Dock Green

[81A Oldoak]

Point taken Chris (and how!). Although I would add that sometimes it's more important to get a finish that looks right, even if a more extreme version would be accurate.

Just having a bit of fun Chaz. The fundamental principle is "if it looks right, then it is right." After all, the 4 mill boys and girls have been getting away with narrow gauge for almost a century.

[chaz]

I like what you`ve done to that Chaz,it`s added quite a bit of variation to the colour`s.

And i don`t know if my eyes are playing tricks, but the third plank down on the left hand side look`s as though it`s twisted... !

 

Brian.

 

Yes, weird isn't it. An optical illusion created by subtle changes in colour which the eye misreads as a shadow. I couldn't do it again.

[chaz]

I must have bought and built this one...

 

 

...but I can't now remember why. It is something of an anachronism - there can't have been many, if any, of the grease-axlebox ten tonners left on BR after the war. They would all have been broken up as the 16 tonners came into use. Still, it will go into the spares box and will sit on the subs' bench at shows, getting its moment of glory if one of the other mineral wagons fails.

 

Chaz

[railwayrod]

Like your idea for a coal load so much so that I am building my first one as we speak. Got it carved, mounted on blocks and painted ready for the addition of coal. Thanks for this tip.

 

Rod

[chaz]

Like your idea for a coal load so much so that I am building my first one as we speak. Got it carved, mounted on blocks and painted ready for the addition of coal. Thanks for this tip.

 

Rod

 

Good man - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery we are told.    The only problem with the Woodland Scenics coal "lumps" is that they are probably intended for HO and could be considered a bit small for 7mm. I think they are bang on for nutty slack and therefore ideal for coal merchants serving the domestic market, but are probably a bit fine for loco tenders?

[railwayrod]

Yep. I agree with what you say about Woodland Scenics but my mineral wagons will serve a coal merchants so should be OK, I hope.

 

Rod

[chaz]

Dock Green's next showing will be in Taunton on the 24th and 25th of October.

 

http://www.somersetrmc.org.uk/Rail-EX/index.html

 

I have had a look at the website and there are going to be some fine layouts at this show, it looks well worth a visit. if you go do make yourself known, say hello. I'm always pleased to have a chat with fellow RMwebbers.

 

Chaz

Edited September 28, 2015 by chaz

[chaz]

Two or three days ago Peter, one of my operating team came round for the morning. We put one of the basboards up (to paint the groundwork where the water tower used to be). As point #2 was also on this board I took the chance to test the switch replacement on the crossing wiring. My Drewry 0-6-0  diesel shunter 11135 was the loco that particularly struggles on a "dead frog" as it has such a short wheelbase. Running the loco through the point in both directions on both routes on notch one on the DCC (just about moving) was impressively steady with no stall at all.

 

Strange isn't it - I can do a repair like this and check it very thoroughly with a meter but I'm not really happy until i have seen something run successfully. Proof of the pudding?

[Donw]

It makes sense Chaz the meter may only show that the voltage is there running a loco checks that the current can flow. A poor contact may not show if you just check for open circuit voltage.

 

Don

[chaz]

It makes sense Chaz the meter may only show that the voltage is there running a loco checks that the current can flow. A poor contact may not show if you just check for open circuit voltage.

 

Don

 

Quite so Don, although I was using the meter to test continuity from an adjacent rail to the crossing through the switch wiring and DCC bus. But my point remains - I don't entirely trust the meter, a (slow) moving loco is a reassurance.

[Fettster42]

What happened to the water tower? Did I miss that?

[chaz]

What happened to the water tower? Did I miss that?

 

You will in future     it has been removed. The clearances on Dock Green are very tight in lots of places but this was the worst.

 

 

The brick base was just about OK but the tank itself had quite an overhang and the cab on my N7 (for one) sometimes touched as it ran passed. In fact this might be the reason why the sprung pony truck would sometimes derail at about this point. Time will tell on that.

