EMU kit building - Bratchell Models

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

Been working on this DTSO for a Class 320 for the last day now. I’ll get onto building the MSO and the DTSO over the next day and a bit. I’m leaving the cabs off so they can be sprayed yellow and then all three units will be relived into ScotRail’s spotrail Saltire livery. 

[MGR Hooper!]

Looking forward to seeing this progress...

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

Update:

 

I’ve ordered three Replica Railways die cast chassis for the Class 320s and Class 318. The Class 318 is currently being reliveried from the factory Strathclyde PTE Orange & Black to an acceptable variant of the SPT Crimson & Cream livery. It’s more or less impossible to buy accurate transfers for the Class 318 in that livery so I had a go at making my own. It’s not the nearest job in the world but I’ll show you all once it’s complete. Once all three EMUs are powered I’ll then move onto working on the station furnishings and building platforms along with other rolling stock works.

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

A while since we last had an update on the 320 project. As you can see from these photographs the DTSO cars are having their livery applied to the bodysides and cabs. The MSO car is currently being repainted but these are the first two completed of six.

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

One down. Two to go. (Yes, the bodysides are a bit messy but will be fixed in due course.

[MGR Hooper!]

Pinting wise you should try using masking tape and an airbrush. Simple ones work well and it takes a few tries to get used to it. If you want, use hobby spray paints. Indian red and off-white/cream will be good matches.

[37114]

In addition to what MGR Hopper says, I would always apply a coat of primer, rattle cans from Halfords are fine. Even if you stick with brush painting I would use masking tape, you will get a much neater finish. 

[MGR Hooper!]

57 minutes ago, 37114 said:

In addition to what MGR Hopper says, I would always apply a coat of primer, rattle cans from Halfords are fine. Even if you stick with brush painting I would use masking tape, you will get a much neater finish. 

Indeed, I forgot to mention primer. A good primer is also key. Even Tamiya fine primer is an excellent choice.  Whilst I am not against brush painting, I do think that it covers up a lot of detail.

[ikcdab]

I agree with all the comments. Practice makes perfect.  You probably need to have a second go. I'd strip off what you have done,  clean it up,  apply primer and have another go.  If you are going to brush paint,  use several thin coats. 

[Darius43]

If the window glazing parts are separate mouldings, I would remove them and install them after you have painted the coach bodies.  That would avoid getting paint on the glazing - as I see has happened in a few places.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[SRman]

I used automotive aerosol sprays on my class 455 to get the base colour (a Ford flame red in my case) before adding the windows. I used vinyl overlays from Electra Railway Graphics vinyls to complete the livery elements. Incidentally, for the window frames on the unliveried kits like you and I have done, I used a silver Sharpie pen to pick out the raised frames and sliding vents - a lot easier to apply than paint with a brush. The Sharpie may not be as durable as paint, but can be varnished, or, as in my case, covered by the clear vinyl of the overlays.

The centre coach bodies have been primed here with grey primer.


Bratchell Class 455-9 Under Construction - 8 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


All coach bodies have been sprayed with the flame red. I left the clear fronts unpainted because they need careful treatment - I usually hand-paint these. 


Bratchell Class 455-9 Under Construction - 10 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Next was to hand-paint some of the livery elements. These didn't have to be exactly right, but were done to reduce colour show-through when the vinyls were applied.


Bratchell Class 455-9 Under Construction - 17 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


The window frames done with the silver Sharpie pen.


Painting the Window Frames - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


The fronts were painted to match. Colours here were approximate ones only. The final coats are done with the correct colours. Note also that I didn't worry too much about the roughness of the colour borders because of the vinyls to come. If you are doing the colours entirely through your own painting, definitely mask off carefully to get crisp edges.


Bratchell Class 455-9 Under Construction - 21 1900 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Still more to do, but three of the coaches have the vinyls overlaid now, with one still to go. The front ends require more work, including drilling the lights out to accept LEDs. This how the unit is at present. As you can see, I haven't rushed this build, just doing things in easy stages.


P_20191003_124418_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Good Luck with the completion of your unit, Callander, it will be rewarding, as well as a learning experience. I'm willing to bet yours will be completed before mine is.

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

Progress continues as carriage two nears completion. Ready to glue the second side on and add glazing. Will then tidy paintwork around the doors.

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

Fresh out of the paintshop again.

[rob D2]

Bit wonky , 

id invest in some masking tape TBH 

[MJI]

Tamaya tape is excellent.

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

Whilst the coronavirus took its toll, I decided to rebrand the EMUs on Northbank. A bit tatty yes, but last thing to do is add the NX logos to the Orange units. Otherwise, it looks much better than before.

 

 

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

Well then, big long break from this thread, was expected tbh due to covid, but back at the workbench again with a long-awaited project and that was to attain an SPT Class 318 for the layout. We changed location at the start of the year as you know to the small Coatbridge suburb of Greenhill with the station being located less than a mile from Coatbridge Sunnyside towards Coatdyke. So at the end of last year, I bought a Bratchell Models Class 318 kit with the intention of putting into SPT livery, but after much consideration and that I had an Orange 318 that I didn’t need, I sacrificed into the SPT livery, I’m quite pleased with how its looking so far, but it’s nowhere near finished, still needs transfers and tidying up, but you get the overall picture. Project 318 is well underway!

[Callander - ScotRail OO Gauge]

Two of the most recent projects now complete and seen on Greenhill:

 

320320 now finally has the National Express ScotRail swoosh logos applied whilst 318252 has now been fully repainted into a coarse but acceptable SPT Carmine & Cream livery with all transfers applied, although not exactly realistic in this livery, I’ve decided to keep the unit information on the front of the driving trailers rather than repaint the entire front ends to be realistic, but I’ve dirtied up the fronts and roofs to give a “heavily used” appearance, common on the class in the early 2000s.

[SRman]

As predicted, my progress has been slow - possibly little or no progress in recent times. All of my Bratchell units are in full running condition, and all but one are incomplete, lacking certain details and/or awaiting final paint touch-ups, and so on.