GLOSSY Hornby A4's ON GOING PROJECT. 4464,4468,4498, ETC CUSTOMISING THE Hornby MODEL

[Rob Hayes]

Thanks very much for that It sure Is interesting I do wonder how accurate they are but Its a very good effort.

I know there are other issues with variants of nameplates red backed black backed and brass or stainless.

Plus not all A4s In garter blue had the all red wheels down to the rims. Some if not Most had polished steel rims. I don't know if this reflects a livery revision or if it was just randomly done at the works.

I know there are 4 main garter blue liveries. Original like mallard is, then there is the commonwealth garter blue livery stainless numbers and trim. the hybrid of the first two like sir nigel gresley wore gold numbers with steel trim,. then there is the new number system post war garter blue. and for a 5th version BR garter blue. I bet there are more variations too,

I guess there is not much photo evidence from the era.

 

I suppose that gives some modellers licence.

 

I have often wondered if the garter blue post war livery I have seen portrayed by Hornby's limited edition 4498 from the early 90s and minitrix's 4498 were they have painted the cylinders black was an official livery or a mistake. I see some top notch models from loveless or golden age have been done like this but I have never seen a photo of a real A4 done this way.

 

Cheers Rob

[micklner]

Post war livery is totally wrong re cylinders being Black (as far as i know) looks horrilble too.

[Rob Hayes]

Yea I always assumed it to be wrong. I wonder were they got the idea from as I have seen many other models over the years painted the same. I guess one company made a mistake and others followed It assuming its was right.

 

When I was a kid I painted my minitrix one as it annoyed me so much same with my farish one. Which had blue cylinders but balck buffer housings/beam

 

cheers Rob

Edited September 24, 2013 by robhst

[DonnyRailMan]

Well thank you very much. I am very happy to get such a positive response.

I must admit I was a little nervous about posting the images as I thought I would get brow beaten by the "it must be matt to be a model" whilst I understand that argument I have never totally agreed with it especially now as if you look at photos of these and real A4s to me these look more real. It was an experiment at the end of the day the 3 locos all had minor issues especially the Green 60022 , 60003 Both were missing the lamp irons and cab side glass piece which don't bother me too much and they also had glue marks on the boiler casing and tender sides which I have carefully got rid off with 1200 grit wet and dry and klear.

 

I am so happy with them that soon I will be adding more to my fleet here. I will post Images of them when they are finished. 4498 in 60s LNER garter blue with gold shaded letters as first preserved is done and needs glossing up modded from a Hornby double chimney Falcon.

Another double chimney falcon will be bittern as she is now once the decals and plates arrive. also the legends mallard you see will be fitted with speed plaques have the handrails silvered and glossed in the same manner.

 

I many thanks for the kind comments they are appreciated.

 

  Glad you did post your Glossy A4 photo`s Rob you know what they say nothing ventured nothing gained and you gained. 

  Like I said the other day they look great ,that is how I thought they would have looked out of the box from Hornby.

 

                         D.R.M

Edited September 24, 2013 by DonnyRailMan

[Rob Hayes]

Cheers Donnyrailman. Well I hope I will be posting more soon. My Fox decals arrived prompt this morning I am very impressed at their swift delivery. so I can start the renumbering of bittern soon. I just hope the Nameplates arrive soon.

It also Means I can correct the numbers applied to the front of my sir nigel gresley. Its a mod someone else did and had been done well but has gradually had improvements made by me like a chassis that actually runs !

 

The chap who did it has done a good job He had cut the valances off and renumbered renamed it as sir nigel gresley, He also fitted wire handrails, But It needed a varnish and for the nameplates which had fallen off on arrival re fitting. I have got the gripper coat and klear done on this one.

so Hopefully my next update will be either a completed 4498, 4464, or 4468.

 

Cheers Rob

[Rob Hayes]

Ok now I am getting giving mallard a tarting up. Here I am using 6mm tamiya tape to mark out were the plaques will be fitted. then I use a strip of tape to hold the plate in position but allow me to lift it over to put a very small amount of rubber infused superglue on the back then when I flip it back over its in the right spot.

I do the same for Bitterns nameplates.

I am leaving Hornbys mallard plates as the look better spaced than the etched ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bittern has its this was railroad falcon. I first used 6mm tamiya to mask were the plates were fitted then masked around to remove the excess plastic without damaging the surrounding paint.

 

 

I will update more later. Cheers Rob

Edited September 28, 2013 by robhst

[Rob Hayes]

Update time I am working on this now but just having a quick coffee break and a few custard cremes to help me paint better.

