Br (SR) Van B weathering

[spackz]

Hi,

 

I have just recieved the new Hornby Br Luggage van but it looks a bit too new. I want a distressed worn look but have no idea where to start on weathering wooden panelled carriages. What are the best techniques to acheive faded paint, worn panels showing bare wood and general untidyness on this sort of carriage? Has anyone got any pictures or their own efforts?

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[buffalo]

Do you have a specific prototype photo in mind? If not, I suggest you start by looking at some photos, for example on Paul Bartlett's site. You'll find that they were almost always covered in a fairly uniform layer of dirt that frequently made it very difficult to make out their original colour. Even if such features as faded paint or bare wood were there, you would be very unlikely to see them.

 

Nick

[Jack P]

Mines not quite at that stage yet, but to start on it, repaint the underframes, either matt black, or grimy black, and then dust with some powers, to your taste. Remember to paint the wheels and buffers!

 

Jack

[Stevelewis]

Heres a Non ganwayed boge one I did yesterday not quite finished yet.

[Captain Kernow]

Do you have a specific prototype photo in mind? If not, I suggest you start by looking at some photos, for example on Paul Bartlett's site. You'll find that they were almost always covered in a fairly uniform layer of dirt that frequently made it very difficult to make out their original colour. Even if such features as faded paint or bare wood were there, you would be very unlikely to see them.

Quite agree. I'm currently weathering a largeish batch of parcels stock, including a Hornby Van 'C' in BR green. I'm going to use the airbrush for the main layer of dirt, but to ensure that the nooks and crannies get their fair share, I've first given the bodysides a (brushed-on) wash of the dirt mix first, which I then touch dries and the vast majority is then wiped off with a cotton bud, dampened in thinners (but not awash with thinners!). The dirt mix leaves a slight patina on the factory paintwork, which is not displeasing and can be used as a basis for a fairly clean vehicle.

[Pennine MC]

Do you have a specific prototype photo in mind? If not, I suggest you start by looking at some photos, for example on Paul Bartlett's site.

 

Easily the soundest advice so far, I'll add some more - if this is your first attempt at weathering, think again, and get some practice first on something that doesnt matter. Having said that, something with this amount of raised detail should respond well to washes and similar 'paint on, wipe off' techniques' - there are some pages on my Wordpress blog (link below) which should help and are specifically intended for this sort of situation now that the old 6WTS weathering thread on the old forum has gone permanently AWOL.

[spackz]

Cheers Guys,

 

I've looked at Paul Bartletts site, its definately the worn look I'm going for. They all seem to have the same weathering detail, very heavy and unable to see any of the livery.

 

I will start by using a dirt coloured wash, and use a combination of dry painting and a fibreglass pen to wear random panels. Will have a practice first though.

 

Thanks for your advice.

[Jamie]

You'll find that they were almost always covered in a fairly uniform layer of dirt that frequently made it very difficult to make out their original colour. Even if such features as faded paint or bare wood were there, you would be very unlikely to see them.

 

Nick

 

Yup. A finish for which it's best not to be shy with the paint.

BY by culreoch, on Flickr

 

Decidedly wet-brushing went on there, as best I recall. Haven't got one of the bogie vans myself (yet).

[georgeT]

Hello Paul, l have found that a subtle blow over with brake dust does the job ?

[spackz]

George T that certainy tones down the colour but I am going to go further than that and really distress the panels, as shown in Jamie's photo above yours.

 

What are the best colours for the look you achieved Jamie? It has an almost olive drab/grey look to it which is similiar to photos I have seen. I might have to buy some model mates spray and washes.

[The Stationmaster]

Southern Region parvans seemed to acquire a bodyside dirty colour all of their own for some reason and tended to be much browner in hue than vans from elsewhere. I suspect this might have been due to the muck on them containing a higher proportion of brakeblock dust than was the case elsewhere and I presume this might have been due to the earlier demise of steam locos in hefty chunks of the Region (or was it due to their having a different 'base' colour than maroon I wonder?)

[Southernman46]

In my experience certainly for the blue era vans - being VERY generous with a brown wash is the answer - livery best described as brown with a hint of blue there somewhere..............and it did have a very curious sandpapery feel - accumulated iron brake block dust.

[Fat Controller]

Southern Region parvans seemed to acquire a bodyside dirty colour all of their own for some reason and tended to be much browner in hue than vans from elsewhere. I suspect this might have been due to the muck on them containing a higher proportion of brakeblock dust than was the case elsewhere and I presume this might have been due to the earlier demise of steam locos in hefty chunks of the Region (or was it due to their having a different 'base' colour than maroon I wonder?)

I reckon the Southern (mostly the SE Division) were pioneers of recycling 'waste water' for carriage washing; Ramsgate's 4-CEPs weren't much cleaner. Many foreign visitors must have thought the Garden of England very gloomy.

Seriously, though, I would suggest wiping the area immediately around the vehicle details clean, along with one or two patches for chalked instructions and/or labels. I did see a clean SR van once; it was at Mike's old fiefdom (Swansea High St), back in 1971 or'72; it was so unusual that I still remember the number- S3S.

[Jamie]

What are the best colours for the look you achieved Jamie? It has an almost olive drab/grey look to it which is similiar to photos I have seen.

The thing was basically painted a dark grey brown all over (see top of bodyside). This is some suitable Humbrol - couldn't say now which number as I have quite a turnover and don't always replace with exactly the same tin. A beige-sand colour was worked up from the bottom. Basically for that sort of effect you want to consider the crud as being the top coat. I think that was a crimson liveried base model FWIW.

[Baby Deltic]

I weathered a green Van B the other day. I used Humbrol 98 and Humbrol 33. When I can find my camera, I will post a couple of piccies.

[SRman]

For my past weathering attempts, I have used liberal amounts of Humbrol dark earth (29, I think) and more Humbrol 33 olive drab mixed in for the underframes. I wet brush this on in thin layers, mixed with a bit of matt varnish to build up the thickness gradually.

 

As for the dirt on the real things, I think it built up more layers than the other regions' vans simply because the SR types didn't actually go through the carriage washers at all.

[buffalo]

Despite my earlier comment about rarely being able to see what colour they were meant to be, there are several colour photos of the vans used on the Somerset & Dorset, particularly on the Highbridge branch, where the original green is visible through the dust. They were very much like the lower parts of George's example above, but the dust was fairly uniform all over.

 

Nick

[Andy Y]

Yup. A finish for which it's best not to be shy with the paint.

 

Similar to Jamie a heavy coat of brown/grey (Tamiya acrylics in this case) which builds up an almost dusty accumulation. A few bits cleared back to indicate rubbing during loading with some tatty labels and chalk marks.

 

[Captain Kernow]

Here's my 'Van C', which is nearly finished now:

 

[spackz]

Cheers for those pictures, I've almost finished mine as well so will post some phots soon, the main body is complete but I haven't finished the bogies.