SouthernBlue80s

Superb picture

Hi Steve, I hope you are well. I did the under-frames buffers ect in my usual coat of railmatch fame dirt. I paint with weathering powders and I use cotton buds to blend them in. I am a big fan off DCC concepts track rust as a powder colour, I also mix up my own combinations of powders as well. I often use a darker powder mixture to pick out the details and I aim to look at as my of Paul Bartlett´s pictures as possible to see how and where the dirt falls. I also often use the brushes in the same direction often in a vertical motion, as that is how dirt and water would often fall onto a a bit of stock. I often also bush weathering powder upwards off the bogies/under-fames to get that feeling of dirt having come upwards from the tracks. It is really hard to explain - but hopefully that gives you a bit of feel for some of my approaches. All the best.

New editions to the fleet are 73122 and 40012

Joe and I thank you for the positive comments guys. CovKid -I will pick it up in a few weeks with a fresh pair of eyes and do any tweaks....so more bake dust it is. Justin - The layout topic is here I will add some extra pictures, it as about time http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135394-boxchester-revisited/

Nice weathering

So back to me. I brief run through of my approach. Railmatch Framedirt on the bogies, buffers and underframe. Silver on the Buffer shanks. A mix of Railmatch Framedirt and matt black used on the center of the roof. I then mixed up weathering powders to try and approximate that rusty dirt colour that you found on the southern region in the early 80s and used it in washes on the front ends in different strengths and wipping execess off with cotton buds. I used the same mix to highlight where the dirt would fall on the sides and also on the roof along with a darker version, lots of blending in with cotton buds. And then with a very soft brush, with a fractional amount of sand and white on I push up and down in a horizonal motion along the sides pulling fractional amounts of powder of the roof and bogies on to the body and giving the loco that slightly faded look that they would have after a while. Pictures here of work in progress and the finished loco. This is the first pass. I will pick her up again in a few weeks with a fresh eye and amend any little bits that do not look right. Many months of faffing about now over. I have always wanted an accurate model of a blue 73 as that is what I used to see as a youth at Faversham. And I was so disappointed when Dapol´s model was the wrong colour and now I have one in the right colour

So over to Joe for a few months. He stripped it, spayed it varnished it. A few pictures of the work in progress and the end result. We renumbered her into 73122

This was a joint effort between Joe (teacupteacup) and myself. I bought 73124 knowing it was the wrong colour and first attempted to see if I could disguise the wrong colours through weathering.I was not convinced I was going to be successful.The lemon yellow ends ended up not too bad as I managed to warm them up with a wash. But the sides just looked wrong. A couple of pictures here. One next to 50 to show the colour difference So I sent the loco off to Joe to respray it, as I do not have the kit.

Class 73122 backing off covhops and then shunting a lone van for the morning newspaper train 1981 Some more pictures here of the respray and weathering of 73122 if any are interested http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/138966-joe-and-steve%C2%B4s-respraying-and-weathering-of-dapols-73124/&do=findComment&comment=3351002

Given your suggestions and the fact I like looking at the locos on shed. The Midland Railway Center will be next port of call in about two weeks time.

Well I headed off to Barrow Hill for my first visit. I loved the atmosphere and the smells of the roundhouse. It was also nice to see the site being used as a mini works. I had a nice chat to a few folks up there and pie and chips in the cafe. I will now visit once a year. Have any of you folks any other suggestions for places to visit, that have some atmosphere and some BR blue traction. Cheers Steve A couple of pictures from my day out

Thanks Dave I spent a lot of time on the platform at Reading in 1981-1983. A trip down memory lane for me. Great pictures, just how I remember it. And yes that 47 is definitely North Star - my pet 47

Such a lovely layout to look at. It has a peaceful feel to it and lots of small interesting details Best wishes Steve

Keep em coming Mr Beast Cheers Steve

Autumn 1982. Failed 40 and the resident 08 in the yard.

Agree. Yes it is cracking stuff. I especially like those last pictures of the IZAs and the 47. A level of detail usual found on a 00 gauge layout but this is N guage. (I also have a soft spot for 80s weathered BR blue if you look at my links)

Very Impressive, considering it is a N gauge layout. Cheers Steve

Thank you both. That gives me a feel for what it is about - I will make the visit. All the best Steve

Hi I would like to look at some 80s BR blue locos and anything else from the period. Traveling to Barrow Hill would be a big journey for me, I have never been. What is it like there. If you turn up on a Saturday and pay to get in - can you wander around the roundhouse and look at locos and outside too? Is there quite a bit to see? Worth the journey from Kent? Any thoughts people Thanks Steve

Nice how to guide. Cheers Steve

Idle 37

Enjoying the thread. Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures.

Really nice modeling. It is always impressive when something look spot in N guage

A couple of bits of weathered stock. 73122 will soon be joining the fleet so looking forward to having that sat next to 33045 73105 might be next I think