 

Mallard is receiving silver handrails. I am brush painting these with the excellent revel aqua aluminium with as always with me a good healthy drop of windsor and newton flow improver added which means you can paint acrylic with no brush marks as it makes the paint level and behave more like enamel. I free hand painted the main handrails but the cab ones will likely need masking as this is the legends version.

Revel aqua paints are fantastic but their metallic paints along with citadels metallic paints are the very best I have ever used that are not alclad2. They have a gorgeous sheen and brush very well indeed. I have successfully brush painted 2 aircraft kits with these a Vampire FB5 and Gloster Meteor mk4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bittern is now Bittern and not falcon. Well shes getting there still needs numbers, black on the cab and tender extending, I am also thinking of removing the wheels and spraying them crimson to the edge but there is not rush to do that.

 

 

 

Sir Nigel Gresley is being reworked too. I may update the transferrs, the hand rails and pipe were touched up, as the previous owner had got them all chipped and the cab ones were brass. I had not got any garter blue but I made my own match for Hornby's by mixing white into humbrol BR Blue. strange I know but it works.

 

 

 

Sir Nigel Gresley was a Railroad Falcon too I did not convert this one but I have improved it on what I got off evilbay but its still not finished. She has had her gripper coat and klear on ages ago but I needed to retouch the rails as mentioned and I am now redoing the front casing numbers as the ones on before were plain wrong. Much as I wish these 3 had glazing the ones added on sir nige are a good effort but not that great. So I am going to remove them I think and then later on get some glazing spares for them. Or I may make a new resin casting to make new glazing. for rail road A4s.

 

Right back to the paint shop..

[Rob Hayes]

I have just been looking up photos of Sir Nigel Gresley as she was in 1992 on the SVR in garter blue but with black nameplates which it wore for a short time before going to br blue.

I remember this as the week before it had Red plates I think It defiantly had them most the time I visited steamtown.

Anyway I was lucky then as a kid to be invited by the driver to "have a go" I had been telling my dad all about A4s as we stood next to it in steam on the sidings outside the shed.

The driver called me saying "young man you seem to know alot about this machine come up here both of you and have ago" He told me what to operate and guided me and let me drive her off the shed over the turntable onto the mainline. She was on route to Kidderminster what an amazing experience.

 

What has sparked me off recounting this story is I was looking for photos for a future build of this from a railroad A4. and I found a photo take 22 years ago yesterday at kiddy. I got to sit in the cab again on the platform there. Man do I feel old I can remember it like it was yesterday. I remember those comfy seats... Long live Sir Nigel Gresley.

 

Here is the photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/16749798@N08/5723043065/in/set-72157615168844799

 

I just thought I would share that nostalgia trip with you.

 

Cheers Rob

[Rob Hayes]

Well I dint get much further last night before I had to go to sleep. normally I can keep going till 4am but not this time.

 

So I am up bright and early with another cup of coffee and back at it.

 

I have painted the brass part on the left hand side of mallards boiler. Sadly I do not know what this is but I guess its either blower,injector,blastpipe, I wish I could find technical information on what is what and what its not.

 

 

 

Again this was brush painted with the excellent Revel Aqua Brass paint with a dollop of Windsor and Newton Flow Improver. Lovely stuff to work with.

 

so mallard is about to receive a gripper coat. I have got alan gibson wheels for her though I must say shes looking good as is. I am also not brave enough to do this just yet and need a quatering jig. I have got a spare chassis that needs a rebuild to have ago at regarding that anyhow.

 

So when I have finished this coffee the next job is decals on Bittern and SNG. All good fun.

 

Cheers Rob (I really wish this form had a work in progress page.)

[Rob Hayes]

Update time and more coffee mmmmm

 

RIght then. I am not sure If I am going to pinch the tender off kingfisher for Bittern.. (you know I probably will in the end...) Either way I decided to paint up the railroad tender as and option if nothing else. The old tender is not that bad really. The coal load is huge but I have seen A4s piled up like this often and I have seen bittern that way. If i was to remove it and remove the casting inside that would have held the motor. I could scratch build the insides quite easy. or something that looks better at least... This can be done at a later stage its not the most important thing right now. so here it is being masked with good old tamiya tape.

 

 

 

This is SNG 4498 being masked up using the rivets and another Hornby A4 as a guide. decals are always applied with a smally puddle of old johnsons klear. its the only stuff I know that magically sucks and sticks down decals leaving no film visable and makes them look painted on. these are Fox Decals.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2015 by Rob Hayes

[Rob Hayes]

I must admit I was hoping for the great gathering all the A4s would have been returned to Garter blue condition. That would have been awsome. though I understand it would be unfair to represent only that part of history. Indeed like wise it would be nice to see them all in green too.

