Acrylic Paint Matches For Intercity Livery

[Nile_Griffith]

Hi... taking the liberty of posting this as a new topic. As the old topic was asking where? And this new topic is sort of saying what I found.

 

Hope it might help.

 

 

 

OK Kids! back with another episode.

 

Well the weather is warm and sunny and a railway modellers mind turns to painting. Well it's warm and dry and so much nicer than airbrushing in a cold damp garage.

 

My search for an acrylic paint for Intercity executive light grey (Swallow livery) isn't going well.

 

To recap, the criteria really is the following.

 

That it should be Acrylic based and suitable to airbrush with appropriate thinners.

 

Readily available (the easier the better)

 

Good quality.

 

Off the shelf pigment, not looking to mix 3.75 parts of one with .2 parts of another and soupcon of a third for taste.

 

After deliberation, provide a close match to the colour used on Lima and Bachman RTR stock (the current Hornby rendering of the colour is appalling).

 

 

Well the bad news kids, is I've failed. I am still awaiting a couple of other Vallejo paints but they where my outside bets if honest.

 

However my not so extensive research may be of use to some. In particular those who are building up stock using the current batch of Hornby Intercity swallow liveried stock.

 

It turns out that Vallejo's Model Color, 70976 Buff. is pretty damned close to Hornby's representation. I have posted a couple of pic's with my test swatch placed against a MK3 DVT (for reference this was one of the first batch sold). Just to clear up a few details. The paint was applied to a piece of plastic card (an old Hotel room key to be precise) sprayed with Halfords white primer, the primer having being left for 48 hours to dry. The brush was a fairly standard one and none of the paints on the swatch where thinned before application.

 

Similarly and what came as a bit of a surprise. Is that Games Workshops, Citadel Foundation paint, Charadon Granite. Is a pretty close match for the Executive Dark Grey Having that very subtle brown tinge to it. I placed a test swatch against the same Hornby Mk3 DVT and a Bachmann Mk1.

 

Disclaimer time! This is not me saying that these colours are a direct replacement, because they are not. However for someone who is possibly looking to touch up a whole area or respray a carriage to fit in with an existing rake of Hornby MK3's or even respray some of the older Dapol MK2d's to fit in with a mixed rake. These colours would to my eye could certainly work.

 

The Vallejo paint is of particularly good quality it has to be said and seems quite plentiful on line. Most major towns and cities seem to have a Games Workshop, so again should be easy to pick up.

 

The search for the elusive light grey goes on. Will let you know how I get on, but until then I hope this helps someone out.

 

 

 

Vallejo Model Color Buff laid alongside Hornby Mk3b DVT

 

 

Games Workshop Citadel Paint "Charadon Granite" laid next to Hornby MK3b DVT

 

 

Games Workshop Citadel Paint "Chardon Granite" laid against a Bachmann Mk1

[Nile_Griffith]

OK yet another report back on the search for that elusive acrylic colour match.

 

My local and very helpful Games Worskhop called to say that they had a delivery of paint in and remembered that I was after a colour which they where out of stock on when I last visited. So after popping in I thought I'd post some more findings not only on the GW colour but also another Vallejo acrylic colour that turned up for test.

 

Unfortunately it's not great news. But like the previous postings it may help or prove useful to somebody somebody.

 

First the Games workshop colour. It's part of their Citadel Paint range and is called "Bleached Bone" In my picture I've put my test swatch against a Bachmann Mark 1. Unfortunately I was a bit pushed for time and The plastic key card that I used as a base hasn't been properly primed with Halfords white undercoat as in my previous tests. The card itself has been flattened of with some 100 grit abrasive to give a smooth flat keyed surface. Again with the photo's I have taken them on the windowsill in natural light (for the technical amongst you using a Canon 5D with 24-105 'L' series lens). There's no phtotoshopping done either, as out of the camera.

 

The Bleached Bone colour isn't too bad and closer than some of the other Vallejo and Citadel paint's I have tried. However it lacks a certain green/grey component to it for my eye to make it a good match. Interestingly the Phoenix Precision paint isn't a good match either (should really post pic of that) as being a bit too green. But that all said if you where painting a whole rake or repainting a BG for example to fit in with the Bachmann MK1's. With a little weathering I don't think it would be too jarring on the eye. So nipping down to your local Games Workshop and buing a few pots of Citadel Bleached Bone fore the light grey and a few pots of Citadel Charadon Granite for the dark grey, could give you the paint you need to update a GUV, BG or whatever to run with your Bachmann's or as a rake on their own.

 

In the second picture I have taken a test swatch showing Vallejo's Game Color "Dead Flesh" 72035. placed against a Dapol Mk2D. For my tastes the Dapol Intercity livery Exec grey is just too green. But if you are looking for a very good quality Acrylic paint to give as good as possible match to the slightly insipid Dapol colour then this would be my recomendation. Again I wouldn't say that as a patch paint it would be a perfect match, but as a repaint to fit in with a rake of Dapol Mk2's ity would certainly work. Interestingly I found that Revell's Aquacolor Acrylic paint Anthrazit 361 09 is the best match for Dapol's rendering of the Intercity Exec Dark Grey, in fact pretty much cock on, but that is my opinion. So again if you are looking to tidy up an older carriage to fit an existing rake or possibly repaint a blue/grey Mk2 then these colours are easy enough to get a hold of and affordable.

