i need some transfers made

[adds-trains]

hello people.

 

is there anyone who can make me or knows how i can get transfer for the 2 wagons in the links bellow. i want to respray some Bachmann models in to the bellow wagons but ill need transfers. ideally i need running numbers, codes, logos and warning/info signs and text. willing to pay some ££ for your time and materials.

 

message me if you can help, thanks.

 

railfreight general division wagon, spa wagon:

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/spaconvertdept/h212ADE90#h212ade90

 

railfreight construction division wagon, brake van:

 

https://rcts.zenfolio.com/rolling-stock/sr/ha87f5bb6

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hal Nail]

You could try asking @railtec-models to resize these?

 

https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2514

 

By eye about 40% but you wouldn't be far wrong measuring height from the photos and estimating that way.

Edited June 9, 2023 by Hal Nail

[adds-trains]

59 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

You could try asking @railtec-models to resize these?

 

https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2514

 

By eye about 40% but you wouldn't be far wrong measuring height from the photos and estimating that way.

 

yes i have messaged railtec a while ago but as of yet not had a reply. the one youv links to is useful but i need every transfer a queen mary van needs as im going for a full respray so everything currently on it is going to be sprayed over to the 2 tone grey the van needs. i am unsure what decals i need and hoping someone might do and can design me a transfer sheet.

[Dungrange]

2 hours ago, adds-trains said:

i am unsure what decals i need

 

If you don't know what decals you need, how is anyone going to be able to design them for you?  You'll need square on images of all the relevant data panels if you want someone to produce them for you, so that they can see what you want.  Otherwise, it will just be buying whatever is already available from existing suppliers.

[adds-trains]

11 minutes ago, Dungrange said:

 

If you don't know what decals you need, how is anyone going to be able to design them for you?  You'll need square on images of all the relevant data panels if you want someone to produce them for you, so that they can see what you want.  Otherwise, it will just be buying whatever is already available from existing suppliers.

 

 

that was kind of the point of this post. i am a complete novice in resprays. i normally only ever  buy whats on the shelf. i need someone to design from the beginning, someone with diagram or a knowledge of the wagon hence why i said id pay £££

[Dungrange]

How many hours do you think it will take someone to find appropriate images for your project and do enough research to design from (ie square on images to give you size, lettering, numbers, logos etc)?  How many hours will it then take to prepare the artwork?  What hourly rate do you intend to pay that person?  Presumably more than the minimum wage.  You may well be willing to pay, but are you willing to pay a significant three figure sum for this commission?  If you're looking to pay less, then it would have to be a commission for which Railtec, or someone else, sees significant demand for (so that the research and development costs can be spread over multiple sales), or you'll need to present a research package or better still a vector image of the details that you require created by yourself.

 

Railtec do produce custom transfers, but if you look at their FAQs then you'll see that they are looking for you to provide pre-prepared vector artwork - https://www.railtec-models.com/faq.php

 

Just sending a photograph like the ones in this thread and saying you want transfers for this brake van isn't likely to get a response.  The owner is too busy to think of this as anything other than one of dozens of suggestions.

 

It's also likely that those who know about the brake van don't have the skills to prepare the artwork, so you may need to employ two people - one to do your research for you - and then someone else to prepare the artwork from that research package, so that Railtec, or another company can then prepare your transfers.

[adds-trains]

2 minutes ago, Dungrange said:

How many hours do you think it will take someone to find appropriate images for your project and do enough research to design from (ie square on images to give you size, lettering, numbers, logos etc)?  How many hours will it then take to prepare the artwork?  What hourly rate do you intend to pay that person?  Presumably more than the minimum wage.  You may well be willing to pay, but are you willing to pay a significant three figure sum for this commission?  If you're looking to pay less, then it would have to be a commission for which Railtec, or someone else, sees significant demand for (so that the research and development costs can be spread over multiple sales), or you'll need to present a research package or better still a vector image of the details that you require created by yourself.

 

Railtec do produce custom transfers, but if you look at their FAQs then you'll see that they are looking for you to provide pre-prepared vector artwork - https://www.railtec-models.com/faq.php

 

Just sending a photograph like the ones in this thread and saying you want transfers for this brake van isn't likely to get a response.  The owner is too busy to think of this as anything other than one of dozens of suggestions.

 

It's also likely that those who know about the brake van don't have the skills to prepare the artwork, so you may need to employ two people - one to do your research for you - and then someone else to prepare the artwork from that research package, so that Railtec, or another company can then prepare your transfers.

 

 

as I said, I am a novice. I cant be the first people to ever want to respray a brake van, maybe someone might already have decals or know what is needed. all I was asking for was if anyone could help. if no one can because of the huge amount of work needed (as you've just educated me, it does seem very labour intensive) then it will forever be a unsprayed brake van. all I was doling was just asking to see if anyone could help, I'm not desperate for these wagons.

 

 

[Dave John]

Looking at the pictures I think the sector logo is stuck onto a board fixed to the side of the brake van. Since it is just coloured squares  I'd be tempted to copy the logo using a simple graphics program and print it out on a decent photo paper.

 

Just a thought. 

[Dungrange]

6 minutes ago, adds-trains said:

I cant be the first people to ever want to respray a brake van,

 

You're not, but most people will just buy something like - https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=3651, which gives a selection of brake van numbers to renumber a model, but I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable about your brake van to know which of these transfers you need.  It's possible that none of these numbers align with your chosen prototype.

 

https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2435 - gives you Railfreight Distribution logos.

 

I can't see construction logos for wagons from Railtec (or Fox transfers for that matter), but the loco ones in TT might be the right size - https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=5728, but again, I'm not sure how big these are relative to the ones on the locomotives.

