Repainting/Re-Lettering Wagons - Best Techniques

[south_tyne]

Just after a bit of advice folks. I've acquired a few second-hand wagons at a knock down price. They are kit-built, mainly Parkside, and finished in GWR colours. I'm not a GWR modeller so am wondering about the best way to go about refinishing them. I will be using them as stock for my fictitious light railway, as if they were bought second-hand from the Great Western... much like in my world! 

 

So, if I was to completely repaint them, would I be best to strip the existing finish and start again? If I was to do this, what is the best method? 

 

Alternatively, I am tempted just to remove the GWR transfers and branding, before adding my own lettering amd weathering. This should be easier, and probably more true to what would happen in real life as the light railway company would hardly be flush with money? Again, if I were to follow this approach, what is the best way to remove transfers? 

 

I appreciate advice that anyone is able to offer and apologise for asking what are probably very basic and simple questions.

 

Many thanks,

Dave

 

Edited July 23, 2019 by south_tyne
Clarification

[Adrian Stevenson]

A glass fibre pen could be used to removed decals etc.

 

Cheers, Ade.

[jwealleans]

Caustic Soda will remove paint from most plastics - every plastic I've tried it on - without damaging the model.   I use it to strip paint from second hand buys.

 

If your railway is cash-strapped, though, just patch paint over the 'G W' as they might have done and leave it at that.  There are plenty of examples in photos of the big four doing that when they went to smaller lettering after 1936 or after nationalisation.

[south_tyne]

1 hour ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

A glass fibre pen could be used to removed decals etc.

 

Cheers, Ade.

 

Thanks Ade,  I hadn't thought of that so will give it a go. 

[south_tyne]

56 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

Caustic Soda will remove paint from most plastics - every plastic I've tried it on - without damaging the model.   I use it to strip paint from second hand buys.

 

Cheers. That advice is really useful. With them being plastic, I've been worried about damaging the models by using some of these paint-stripping products, so it's useful to hear that it can be done. 

 

58 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

 

If your railway is cash-strapped, though, just patch paint over the 'G W' as they might have done and leave it at that.  There are plenty of examples in photos of the big four doing that when they went to smaller lettering after 1936 or after nationalisation

 

That's maybe even a better idea. My railway would be extremely hard up so I doubt there would be the funds available to repaint stock. I might just try and remove the decals, or simply fade them, before doing a little patching and re-lettering. I think it will be a case of trial and error.