got swapped around too, from what was initially requested/required. Im glad to hear though that it has inspired at least one person-makes the slog of writing/rewriting an article worthwhile. I have a couple of additional photos herewith if such helps further, these didnt make it into the final cut.

 

Your work 'Bob' is great as it is though, in particular your weathering, Im looking forward to seeing your airbrush work in the not too distant future too-new levels of excellence!

 

Kindest regards to all,

 

CME

Edited March 22, 2018 by CME and Bottlewasher

[44690]

I learnt my weathering from a book called "The Art of Weathering" by Martin Welch, and my airbrushing from "Painting and Lining in Smaller Scales" by Steve Barnfield, followed by much practising and adapting to suit my needs. I've just purchased "Airbrushing for Railway Modellers" by George Dent to bring me up to date with the more recent developments in paint and airbrushing. 

 

I continue to learn, pick up tips and be inspired from the sklilled modellers on this and other forums.

 

Ian

Edited March 23, 2018 by 44690

[Owd Bob]

I molded a bit more walling the other day, three butresses to hide the stone wall joints and break up its long run to the eye, and a walled recess where a signal post stands, i might as well copy a real feature from the area true to form. An hole was jig-sawed out for the sheds inspection pit. I played around with the buildings, and they are now roughly being set in where they are in these pics.  

[CME and Bottlewasher]

I molded a bit more walling the other day, three butresses to hide the stone wall joints and break up its long run to the eye, and a walled recess where a signal post stands, i might as well copy a real feature from the area true to form. An hole was jig-sawed out for the sheds inspection pit. I played around with the buildings, and they are now roughly being set in where they are in these pics.  

2011-02-08 20.43.30.jpg

2011-02-08 20.44.42.jpg

2011-02-08 21.02.29.jpg

Coming along VERY nicely!

[Guest ShildonShunter]

The modelling detail to the van is very impressive and life like, this is turning out to be really nice layout with loads of eye catching details.

[Owd Bob]

Thanks all & CME, It's all done of course with research and great ideas i've gleaned off this site along the way. I'm taking my time but i have done a lot more in this last week or so, mainly due to being stuck indoors due to the cold weather, this evenings fettlings will be back to the engine shed and start some detailing...i cut/altered some track and sleepers/chairs to fit it yesterday, now i have to stick 'em in at the right height and width either side of the pit in a suitable prototype looking but not an exact way, i have plenty of my old inside diesel shed pics' to look at for inspiration. Although the layout will only be seen from one side i'll still detail it just in case it ever gets seen from t'other side and both ends as well.   Deffo off to the E.L.R. Bury, tomoz' i missed out last weekend because of the snow. It's all for photographic research purposes!...Well that's what i tell the 'She Devil'     

Edited March 24, 2018 by Owd Bob

[CME and Bottlewasher]

I take it that the love of your life doesnt read RMW 'Bob'? LMAO!

 

Im being careful as I type this as SWMBO is sat next to me LOL!

Edited March 24, 2018 by CME and Bottlewasher

[Owd Bob]

I take it that the love of your life doesnt read RMW 'Bob'? LMAO!

 

Im being careful as I type this as SWMBO is sat next to me LOL!

She whinges at my daily morning hour or so trawling around on here CME.....and just seemingly like your other half, she seems to be watching over my shoulder all the time......   

Edited March 26, 2018 by Owd Bob

[Owd Bob]

The track and some detailing is now added to the shed base and inspection pit, still loads to get done on it but it's a good start now the track is in place i can work around it, i just cut the sleeper ends and sleeper centres off a length of track leaving just two full sleeper at either end to hold the rails together and parallel, i rested the chairs and what was left of the sleepers on the pit side walls/shelf i made...thankfully it rested at the right depth so the rail top is flush with the shed floor surface. I used a wagon to gauge the rails and keep them apart in the centre of the length whilst the glue set!

       I probably had the most enjoyable and railway related and interesting day i've had for a long-long while yesterday when a great friend and fellow modeler whom is a long term member at the E.L.R. Bury invited me and a friend to have a guided tour of the hard to get to see places. It was an early and very frosty & misty start but it added to the atmosphere. The day ended sitting on the station in the warm Sun with a bacon butty and a brew of strong Black tea.   Plenty of pics' were taken mostly for research but a lot for pure pleasure. I'd love to share them all but there are just some things that can't be seen or shown at the mo' as we don't want to spoil things for a lot of folks and also for security reasons as they had had some un-welcome crow bar wielding visitors only hours before!   I did get to see the tunnel mouth and retaining walls quite close up that i'm going to try to copy.  The concrete panel fence and Garage above the tunnel mouth will make a simple low relief back scene....i hope!

[Guest ShildonShunter]

I do like the inspection pit and great photos of your little tour.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

She whinges at my daily morning hour or so trawling around on here CME.....and just seemingly like your other half, she seems to be watching over my shoulder all the time......