 

What I would love to see is 4498 SNG to be put back to having her valances on with the silver strip that would be smart.

[Rob Hayes]

Update again, Bittern and Mallards gripper coat is complete. Bittern is now receiving her decals. I have also opted to use kingfishers tender..

I am really enjoying this build/modding session. I am happy with how its coming out. Its so much fun doing this and nice to have something unique with a bit of me in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

more coffee more decals and I am getting there. Planet Rock FM helps with this too.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Rob Hayes

[Rob Hayes]

Well this is were I am. All 3 With gripper coat done awaiting a seal over with klear and then the gloss coat will go on.

I am very happy with how they look they might not be super detailed ones but to me they are perfect.

Here we have 60s 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley. 4464 Bittern, and 4468 Mallard.

 

I hope you like them. Cheers Rob.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much to modelmasters and foxx transfers for making this possible.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Rob Hayes

[Multiple identity account 2]

Well this is were I am. All 3 With gripper coat done awaiting a seal over with klear and then the gloss coat will go on.

I am very happy with how they look they might not be super detailed ones but to me they are perfect.

Here we have 60s 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley. 4464 Bittern, and 4468 Mallard.

 

I hope you like them. Cheers Rob.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much to modelmasters and foxx transfers for making this possible.

I just love your models.... becareful I might just whack them :P really love it. Keep up the good work. Are they all RailRoad models?

[Rob Hayes]

Hi many thanks. Both Bittern and Sir Nigel Gresley started life as Railroad falcon models.

Bittern has a super detail kingfisher tender on it with extra black paint added. 

Mallard is a legends version with a tender from a herring gull loco. If you look back through this thread you will see how I have done them.

 

Glad you like them. Cheers Rob

[Nelson Jackson]

Brilliant locos, can't wait to see them when there finished

[Rob Hayes]

Cheers Nelson.

[micklner]

Are the locos any actual period or as now ?

 

Bittern never had a double chimney or red plates with pre war valances

 

SNG should have Silver cut out LNER and No 7 for post war no valances condition.

 

I presume Mallard is as now ?

[Rob Hayes]

Are the locos any actual period or as now ?

 

Bittern never had a double chimney or red plates with pre war valances

 

SNG should have Silver cut out LNER and No 7 for post war no valances condition.

 

I presume Mallard is as now ?

 

Hi Bittern is as was on the SVR though I have missed out the warning flashes and I might leave them off as I prefer the look without.

SNG is as she was first in preservation in the 60s with gold shaded letters. she wore the silver numbers from mid 70s to the mid 90s.

Mallard is as in preservation with exception of the wheels and motion which should not be blackened. but I will takle that in the future with an alternate chassis and gibson wheels hopefully.

Cheers Rob.

 

Taken from SNG website.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2015 by Rob Hayes

[micklner]

Ok, thought you were doing the Great Gathering versions hence the query.

[Rob Hayes]

Ok, thought you were doing the Great Gathering versions hence the query.

 

Well The SNG is an old project being reworked. I am going to do the great gathering locos eventually. But when I titled this post initially as "a great gathering of my own" I meant it In the sense of my collection of A4s and custom work to have them the way I like. Its just good to share the love with others on here.

 

I will also be doing sir nigel gresely with the silver numbers, Thats how I remember her or him rather (a girl called nigel,,, sounds like a good title of a book..)

 

What I really would love to achieve is a LNER Green golden eagle. I love the LNER green A4s they seem largley absent from most peoples memory.

I think It is one of the best livery versions they ever wore.

I may have ago one day but all that lining really does make me think twice..

 

Cheer Mick

[micklner]

Kingfisher in Apple Green here  at the bottom of the page. I have another one to do as Golden Eagle in the pending pile.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/943-lner-models-in-4mm/page-2

[Rob Hayes]

Kingfisher in Apple Green here  at the bottom of the page. I have another one to do as Golden Eagle in the pending pile.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/943-lner-models-in-4mm/page-2

 

Thanks Mick I love what you have done with kingfisher there. She looks super. I take it the easy route Is to buy a flying scotsman chassis and a spare A4 body. I have a spare lner green super detail tender. HMM looks like I will  be having ago at Golden eagle soon. Or another. Was Osprey one of the green ones, I know there was not many.

 

I have always wanted a sandringham Streamlined B17 too they are adorable.

 

Cheers Rob

[DonnyRailMan]

Photo`s look great once again Rob with the reflection of locos on the glass table.

 

 

                   D.R.M.

[Rob Hayes]

Many thanks DRM. Aye the glass table is a nice touch. Much better than our horrid faded old plastic job.