 

In any case I was always ambivalent about the tower. It was strangely sited under the bridge and there are no water cranes in the yard for it to serve. I put it there as a view blocker to hide the cassette area but now I have added the extension board it's not needed for that. I am not sorry to see it go.

 

Chaz

 

edit - I was searching through the files to find a picture that showed the lack of clearance but realised that I have always avoided taking one as it would make the error obvious. I should have said that the problem was on the side towards the public - the track on the operators' side is straight - it was the curve between reception line and the headshunt which was so very tight.

Edited September 29, 2015 by chaz

[chaz]

Playing around with Lightroom I experimented with the "hue" sliders. Fiddling about with the green one produced this...

 

 

I rather like this colour. I have an Ixion Manning Wardle which at present is black and would very much to use this colour on it. Can anyone put a name to this shade and maybe suggest an enamel or rattle-can that I could use?

 

Chaz

 

edit - is it a bronze green?  

Edited September 29, 2015 by chaz

[Siberian Snooper]

Playing around with Lightroom I experimented with the "hue" sliders. Fiddling about with the green one produced this...

 

 

I rather like this colour. I have an Ixion Manning Wardle which at present is black and would very much to use this colour on it. Can anyone put a name to this shade and maybe suggest an enamel or rattle-can that I could use?

 

Chaz

 

edit - is it a bronze green?

 

Looks a bit like a light khaki to my eye.

[chaz]

Looks a bit like a light khaki to my eye.

 

Yes, I can see what you mean, but a bit greener?

[brianthesnail96]

I'm sure there's a British Leyland paint colour that's close... actually it's not miles off Mr Bean's mini, but a bit browner. Campbeltown & Machrihanish gamboge green (as used on Roundhouse on their 16mm steam locos) is again similarish but darker.

[Donw]

It does look like a Bronze Green but much light than the Cambrian one

 

Don

[Simond]

Not sure it helps, but there are RAL (and other) colour charts available which might lead you to a suitable paint colour

 

http://www.ralcolor.com

 

Alternatively, you can play with the RGB colours within Windows (eg Word or PowerPoint) to get a match to your "designer shade". You can then take a print of the colour to Halfords and compare it with the rattle can lids, or speak to the paint mixer man, who should have a recipe book - I think the book references RGB & RAL codes.

 

Halfords will (at least in some branches) mix any paint in their recipe book, and put it in a rattle can for you, for about £14 IIRC.

 

HTH

Simon

[chaz]

Not sure it helps, but there are RAL (and other) colour charts available which might lead you to a suitable paint colour

 

http://www.ralcolor.com

 

Alternatively, you can play with the RGB colours within Windows (eg Word or PowerPoint) to get a match to your "designer shade". You can then take a print of the colour to Halfords and compare it with the rattle can lids, or speak to the paint mixer man, who should have a recipe book - I think the book references RGB & RAL codes.

 

Halfords will (at least in some branches) mix any paint in their recipe book, and put it in a rattle can for you, for about £14 IIRC.

 

HTH

Simon

 

 

Thanks for that Simon. Very helpful but also opens up a can of worms! I looked at the RAL page but found it somewhat baffling. Colours in close proximity will often "modify" each other - the human eye being notoriously easy to deceive. I couldn't find a match although 7008 (khaki grey) looks close - SS got that right!

 

A link on that page sent me on to Pantone where 132 or 125 look useful, certainly in the right area. 

 

I didn't know that Halfords will make up a rattle can to order - sounds good. All I have to do now is firm up a colour choice. Hmmm........ A bit more investigation is called for.

 

Chaz

[brianthesnail96]

Not all Halfords will- I couldn't get my local one to make up a can for my car. There's a paint specialist local to me who do make paints up to a code but, although it brushes nicely, the rattle can they made up for me was horrible to use, and that was on a car! It was the planned colour for my Fowler but I decided not to risk it.

 

Worth browsing the shelves in Halfords (and even better if you have an old fashioned motor factors locally as they are more likely to hold a stock of older paint colours- that's a very 70's shade there!) to see if anything takes your fancy, I've used the "off the peg" Halfords sprays on my 16mm/ft stuff and been very pleased with them.