 

 

As mentioned before I have been trying to find an out of the pot match. Am beginning to think that I may have to mix my own colour. The Citadel Colour "Bleached Bone" looks as if it might be the best base to start from, though I'm wondering if a letter to Vallejo might help, who knows if I point out the defficiency in the market they may look at our little corner with a little more interest than their current but limited range of train colours.

 

 

Games Workshop Citadel Paint "Bleached Bone" Laid against Bachmann Mk1

 

 

Vallejo Game Color Paint "Dead Flesh" 72035. Laid against Dapol Mk2D

[Nile_Griffith]

Hello Kids

 

Thought I would update this posting by showing some results.

 

Firstly I have to apologise about the photo's. I don't have my trusty SLR to hand so was faced with using a rather compact Canon which lacks a little of the finesse that my 5D has. That said I shall try and post some pictures when the work itself is a little more complete. However with the weekend approaching and guessing that some of you out there might be considering similar paint projects I thought I'd get this out in a timely fashion.

 

OK. Right as you might see from above I have been trying to find an off the shelf acrylic paint match for Executive Light Grey and Executive Dark Grey. Railmatch do produce the dark Grey in an acrylic but I took it as read that, that would be an OK match so the hunt was on for the light grey. If honest I succumbed to a fruitless search and added to my criteria that the colours themselves should be a good match to existing RTR colours used by the likes of Bachmann and Hornby.

 

Anyway. below is a couple of shots of progress so far. One photo uses a Bachman Mark 1 in executive livery as the reference. The other shot compares the results against the old Dapol paint job. My spacing of the first class yellow stripe and width of the dark grey isn't quite right (must have mucked up my calculations some where) but overall, although the citadel paint colour lacks the green/grey content, I'm quite pleased with the way the colours work out.

 

The details.

 

Executive Dark Grey: Games Workshop Citadel Paints Charandon Granite

Executive Light Grey: Games Workshop Citadel Paints Bleached Bone.

 

Yellow First Class Stripe: Games Workshop Sunburst Yellow

Red Buffet Stripe: Vallejo Model Air Scarlett Red.

 

Roof & Coach Ends: Vallejo Model Air Black

 

 

The Citadel Paints where mixed with Railmatch water borne acrylic thinners for airbrushing. I have to say that they do go on very well, but like most acrylics dry very quickly. Coverage is pretty good too only requiring a couple of light passes to start creating good depth of colour, which is great when you are trying not to loose too much surface detail.

 

The Vallejo model air paints are a delight to use as they are ready to go straight out of their bottle. Maybe not the most economic way to go as buying the model colour paint and thinning it yourself is better value. But again only a few light passes of the black gave a good depth of colour and no nasty smells to deal with on clean up. For those of you who airbrush acrylics if you haven't already tried it. I would greatly recommend Vallejo's airbrush cleaner for acrylic paint........ brilliant stuff.

 

As said will try and post something a bit better when they are finished off, what started off as a bit of a tester project might find it's way onto the rails after all.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Dapol Mk2 body repainted with Citadel Colours compared with Bachman Mk1 in Exec livery.

 

 

Repainted Mark 2 body set against original Dapol paint job.

[westie7]

Superb, this might be just what I need for my Nice new Hornby Mk2 Sleepers with that awful shade of Exec Light Grey.

Dont suppose you've ever done a similar experiment for Railfreight/Dutch/Dept Grey?

 

Cheers

Mark

[Raffles]

I like those. I like those a lot.

 

Pray tell. what did you do to the windows on the Mk2D?

[Pugsley]

The Citadel colours look the best to me. From the pics above, the lack of green hue doesn't seem that noticeable, I'll have to obtain some of these for myself, I think.

[Nile_Griffith]

Hi guys!

 

Sorry for not replying earlier, it's been a hectic couple of weeks with work and not too much time to keep on top of postings.

 

Westie. have an ongoing project at the moment trying to identify useable alternatives from other acrylic paint ranges. The Railfreight Grey is on the list but working through the list as a whole is taking some time.

 

Raffles. The Mk2D coach body I have shown in the citadel paint colours hasn't any glazing fitted. I have however took down the raised window surround detail ready for fitting Brian the Etch's Lazerglaze glazing and extreme etchings window surrounds products which I think will really enhance the project. I will try to post some pictures just as soon as.

 

Pugsley. I'll take your comments as praise from Caesar. Your guidance in the past on loco colour has been much valued, so encouragement from yourself is very welcome.

 

Will try and post some more pic's soon. As said time has been at a bit of a premium of late but watch this space.

[Raffles]

I have however took down the raised window surround detail ready for fitting Brian the Etch's Lazerglaze glazing and extreme etchings window surrounds products which I think will really enhance the project. I will try to post some pictures just as soon as.

 

I think that's the key. I have long believed that the raised frame on the Dapol Mk2s makes the window look squarer than necessary. Time for an experiment...

[westie7]

 

I think that's the key. I have long believed that the raised frame on the Dapol Mk2s makes the window look squarer than necessary. Time for an experiment...

 

Me too, my frames and glazing arrived today!

 

Mark

[forest2807]

Any more progress on these? I'd be interested to see where you are at with them, if indeed you have managed any progress.. I have posted elsewhere about looking for a colour match for executive light grey/fawn from the Halfords automotive aerosol range (I don't have an airbrush so these Games Workshop colours won't be suitable for me needs). If anyone knows any, please divulge!