 

Arent they a joy 'Bob'......'woe-men' LMAO <then weeps>! "The female of the species is highly manipulative" (In precis and not verbatim IIRC, David Attenborough, speaking about great apes, or was he? LOL!).

[Owd Bob]

Yep! its great how SWMBO  finally thought of me & the railway stuff yesterday CME, 'cos whilst she was out in the car, She very thoughtfully called in at the local turf farm come garden centre and bought me the four bags of soil and a big grow bag of compost i needed to spread around the garden line, Wow! " thanks i thought" she do's care! Then she said "Don't worry! i've already took the Tenner out of yer wallet for it all"        Funny how it all came to exactly a tenner and i had no change!  

[marc smith]

CME

 

A very talented piece of modelling, sadly painting is one of those gifts some have which come naturally to some and unachievable to others.

 

Would make a wonderful topic/thread in its own right.

 

Painting and weathering for dummies would be great for us mere mortals

 

Hi there hayfield,

 

I grew up using only enamel paints - because that's all I knew, and what was most readily available

I learned to paint, by reading articles in the Railway Modeller (usually) and mostly by trial and error - and there was plenty of error

This continued, largely un-changed, and some of my painting was good, some OK, some not so good

 

However, several years back (must be 8 - 10 years now!) I walked into a Games Workshop, with my lad, who at the time was keen to find out about Warhammer gaming....

The shop invited us to a beginners workshop, scheduled a couple of weeks later. In the workshop, they explained the basic rules of the game (which I wasn't particularly interested in)

and gave us several components, to build some scenery, buildings and a couple of figures. We had access to a big box of so many paints, and my eyes were opened to Acrylic paints

EDIT: And we spent much of the day, learning how to paint from the very keen, friendly members of staff

 

Now I'm not saying Acrylics are any better than enamels or oils or whatever - but this workshop opened my eyes to new techniques and methods

For me, acrylics mean I can complete painting much much quicker - as they dry more quickly (but there are occasions where this can be a drawback - but that's another thread....

The GW staff were brilliant - they were really helpful, and whenever my son spent an afternoon there, playing his wargames, I sat and painted some railway figures or small scenic items, or weathered a wagon etc

Is there a GW shop near you? Do you have a son or daughter, or nephew you could take along to a similar workshop?

Would the shop welcome you in, even if you weren't going to be buying their figures or playing their games? - After all, you would end up buying paints and glues etc....

 

If not, is there a day course you could attend somewhere nearby, or a friendly local modeller whose work you rate highly?

Honestly, painting CAN be learned, and new skills can be acquired. I found painting with Acrylics meant I could experiment and achieve results quicker, and I learned quicker

I'm not saying I'm a great painter anyway - but the fun I have / had learning new methods and experimenting spurred me on in my own modelling

Try getting some old figures, or bits of scenery, or even old stock like Lima or Triang stuff you're not going to use any more - and play with that, experimenting.... after all, if you're not going to use it any more, what have you to lose?

 

Sorry to hijack your thread there Owd Bob!

But I wanted to say, really like those prototype pics you posted there - there's some really inspiring material in there

And I have to say, this layout is looking great matey - keep up the good work

Edited March 27, 2018 by marc smith

[marc smith]

Me again! - and apologies for a second hijacking Bob
But minimum space layouts are "my thing" and particularly since the expansion of O gauge R-T-R stock, even more so

Here are some shots from my small O gauge layout (Poynton Sneer) - just under 5 feet, including fiddle yard, and built very much on the cheap
The grounded van body was bought from an exhibition - it had been badly built, and terribly painted, and was found under the table, in a box of odds & ends
The seller originally asked a tenner for it, but it was missing bits, and after going back later (when even more fell off it!) - I eventually got it for £3
Even the track was second-hand (and some of it had been painted a lurid, bright, glossy red-ish colour

Other bits & pieces were also bought cheaply, or bits & bobs left over from other projects, or "un-sellable" bits from my local model shop
The corrugated hut was also built from scraps of Slaters plastic card
Pretty much everything was painted with Acrylics, and weathered with weathering powders and acrylic matt varnish.
Heck I could get Poynton Sneer, my controller and all the stock needed onto a pasting table... and still have room for coffee and sandwiches

[hayfield]

Hi there hayfield,

 

I grew up using only enamel paints - because that's all I knew, and what was most readily available

I learned to paint, by reading articles in the Railway Modeller (usually) and mostly by trial and error - and there was plenty of error

This continued, largely un-changed, and some of my painting was good, some OK, some not so good

 

However, several years back (must be 8 - 10 years now!) I walked into a Games Workshop, with my lad, who at the time was keen to find out about Warhammer gaming....

The shop invited us to a beginners workshop, scheduled a couple of weeks later. In the workshop, they explained the basic rules of the game (which I wasn't particularly interested in)

and gave us several components, to build some scenery, buildings and a couple of figures. We had access to a big box of so many paints, and my eyes were opened to Acrylic paints

EDIT: And we spent much of the day, learning how to paint from the very keen, friendly members of staff

 

Now I'm not saying Acrylics are any better than enamels or oils or whatever - but this workshop opened my eyes to new techniques and methods

For me, acrylics mean I can complete painting much much quicker - as they dry more quickly (but there are occasions where this can be a drawback - but that's another thread....

