Removing Printed Numbers From Factory Weathered Models

[Ste Worthy]

Hi all.

I've just purchased the superb Kernow limited edition 47706, and plan to do a little work to back date it to its final days at Eastfield.

I plan to remove the numbers, nse logos and Haymarket castles, before adding then distressing the nameplates, and Scotrail logos.

My question is, does anyone have any experience of renumbering factory weathered models? I'm presuming that the T-Cut method I plan to use will also take off any weathering effect, as this will have been applied last whilst in the factory.

Does anyone have any hints or tips as how best to touch in any removed weathering, without overdoing it on the unaffected parts of the model? I'm moderately skilled with an airbrush, but do think the areas maybe too small to touch in with that method.

Best wishes, and thanks in advance.

[Mick Bonwick]

The easiest way to reinstate damaged/removed weathering is to create a paper or card mask just larger than the affected area and airbrush through the mask, holding it away from the surface slightly. Experiment on another piece of paper so that you can see the difference in coverage as you move the mask further away from the target.

[warbonnetuk]

A method I've used on tampo printed details inc one of the latest batch on Bachmann Class 40 is using Microscale Microsol decal fluid. First cut a piece of kitchen roll covering the item you want to remove. Using a clean paint brush soak the towel till it goes translucent. Leave the towel in place for around 5-8 mins adding more Microsol to keep the towel wet. After a while lift the towel and try giving the lettering etc a gentle rub with a cocktail stick. If it doest move replace the towel and give it soak for a little longer

[ruggedpeak]

Sharpie pens are effective at removing printed detail. With a fine tip and a cocktail stick it can be limited to the actual detail itself if you have fine motor skills!

[rob D2]

You may find T cut doesn’t really effectively remove bachy factory weathering on the very latest models as they seem well sealed in 

 

my solution on a couple has been to remove all the weathering - I did use Tcut on a mainline 37 and had to replace all the silver lining and logos .

 

alternatively get rid of the bits you want and then use a wash of similar colour to Bachmann s to re weather 

[JZ]

Remove number using one of the methods above, but try to kept the rubbed area to just the number. When you put the new one on, just varnish it and leave as is. Often drivers/firemen would use an oily cloth to clean away the grime around the number and sometimes the totem on the tender/tankside as well.

This is a more extreme way of doing it.

By Phil Sangwell - 44949 Manchester Victoria, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8452665

[Ste Worthy]

Today I bit the bullet, and went with the T-Cut and cotton bud, and to be fair, I'm very pleased with how it went. The body is more distressed than actually dirty and once it's matt varnished, I think the areas where I removed the pre printed transfers, will be unnoticeable.

[Ste Worthy]

Hi all.

Just a quick update.

I think I'll call that job done. New ETH boxes added each end, and the old bufferbeam mounted one, painted out on the left hand side of the right hand buffer on each end, to disguise them, as they proved impossible to remove. 
Fully piped at one end, with the coupler retained at the other. Buffers greased, using a mix of dirty black paint, and weathering powders. Scorch marks from a recent bogie fire added, once again using weathering powders. The ScotRail logos were dulled down with a wash of heavily thinned dirty black paint. 
I attempted to remove the body to swap the cab interiors around. A word warning, don't. This was by far the fiddliest body I've ever removed, and during the faff, I lost a couple of small detail parts. Two of the mounting screws are located under the leading edge of each bogie. They're a pain to get out, and even worse to put back in. 
I'll probably not bother giving it a coat of matt varnish, as to do that, I'd be better removing the windows, and for that I'd have to remove the body again, so it ain't happening. 
Although it isn't 100% correct according to the real thing, it'll do for me. Just a shame I can't model some deep red flames, coming out of the exhaust.