paulprice

Steam engines, far better than those boring buzz boxes

Still 10 days too long for me, not Rugger that's a game worth watching

I just hope in the "flesh" it does not disappoint

While work on Foster Street progresses, I needed another little task that was not directly linked to the layout, I basically needed a change, so I decided to turn my attention to weathering some of the stock to be used on the layout. Prompted by a comment that my milk tankers seen in a previous blog where far too clean, I set out to do something about it, and I thought some of you may be interested to see how I do it? I do not have an airbrush, so all of my weathering is done with old fashioned paint brushes and using a very limited colour pallet, the paints I tend to favour for this are good old fashioned Humbrol, and consist of Matt Black, a Matt Grey (106) and a Leather Brown colour, shades may vary as long as its matt. The one rule I stick to is that when I am building up the initial weathering I never use neat Matt Black, instead I mix up a couple of "dirty blacks" by mixing the balck with grey, or black with the leather. When I am weathering Loco's I apply this to the smoke box, frames and cab roof, for coaches I apply these colours to the under frames. The first area to hit on coaches is the roofs, as this is the area that most of us see first, I like to work on batches, of no more than 4 at a time, and make sure that no too roofs are painted with the same shade (just throw in a little more grey). I even vary the shade on the same roof, as you really want to avoid the uniformed look. So I set to work on some Stannier coaches to give them that in service look, the roofs and under frames took minutes to paint, and then they were put aside to dry, For the sides I try to simulate road dirt, by using mostly the leather colour but mixed with a little black or grey, this I then dry brush over the coach starting at the ends as this is where the doors tend to be and there is raised/recessed detail to which the paint will adhere, just like "muck" on the real things. I always work from the bottom of the coach, which in theory would have the most dirt and then ply less as I work upwards. I try not to get any of this paint on the windows, as I leave this to my final wash. Again less is sometimes more so its a good idea to put the models aside to dry, plus I always find that a break during this process is sometimes a good thing as it allows you to view the work with fresh eyes. Once I am happy with the finish/effect, I then apply my final wash coat, I always clean my brushes as I go, in a jam jar which container a thinner that does not effect plastic ( I test this, as its important). My final was then involves using a brush dipped in this "dirty" thinners, then run through the various paint mixes I used to weather to coach, you really want this to be very fluid, this I then roughly paint on the coach roof, slapping on quite a lot, as you want it to run along the gutters, ventilators, raised details on the roof. The good thing with this is that as the thinners evaporates the paint pigment is left behind, in all the right places. Two things to remember always do this in a well ventilated room, and do not over work this coating, let it flow. For the coach sides I then use the same paint mix, but apply it at the top of the body first and let it flow down naturally, if it does not reach the bottom, apply a little more, and don't worry about it covering the windows, as when it dries they have a very realistic dirty look. I bet its not a new method but it works for me I hope the attached photo's show this far better than my lecture above (apologies for the quality), I must get off now, and look at the Milk tanks, until the next time Happy Modelling

When is this world cup thing over?

Job Certainly, the last picture should have appeared first in the blog entry, but you know me getting things messed up. It was taken early on, in the life of Forster street, just after I had finally laid the track. As you can see I used card to bring the area up to rail height before I eventually settled on a cobblestone finish. It shows the method I sometimes like to use when seeing if buildings fit the environment, and I find it useful to show if they are too large or small or if the roofline fits in. I simply make boxes of the hopefully finished size and outline and then draw the features such as windows and door, brick courses on with a black felt tip pen. Or in this case the blacked out sections had various paper overlays with rough window shapes temp fitted until I found something I was happy with, you can just see at the back on the right hand side, another mock up I used to see if a slightly smaller building would work, and my famous timbre platform just to the left of the coach. Just a glorified excuse for me to play trains really Paul

