Weathered white roofs

[whart57]

This may be an old favourite, if so I apologise.

 

Back in Victorian and Edwardian times some railway companies painted carriage roofs with white lead paint. White lead is actually Lead Carbonate (2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2) and it darkens over time through reaction with sulphur compounds in the air creating black lead sulphide. As these carriages followed a prolific generator of sulphur pollution in their daily work you'd expect that to happen to them. Then of course there are the particulates created by coal burning and spraying oil and steam into the air. All in all, carriage roofs didn't stay white for long.

 

So what colours should nominally white carriage roofs be painted? And how?

 

And what about oil lamp chimneys?

[Barry O]

Paint them white then use weathering to darken them down.

 

You can very the "darkening" affect by using less weathering - in this case diluted Indian Ink (black) applied using a brush and a make up "wedge" of sponge .

 

Coaches would weather at different speeds depending on use.

 

Baz

[Binky]

I remember hearing a story that people in the know would aim to get on the carriage with the whitest roof when boarding a train, as a coach with newer roof paint was likely to be the most recently overhauled and in better condition!

[Tony Cane]

Pictures here show the effect of  the loco exhaust on a white roof

 

http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/pg/144/GWR-Steam-Railmotor

[Barry O]

Real photos of real weathering.. taken in 2012 (and is in my album of Gresley Coaches on the NYMR on RMWeb

 

 

 

Gresley roof details as well!

 

 

note the different levels of weathering .. the coaches behind include a Pullman Car and a Mk1 Catering Car.

 

Baz

[whart57]

Thanks for that, it gives me something to work with