 

However, the bottom line is you'll need to know what numbers, logos etc you're looking for and then look for the appropriate products that are already available and used by everyone else that resprays a brake van.  Ideally if you have photographs that show what you want, then it should be easier to identify suitable products.

[railtec-models]

My apologies @adds-trains I hadn't seen your msg. It's an eye catching van and I must admit, one I hadn't seen before. Which, potentially leads me to believe that it could have been a one or two-off (and as soon as I say that somebody will chime in with photos of others no doubt!) In which case, as others have helpfully illustrated, the reality is that the amount of research that is often needed for literally one or two vehicles is such that (a) unless somebody is willing to pay accordingly and (b) whoever you ask has not just the resource to do it but do it properly, then it may just not be viable. It may be small scale model railways or "toy trains", but the reality is that it still needs somebody both with intimate knowledge of railway insignia who also happens to be a graphic designer, and with the professional kit to be able to make a worthy job of it - and that all takes time of one or more people who may have a specialist set of skills and need for time spent to be accountable. How much for example would it cost to approach a graphic design agency for a similar request (and that wouldn't even get you the print?) That isn't to put you off or to appear unhelpful, simply to give some context as to why some projects, whilst technically do-able, may not be realistically viable.

 

That said, for these types of request where just a photo is given which doesn't show much of the detail that would need designing, immediate questions would be:

- Is it a one-off;

- Full list of markings on it;

- Exact dimensions of all of those markings. I get a lot of "oh it's about 10mm", which I have to push back on because (a) Illustrator doesn't do "about" and (b) if something is made "about 10mm" then you can guarantee an email a few days later to say "it's too large, it won't fit, it needs to be no more than 7mm so you'll need to re-do it".

- Close-up images of markings where possible so a graphic designer knows what to design;

- If not a one-off, did the markings vary between similar vehicles? (In the case of freight vehicles, almost certainly).

 

When I ask people for the above, much of the time, I never hear anything back. Experience has taught me that it's because people are often unwilling to put in the time to do the research (I've even seen people ask on FB the dimensions of a model they need transfers for when they even have the model in hand themselves...), or ultimately are not too fussed and choose another livery. As you might appreciate, working through the above can often take hours out of your day scouring the web and books. If somebody is able to research their chosen specific area of interest and present all of the above then a graphic designer potentially has something useful to work from and be able to do something, but even then it will depend on complexity. Or, if you already have the artwork (very different to a photo) which is ready-sized then that usually makes it more viable still. The key thing to remember is that there is often a very long way to go from seeing a 3/4 angle photo and receiving a tangible product that has been exquisitely designed with crisp, vibrant print.

 

[HillsideDepot]

A possible starting point for the Construction logo is to ask "how did BR do it?" Now, for this logo, hand painting would be quite easy, but it'd be easier still to use something already available, and the way it has faded in the 2nd photo doesn't suggest a hand painted version. My second question, in this case, is "why is the logo on a plate?" Sure, the logo as a transfer might sit better on a plate than on the planks of the van, but I think the plate is of relevance. I'm only guessing, but is the logo actually a depot sign? 

 

Remembering the sign at Westbury, a quick search on Flickr finds this photo by John Dedman

 

Could it be what they used? I'll leave others to decide. If it is, does that help find a model version? Probably. 

 

As for the rest of the lettering, you might find a suitable Queen Mary transfer set from someone, but what about the lettering next to the door? Unreadable in photo 1, painted out in photo 2, but with a Mainline logo added above it. I guess it was some sort restriction on the use of the van, so you might not even want the exact wording if it includes a place name and you're modelling somewhere imaginary.

 

Sometimes, as modellers, we have to make do with "close enough". I know that won't sit well with some but as I eventually decided when I modelled DW150144, a Tunnel Inspection Coach, what I couldn't find out in terms of detail probably nobody now knows. By completing the model and exhibiting it a few times though there was always the chance someone would say "do you know you've got X wrong?" and then fill in the missing data from personal experience for me. 

[ikcdab]

How does what you want differ from this for the symbols?

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/rf-construction-trainload-construction-symbols-numbering-classes-26-31-33-47-56-86

 

Wagon numbers are generic and widely available.

Ian

[Hal Nail]

Incidentally those brakes have been completely plated over so a bit more work than just a respray?

 

I must have misread originally and thought you were modelling 2mm. So those 2mm Railtec sector logos I pointed out earlier will be near enough the same as these small ones in 4mm van.

 

Railtec already offer custom wagon numbers and warning flashes are already available. 

 

I can't actually see anything else obvious from those photos?

 

To be honest what you really need first and foremost is a better photo. 

Edited June 10, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Enfys_Rainbow]

Interesting thread. Somewhere, in my long line of planned and half built projects, I'm also doing one of these replated QM vans. The only difference being the livery - I was planning Dutch - so sector logos aren't needed. Could that be an option for the OP?

 

Otherwise, the suggestion by @Hal Nail about 2mm would be my starting point.

 

Matt

[Modelrailwayquest]

Have you tried Model Railway Signs, they made me some bespoke signs

[Halvarras]

On 11/06/2023 at 00:29, Hal Nail said:

 

I must have misread originally and thought you were modelling 2mm. So those 2mm Railtec sector logos I pointed out earlier will be near enough the same as these small ones in 4mm van.

 

 

Indeed, when tackling an oddball of this kind, looking outside the scale of the model you're working on is sometimes necessary. Back in the early 1990s I resprayed a Lima Western diesel as D1030 in blue with small yellow panels - it was Swindon's first blue repaint, outshopped 2/8/66, and received very small hand-painted BR double-arrow logos. Despite having an extensive collection of 4mm transfer sheets going back to the early 1970s I couldn't find logos small enough so ended up buying a 2mm sheet just for the required two logos to finish the model!