The GW staff were brilliant - they were really helpful, and whenever my son spent an afternoon there, playing his wargames, I sat and painted some railway figures or small scenic items, or weathered a wagon etc

Is there a GW shop near you? Do you have a son or daughter, or nephew you could take along to a similar workshop?

Would the shop welcome you in, even if you weren't going to be buying their figures or playing their games? - After all, you would end up buying paints and glues etc....

 

If not, is there a day course you could attend somewhere nearby, or a friendly local modeller whose work you rate highly?

Honestly, painting CAN be learned, and new skills can be acquired. I found painting with Acrylics meant I could experiment and achieve results quicker, and I learned quicker

I'm not saying I'm a great painter anyway - but the fun I have / had learning new methods and experimenting spurred me on in my own modelling

Try getting some old figures, or bits of scenery, or even old stock like Lima or Triang stuff you're not going to use any more - and play with that, experimenting.... after all, if you're not going to use it any more, what have you to lose?

 

Sorry to hijack your thread there Owd Bob!

But I wanted to say, really like those prototype pics you posted there - there's some really inspiring material in there

And I have to say, this layout is looking great matey - keep up the good work

 

There was a couple at Ally Pally selling a range of their own painted figures and lots of other painted items, Northumbrian Painting Services who use acrylics from suppliers including the Games Workshop. There is a difference in what a non artistic person and what an artistic person can do, basic painting can be learnt, being artistic is a gift some have to lift an item to another level. You must have an artistic streak within your skill base.

 

I am off to find some translucent weathering colours, as I have some basic acrylic colours

 

Thanks 

[ModellingMatt]

This isgreat! I am so impressed by the weathering!

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Yep! its great how SWMBO  finally thought of me & the railway stuff yesterday CME, 'cos whilst she was out in the car, She very thoughtfully called in at the local turf farm come garden centre and bought me the four bags of soil and a big grow bag of compost i needed to spread around the garden line, Wow! " thanks i thought" she do's care! Then she said "Don't worry! i've already took the Tenner out of yer wallet for it all"        Funny how it all came to exactly a tenner and i had no change!  

 Oh yes.....get a wallet with a couple of notes in it, I go to use them in a shop, a day or two later, and said notes are gone... 

Me again! - and apologies for a second hijacking Bob

But minimum space layouts are "my thing" and particularly since the expansion of O gauge R-T-R stock, even more so

Here are some shots from my small O gauge layout (Poynton Sneer) - just under 5 feet, including fiddle yard, and built very much on the cheap

The grounded van body was bought from an exhibition - it had been badly built, and terribly painted, and was found under the table, in a box of odds & ends

The seller originally asked a tenner for it, but it was missing bits, and after going back later (when even more fell off it!) - I eventually got it for £3

Even the track was second-hand (and some of it had been painted a lurid, bright, glossy red-ish colour

 

Other bits & pieces were also bought cheaply, or bits & bobs left over from other projects, or "un-sellable" bits from my local model shop

The corrugated hut was also built from scraps of Slaters plastic card

Pretty much everything was painted with Acrylics, and weathered with weathering powders and acrylic matt varnish.

Heck I could get Poynton Sneer, my controller and all the stock needed onto a pasting table... and still have room for coffee and sandwiches

Your work is an inspiration Marc, hence my purchase of one of your old layouts. Cracking stuff!

 

ATVB

 

CME

[Owd Bob]

Love those superb pics' Marc  thanks for the loads of inspiration, plenty for me to copy off there   and with me having a thing for old Land-rovers i really love the old Brockhouse trailer and the way it typically sits dumped nose down  Had to buy another tub of car filler yesterday to make the tunnel mouth, it was only a small tub at a fiver and i've enough left over to stick all the tunnels bits together with it later. I made a template using foam board, i cut the tunnel portal out of the foam board and spread the filler all around it once i'd used the other part of the template to position it correctly. I had to get the class 40 out and sat at the final height i wanted on a piece of track chocked up with foam board as ballast to make sure the tunnel was made high and wide enough. I have done it as a single bore, but i'm still copying the castle styled turrets off the original

.  

Edited March 28, 2018 by Owd Bob

[Owd Bob]

I've now got most of the detailing done on the tunnel mouth with the mortar lines scraped out and the castle style turrets cut to size. I skimmed over the tunnels arched top half with a bit more car filler, into which i then carved out the oblong stones by hand with a Stanley blade. Just leaves me the turret top cappings to make and the paint work to sort out over the Easter weekend. 

[Guest ShildonShunter]

Nice job on the mortar lines looks very realistic looking forward to seeing them painted.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Its done the rounds this photo, but as Bob likes Landies...a Series I Land Rover, all spit and polish as base commander's (RAF Wroughton) transport, stops off at Draycott Camp Halt Sidings to pick up a parcel or two.....