Paint for Copper Clad Sleepers

[Simond]

narrow gauge?

 

rack railway???

[Focalplane]

I didn't know there were so many colors of rust! But as several have observed, no one color is going to get it right and even on one sleeper there can be variations due to weathering, etc.

 

So the key is to get a background color on to which some variations can be added as appropriate. Shipston is scenic over a three meter length, so some degree of variation can be justified, particularly in areas where locos stood or where cattle were loaded.

 

In the latter case, though, sleepers may not be present at all:

 

http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrss538a.htm

[sp1]

That's a great photo, with some detail not commonly seen on models: some food for thought there....

[AndyID]

narrow gauge?

 

rack railway???

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/229-early-risers/?p=1831863

[hayfield]

Sleeper colours do vary and the one thing is that the original creosoted colour quickly vanishes and takes on whatever is either blown at it or dropped on it, from what I have noticed rust is only just visible as the weathering colour coats all surfaces

[AndyID]

Sleeper colours do vary and the one thing is that the original creosoted colour quickly vanishes and takes on whatever is either blown at it or dropped on it, from what I have noticed rust is only just visible as the weathering colour coats all surfaces

Another thing to consider might be whether they are supposed to be wet or dry. The photos of the staircase in the link I posted above were taken after it had been raining. In the earlier post, the sleepers were quite dry.

[Focalplane]

I have taken the plunge and painted some sleepers with the Railroad Tie Brown (RTB).  I reckon I may have enough to paint all of them on Shipston.  The Halford's Grey primer was probably a good plan as a thin coating of the RTB can allow some texture to come through.  No photos yet as the paint is still drying.

 

I did find the two Dulux Valentine samplers I bought and used up all of the darker one on just one module.  So this is not an economical way to go if blanket painting is the job in hand.  I should have bought a liter and be done with it.  I still have the other sampler, a shale grey, which I will probably use for localized weathering.

 

I have giving the entire process some thought and reasoned that we should lay down paint in the order that nature would dictate.  Too late for some of my construction, but there you are.

 

1.  Paint the baseboard surface with an overall "soil" color.  This is obviously going to be a natural shade but could vary enormously depending on the underlying geology.  Fields in West Somerset can be bright red, those in the Cotswolds can be stony and honey brown, those in the low lying areas (such as the recent Harbury landslip) can be blue grey.

 

2.  Don't worry about the ballast, paint the track.  Paint the sleepers, then the rusty rail areas not polished by train wheels.  Only then should the ballast be applied.

 

3.  Then, after the ballast is put down, weather areas where oil, ash and soot will have stained the track.  See my earlier photos on this thread.

 

4.  Then consider the possibility that sections of track have been replaced, or that even individual sleepers have been replaced, particularly on older branch lines.

 

5.  Finally, look at the prototype pictures ( in Warwickshire we are hopelessly spoiled in this respect) for evidence of localized changes in track design.

 

6.  And don't forget the signal and point rodding!

 

Nothing new in the above, it's just a summary of my observations, aided by your comments.

[Focalplane]

The other day I went to Tridome (a sort of Homebase equivalent) near Perpignan and selected what I thought would be a good ground paint - Dulux Valentine Réglisse (licorice).  I used up the tester sample last evening on one module, so as I was going to Narbonne this morning, I popped into the Tridome there, which is a bigger store.  Did they have Réglisse?  No!  So I bought a litre of the next best thing, called Wengé (no translation) and have applied it to Modules 1 through 3.  A second coat will be necessary.

 

I also bought a tester sample of Grain de Café which will be useful if I run out of Railroad Tie Brown as it appears to be a reasonable match.

 

I am also slowly adding card track base and track to the scenic modules.  I have also started to think about fixing the first Tortoise switch motor.  Whether or not I will have much working by next Monday (when I have to leave for a few weeks) remains to be seen.  But that is the beauty of being retired.

 

I feel sure there will be at least one more post in the next few days and that it will contain photos!

[Simond]

 So I bought a litre of the next best thing, called Wengé (no translation)

Wengé translates as Wenge. I'm not sure how to pronounce it in English, let alone French; apparently, it is a leguminous African hardwood, also known as "faux Ebony". If you call something "faux", it is supposed to sound better than "false"

 

Best

Simon