Bluemonkey presents....

Thank you 71.052 Anthracite Grey. I did forget to mention it is the first coat (I do not normally coat more than once though) on Halfords grey primer which is very light. I do use this on all my wagons. By-the-way your autocoach looks superb.

Well the results are in.......................unfortunately I have not won the lottery nor do we have an exact match but I am very pleased with how close the match actually is. There is a slight difference when you really look hard with the naked eye but on a layout and after weathering, even slight, I think any different in shade would not be noticable. Here they are; The two ends are Railmatch and the middle Vallejo Air. Not really sure as to why the loco coal wagon has a lighter shade to the gunpowder van.

I used the new paint today for the cattle wagons with the intention that whilst they dried I would get the transfers onto the loco coal wagons. Well you guessed it got the painting done lol. Very pleased with the initial results but will wait for the paint to completely dry before any comparisons can be made. As it happens I have some Railmatch GWR freight grey wagons ready and awaiting transfers so can easily be compared (another excuse not to do them) as well as a gunpowder wagon still sitting patiently for livery completion. Incidentally the time saved is significant. It took about 1hr for the 13 wagons to be completely sprayed with Vallejo and airbrushed cleaned and put away. At least 1.5hrs for the Railmatch spray, respray and airbrush cleaning/unblocking. Only 4 wagons done with poor coverage and would require a respray. Pictures for comparison and your views to follow.

I spent a little time in my now 'local' (proper) model shop today. Wonderful personal service and exceptional knowledge and help with my paint matching requirements. It has been a long time since this type od customer service and advice has been received. It does take me about 2hr round trip but worth it. I will be returning for sure. Thank you to Salisbury Model Centre for your help and advice. There is a particular pannier that caught my eye and I wish I picked it up today, hoe hum a return journey already penciled in. Incidentally I have plumped for Vallejo 71.052 Anthracite Grey as my Railmatch match. Results to be published soon. I also picked up Vallejo 71.023 Hemp for the 'dirt' colouration of the WW1 tanks. I have read the tanks were originally sheeted for either secrecy or just transporting proposes, seems no-one really has a definitive on this one. Originally the tanks were transported and shipped in grey and were painted in France before deployment. Specific colour patterns and camouflaged designed were directed. Then later in the war when it had been decided that the Germans knew about the tanks and shape and no wonderful paint design would disguise speed or direction, especially as they moved at walking pace at best, they would be painted for transporting in green and neutral/mud brown. As the tracks are up and over the tanks very quickly become mud/dirt/ground colour so this is why this decision was made by the war office. Having already got a WW2 load of green I am going for the dirt brown colouration. I also find it a little more interesting for the long planned layout.

Nick I see you are sneaking a Mk1 in on your layout built thread, very nice indeed. Unfortunately I have been unable to find a copy of the article to view but thanks. I did consider only getting one copying the outline image to 'sheet up' but having read that later in the war tanks appeared to be transported without sheeting and I am particularly modelling 1918/19 when I think the later Mks arrived as well as the Whippet I plumped for that period, also for some visual interest for me. I have my reserved stock for the carrying wagons lined up. The macaw kits I have are destined to be standard GWR service items , maybe with funky loads not sure yet but I really do like the idea of scratch building wagons. I have Russell's Great Western Wagon Plans Book and it keeps giving me ideas/inspiration but I must resist, as I have to @Mikkel temptation! My kit boxes and work bench are groaning as well as SWMBO! Kits I find become almost an addiction both in getting and building.

Thanks, no I have not seen it. Will have to look it up, thank you.

@MrWolf exactly that. All of those men were incredibly brave especially with the armour (or lack of) they had to work with. The more research into WW1 machinery and such the more I can not help thinking Steam Punk. Those weapons and vehicles.

lol, yes thank @Mikkel very tempting but I am out of room for loads and on my bench lol. As it happens from researching wagon numbers/livery I stumbled on an article describing how the WW1 tanks produced in Swindon were initially rail transported to Avonmouth docks for shipping to the front. Happy accident as this can be used to cement a train load of tanks running through Chippenham. It may have been, and most likely, the Swindon Badminton line but for some reason on that given day they had to run the main to Temple Meads or even into the munitions tunnels at box!

Paint first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow time flies when you are..... well lets just say time flies! Cattle wagons primed and ready for painting although had a nightmare with my Railmatch paint being lumpy and blocking my airbrush so only got four done (badly) before complete strip down. So now trying to find a decent substitute match from Vallejo as this range I love using and provides excellent results with either airbrushes or standard brush painting and is now my preferred paint. Unfortunately it appears that my 'local' stockist is a mere 80ish mile round trip via A roads! I only want a bottle of grey that matches GWR freight grey. With the mileage and the likely paint cost it works out about £1.65 per ml. Although I think the brass replacements for the retaining and tie bars works. Would love options/thoughts please? W1 pictured just in view is a W5 with vacs. What do you think of the vac pipe. I am very happy with the quality they are superb, in my opinion. You will see in the back ground I have some N13 loco coal wagons I made up a long time ago whilst work was slow So I have put my frustration to good use. Fixed the problem with the bearing location and replaced the wheels. Couplings added...........yes couplings added I'm getting dizzy and everything. Transfers from Railtec arrived for the 6 pack of loco coal wagons, just to ensure they are the numbers I need (should have done this prior to placing the order, like I said dizzy). Now, before any furthe activity I have another 6 pack to progress on before anything else. I must delete the last couple of days! Recently I had one of those significant days, not a land mark just an annual! So I was allowed a little something; (showing off now) this is my next project before getting on the with breakdown and mail trains (promise ) The clue is no warflats but what as these will be loads? I have a number of WW1 railway items now and a Deans with panniers in my mind but that is long term thought. I need to research a little more for this as well as the streamlined King project! Too many things not enough hands!