I think I will watch the progress of this layout with increasing envy

The Goods yard area of Foster Street, seems to have taken up a large amount of the time I have spent so far on the layout, which surprised me a little as it only comprises of three sidings. Still there are a few tasks yet to finish, including the main one of adding some weathering to the area and a few more little people to populate the area, the Goods Warehouse has been built so that it can be easily removed, to allow me to get to any stock lost in its depths. I still have a few additions to be attached to the building namely gutters, loading bay doors and water to the water tower. I have all the bits I need to finish this, but it's just getting the time to do it. One of the things I really need to do is to improve the "slot" the building sits in, when in place to avoid the gap showing at the bottom of the building, so I think I may work on this next. Then I have to decide if the little loading platform and shed at the side of the main siding should be turned into a cattle pen, to help with the off loading of supplies to "Morgan's Meat's" or set it up as a hazardous product area? I must admit. even though you have limited vision of the inside of the Goods warehouse the extremely low relief contents I added certainly look the part when the building is in place. I have finally put the sign up for "I Deal Coke and Coal" and hand lettered the scratch built delivery wagon, but I'm struggling for a name for the nearby "Monumental" Stone Mason business. The good news, is I have passed another day without gluing my fingers together , anyway enough waffle time for some pictures of the progress (with a before picture so you can see how far its progressed), as usual if you have any suggestions I would be happy to hear them. Until next time Happy Modelling

I have it on charge already,

The poor "Moo Cows" are being led to "Morgans Meats" the local slaughter house, I can here the model veggies complaining from here. What! What!! What!!! What do you mean what's a crimson Jubilee???

Andy I have the 6 I admit to the Domestic Overlord owning and another 31-34 waiting to go through the "Price Locomotive Works". Not such much a "Scrap and Build" policy, more like a "Buy and Hide" one

Jaffa cakes you say, if they are being offered, how many Jubilees do you want? What's your thoughts on the Duchess, part of my 3 rail collection of these can be glimpsed in a photo in this blog (don't tell the Domestic Overlord but I have squirrelled away in the loft, a model for everyone built, or will when I finally restore them).

I always find a decent stun gun has a nice calming influence, oh and not forgetting the Jammy Dodgers they go down a treat, WITH ME hehehehe (insert evil laugh here)

I believe you have a problem with Rhino's? I have these things eating the coal in my trains.......

I only have 3 Crimson Jubilees maybe I should get some more......better not let the other half see this, but then again, you have basically suggested I need some more so when I get caught out I can say you told me to........oh what a devious little squirrel I am

Mike I'm sorry to hear you had similar problems as me, but its also reassuring to know I'm not the only accident prone person out there. On the plus side, like you said its always good to move on

Well if you read the Blogs by AndyRam you will see that the WESTON 2014 exhibition he is organising is shaping up to be the Model Railway event of the year, miss it and miss out (I think I have missed my calling in publicity ), the only thing that may put a damper on things is that Foster Street is booked to attend. So in an attempt to break my record for the most consecutive days without gluing my fingers together I thought I would spend a little time working out what trains should fill the limited storage yard to provide some interest for the visitors to the exhibition. I thought this would be an easy task so armed with a pencil, and notebook (cutting edge technology for the 1800's) I headed to the spare room to look through the stock boxes and work out some train formations. ANDY IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT - Before I knew it the transformer was fired up and I was playing trains (sorry conducting some serious research ) I have learnt a couple of things today, Firstly I think my storage yard is too small as I have only really looked at milk/parcel and local trains today, not even got round to the coal trains, mixed freight or express trains yet (The Domestic Overlord - thinks I may have too many trains - The boys a fool - there is no such thing as too many ). Secondly I have a lot to do before the exhibition deadline, but more operating research maybe needed, all in the name of accuracy of course. Until the next time, as ever happy Modelling

Some of you may have noticed that my blog entries had vanished from here, and I'm sure many of you are still sighing with relief. In one of my "blonde" moments I decided that I would delete some photographs from my gallery on here, my OCD tendency was satisfied and I was content with a job well done Well that was until I noticed that the pictures had strangely vanished from my blog entries, yes I know its obvious now, but it was not at the time, but even more mysteriously the pictures are still showing on my layout thread in the Layout forums I tried re-attaching the photos to the entries but this took ages, just to get one photo loaded so I have decided to delete the photo-less blog entries. The good news to me at least is that no harm has befallen the Foster Street layout other that the usual miss-haps of my modelling skills (this means you will have to suffer many more updates). However it has given me room to think, and a new opportunity, from the wreckage of this disaster, no doubt I will post evidence of newer, improved ones. So what will this mean? Well in future I think as I complete, or work on, on-going project I will post pictures of the progress, like a "then and now" view (yes my laptop still has the pictures safely stored ) Even worst, it may mean that scamp Billy Grimes may make a comeback (now that its a reason to have sleepless nights (insert evil laugh here) As ever Happy Modelling

Just think of the satisfaction you will feel when you finally complete the locomotive, that's what I tell myself when I have problems with one of my fleet