 

Incidentally my Fowler was eventually painted in a Tamiya shade, again picked by going into a shop (model shop this time) and looking for something I liked; it was supposed to be red...

Edited September 30, 2015 by brianthesnail96

[chaz]

Not all Halfords will- I couldn't get my local one to make up a can for my car. There's a paint specialist local to me who do make paints up to a code but, although it brushes nicely, the rattle can they made up for me was horrible to use, and that was on a car! It was the planned colour for my Fowler but I decided not to risk it.

 

Worth browsing the shelves in Halfords (and even better if you have an old fashioned motor factors locally as they are more likely to hold a stock of older paint colours- that's a very 70's shade there!) to see if anything takes your fancy, I've used the "off the peg" Halfords sprays on my 16mm/ft stuff and been very pleased with them.

 

Incidentally my Fowler was eventually painted in a Tamiya shade, again picked by going into a shop (model shop this time) and looking for something I liked; it was supposed to be red...

 

Thanks for that advice Matt. I'm not in any hurry to paint the Manning Wardle - which Sue calls a "manly waddle" - but will investigate. Not so much risk involved painting this model as it is a brass model and so could be stripped back to bare in the event of a total disaster.

 

I am sure there are some paint specialists in Southampton. I will also have a look at Halford's shelves as you suggest.

 

Chaz

[Barnaby]

Chaz here's a couple of "colour" sites I use, you may want to have a play.

 

http://scalemodeldb.com/paint

 

http://www.paint4models.com/paintchart/paintconversionchart20100101e.htm#

[eldavo]

There are certainly paint specialists in Soton that can mix any colour you like and stick it in a rattle can. Can't remember the name of the one a member of our club used but can easily find out. My experience is that such paints tend to be much thicker than the standard rattle cans.

 

Scared the very devil out of me when I sprayed up a car panel. Thought I'd really c*cked it up as when wet it looked like the worst orange peel you could ever have! After leaving it 10 minutes it produced a wonderful gloss with no hint of orange peel. Spooky. On models though I think the thickness of paint you have to apply would obscure fine details and relief.

 

Go careful looking at bronze green, you could end up with a shade akin to Generally Wet and Rusty!

 

Cheers

Dave

[peter220950]

Thanks for that advice Matt. I'm not in any hurry to paint the Manning Wardle - which Sue calls a "manly waddle" - but will investigate. Not so much risk involved painting this model as it is a brass model and so could be stripped back to bare in the event of a total disaster.

 

I am sure there are some paint specialists in Southampton. I will also have a look at Halford's shelves as you suggest.

 

Chaz

 

 

Halfords will mix pretty much any colour you want at some stores, it might be worth a look.

 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/AdviceArticleDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=21202&categoryId=292528&langId=-1&articleId=1042788

 

Peter.

[chaz]

There are certainly paint specialists in Soton that can mix any colour you like and stick it in a rattle can. Can't remember the name of the one a member of our club used but can easily find out. My experience is that such paints tend to be much thicker than the standard rattle cans.

 

Scared the very devil out of me when I sprayed up a car panel. Thought I'd really c*cked it up as when wet it looked like the worst orange peel you could ever have! After leaving it 10 minutes it produced a wonderful gloss with no hint of orange peel. Spooky. On models though I think the thickness of paint you have to apply would obscure fine details and relief.

 

Go careful looking at bronze green, you could end up with a shade akin to Generally Wet and Rusty!

 

Cheers

Dave

 

Thanks for those useful comments.

 

"Go careful looking at bronze green, you could end up with a shade akin to Generally Wet and Rusty!"   Oh, no, that wouldn't be nice at all. The estate's general manager was given strict instructions when told that the Hudswell Clarke would be green to specify apple green with black and white lining (The MD remembered seeing the GNR Atlantics as a boy and retained a fondness for their livery).

 

Chaz