Thank you MrWolf. I really like the Vallejo paints @Mikkel first got me hooked when I was painting up some GWR red wagons for a commission job. I dont have a shop nearby that stocks them so have to rely on computer representation of the colours.

Thanks Chris. Those are the ones I usually use but have so many wagons already in Railmatch GWR grey I was a little worried about using another source. Do you mix your own shade or have you found a colour match please? I would presume one of the WW11 German grey would be close?

Fantastic job on both the loriot and the load. They look the part especially when sited as you have done. Just out of interest what paints do you use please? I had terrible trouble last night when trying to spray my cattle wagons with railmatch and could only manage four of them before having to completely strip the brush down due to blockages.

Set about he fiddly job of the tie bars and vac pipes (for some) on the cattle wagons. I have used the Cambrian bars shortening them by cutting the rivet detailing so these can be used for something else another time. Not exactly what I was hoping for although seems OK and once painted will rarely be studied. The vac pipes are lovely and virtually no flash.

Thank you but I will keep the crew as is. You only get a brief glimpse as the locomotive travels past negating any static poses, on shed is a different point altogether. The tanks are accurate and correct to my knowledge for a 39xx.

Just for you my friend, a cheeky close up, its the large bottle of black. I bought this to replace my original black from Humbrol and this has proved a decent match for the Halfords spray I use of large jobs. Regarding the pre-printed sides I think it very much depends on the sizing of the wagon and the amount of detail for the wagon liveries. I have pictured each one individually from a very similar distance, angle and light. The Nationally Colliery and Arthur Day are Slaters pre-printed and the rest are from Powsides. The two larger wagons, Dunkerton and Ricketts, are Parkside and have a small amount of inner detailing. Having touched up the odd weld mark and areas where the pre-colouring has missed almost ready for service. I do need to add couplings and decide what to do about the interior and/or loads. I specially chose the Powsides kits as I have pictorial evidence of each of the wagons (number may be different for the further afield ones) on my layout location so in my eyes a must have. I give you a load of pre-prints for your consideration;

Been a strange week; Whilst waiting for the tie bars and vac pipes to arrive I got amongst a stash of pre-printed open wagon kits. The kits a mix of Slaters and Parkside but all via Powsides already printed. Really enjoyable builds a little frustrating that not must inner detail and some have only been painted one side meaning plenty of potential risk to run the finish when painting the inside. Had hoped to have these as empties but will probably have to load up due to the lack of detail features. All of a sudden my workbench looks like a result of a small explosion in a model shop! You may spot that the tie bars and vac pipes have arrived. The pipes are fantastic casts as are the etches for the tie bars. Unfortunately the tie bars are much too long for the wagons and I know the next size down are far too short so I need another cunning plan. In the meantime I have some more preprint wagon kits to play with.

Agreed if it needed shifting then it got shifted

My understanding (which is not really worth much) is that Great Western drivers are no the right hand side of the loco looking forward. The reversing lever is usually positioned closure to the cab wall but I guess Dapol decided to place it there show it may be more visible when on a layout? The lever is not very visible in the attached, which may be the reasoning for the inner position but is sited near the cab door.

Those are very nice transfers Chris and your finishing is superb. great job all round.

All door bangs, retaining bars etc are now fixed. A couple a day keeps insanity away! Whilst thinking about what to use to replace the tie bars, as I thought the brass wire would not only be a waste but also a little tricky to attached securely, I remembered @chuffinghell showing me some etched replacement tie bars from Cambrian . Unfortunately it appears the cattle wagons are 11ft wheelbase so these are not a product made but ordered some 12ft ones and if required I can take 0.5mm from each end.......................right?!!!! Also the vac pipes for the nine with vacs need new pipes as the ones supplied in the kits are a bit crude and over scaled, in my opinion. This is the only downside to these kits that I can see. Quick scan of Lanarkshire Model Supplies (no connection just a very happy returning customer) range found some very suitable and also some lower pipes for coaching over over hanging load stock, ideal for potential future plans, snaffle some of those whilst there. So whilst the orders are delivered and the plastic weld hardens off I may have another go at those fiddly chains on the warflats or I may just sit back and have a full afternoon of rugby now the season has final resumed sadly poor light for the cricket on the radio at the moment, still F1 qualifying instead.......................oh what to do?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! And Moto GP qualifying and and and and did someone say something about a kid in a sweet shop?

Hi Nick, Thank you, as I have yours. I appreciate your kind comments. Love your seated coach passengers, some fine painting.

Pictures as promised, taken from GWR Goods Wagons Atkins, Beard and Tourret pp424-25; Just the diagonal iron causing an issue, darn!

Thank you. Yes you are right better to spend the time now than have to later. I think if I had removed the bars and drill out shallow locating holes before fixing the ends it would have been a lot easier. @Mikkel there were 'special cattle' wagons dia04 I think that are very very similar in appearance but have louvers filling the entire gap at the top and with planked sliding louver covers at the wagon base. that could be a useful dodge for at least one wagon. I did note that one is specifically for my chosen layout location as well. More specialist transfer required there then! I'll dig a picture out.