Wrenn 4mt 2-6-4 Paint Matching

[KT]

Can anyone tell me the best colour to match the Wrenn 2-6-4 BR Black late crest? It's more of a very dark gunmetal than black truthfully, but I'd like to touch up some light paint flaking and from experience I know that there are frustratingly many 'black' colours.

Any advice gratefully received.

[cypherman]

Hi KT,

Sorry, no one has been able to help you so far. I am sure that someone will eventually come to your rescue. Unfortunately, I tend to do full repaints and never try to match paints. Found it easier that way. This is the last two I updated a little and repainted.

Edited September 29, 2022 by cypherman

[Wolseley]

I'm no expert on Wrenn but, from what I've seen, their shades of paint varied slightly from one batch to the next, so that a colour match that works for one locomotive might not work for another of the supposedly same colour.  If it were me, I would just try mixing my own shade of black until I got it right.

[Il Grifone]

IMHO it rather depends on the condition. The odd small chip can be touched in, but from there on it varies from 'leave well alone' to full repaint.

I tend to use acrylic paints for touching up, as then it's easily possible to remove the touch up (alcohol) and return to square one.

In the collector's market, value depends on condition and originality. The best repaint is worth about the same as average/poor original paintwork.

 

I wish my attempts at repainting were that good!

[KT]

On 29/09/2022 at 12:09, cypherman said:

Hi KT,

Sorry, no one has been able to help you so far. I am sure that someone will eventually come to your rescue. Unfortunately, I tend to do full repaints and never try to match paints. Found it easier that way. This is the last two I updated a little and repainted.

 

Thanks for your reply. Your work looks excellent and I am always extremely pleased to see people keeping these locos running and in good condition.

I also have the 4mt (well - several) and it is very much my favourite. Currently in the throws of the DCC conversion, which is quite daunting! Nearly there. Just the chip seems not to have the guts required.

[cypherman]

On 30/09/2022 at 16:24, Il Grifone said:

IMHO it rather depends on the condition. The odd small chip can be touched in, but from there on it varies from 'leave well alone' to full repaint.

I tend to use acrylic paints for touching up, as then it's easily possible to remove the touch up (alcohol) and return to square one.

In the collector's market, value depends on condition and originality. The best repaint is worth about the same as average/poor original paintwork.

 

I wish my attempts at repainting were that good!

Hi,

I am sure that your repainting attempts are excellent. We are the worst for saying how bad we have done something ourselves. I never think that any of my repaints match what I have seen others do here. Not by a longshot. But I am happy with them and that's what counts.

Edited October 4, 2022 by cypherman

[Il Grifone]

Here's some of mine, Done rather a long time ago.

 

4074 has since acquired a green tender of her own. It's from a County so presumably is 2mm too wide, but I have never checked.

The roof of the signal cabin was originally orange (and still is underneath to avoid claims of faking - unlike the buff water crane which is also my doing). The Airfix water tower is all mine, as is the GWR MICA A behind 4074, not that it can be seen very well.

The Dublo diesel shunter came with the wasp stripes - not guilty m'lud!

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by Il Grifone