Tricky

Agreed Dave, that’s what I’m going to use.

It's still a useful discussion to have...!

It’s an interesting discussion for sure. I think, though I’m inclined to go with the photo board description, so ‘chocolate’ body with white shaded black lettering. The jury’s out whether it will get black ironwork but probs not. What constitutes ‘chocolate’ is debatable. It needs to be a pre-mixed colour rather than one I will make up as I will need to touch up after lettering.

Super! Do you reckon ‘chocolate’ all over including solebars and no ironwork picked out in black (as I’ve seen done elsewhere)?

I don't have that photo - I was basing it on a dodgy photo of an RTR example...!

Also on the bench is a private owner wagon which will get lettered in the Healings Mill livery. This is of course the Slaters kit straight out of the box with the exception of sprung w-irons. The body been sprayed with red primer and then brushed over with Humbrol 70 thinned down and applied quickly with a broad-ish brush. Plus I finally got round to finishing the GW open which has been waiting for a set of sprung W-irons. I couldn’t find transfers of the correct height so hand lettered it. They’re both posed on what will be a photo plank, when I can get round to it!

A little update - I did a bit more painting on the engine shed roof; picking out some individual slates and going over the lead work with a washed-out white. Adding some lead staining streaks brings it to life.

I’d like to know your secrets…! What scale are these?

The tale sounds all too familiar…

Not much happened in Tewkesbury lately, other than the first of many coats of brickwork painting. Plus I noticed while painting the gable end that I made a mistake on the brickwork drawing; the top of the walls should have a soldier course. I’ll get round this by adding stone coping stones. @lezz01take note!! Weird evening lighting gives the building a nasty orange glow - not so in real life!!

Welcome back Dave! Look forward to catching up at Uckfield!

Ticking along with some small jobs: the mill has a roof and some internal strengthening fillets. It’s also painted black inside, as well as the window reveals have been painted already so that I can fit the windows without fear of getting brick paint all over them. On the engine shed I’ve also painted the inside black, apart from the far wall which will be dirty white. I’ve also painted the window reveals and fitted the windows, but no glazing at the moment. From a colour photo of the real shed, the arches over the side windows appear to be a yellow brick, with the main doorway arch being engineering blues. Indeed, the whole wall above the arch seems to be in blues but I shan’t replicate that as I fear in model form it will look like I’ve got it wrong! The windows in the far wall have just been stuck on the outside of the mdf wall as that side will never be seen.

Great article in the latest Midland Railway Society journal by @Compound2632 about the Midland’s freight fleet. Just when you thought there wasn’t much more that could be written about D299s….!!!!

Great article on Midland wagons in the latest journal by @Compound2632. Also of intriguing interest to me is the state of the building in the background of the cover photo. A preponderance of slipped and missing slates, smashed windows and broken gutters! Looks like I’ll have to include a few dodgy slates in my models! But can anyone elaborate on what the building is and why is could be in such a poor state? As far as the article itself goes, I shall settle down with a coffee layer and read with interest!

Beautiful models, a very generous gesture @Dave Hunt

FWIW, I use Tamiya Red Brown.

Yes, you're quite right, it is in real life. But I want to use some of my 3D printed Midland water tank panels. Artistic license!

Oh and I’ve also begun to assemble the mill. I think it looks suitably towering and mill-like….

So, today’s progress was to make and fit the louvres on the shed roof, along with a base for the water tank. I’ve also painted the doors. (Temporarily positioned!).

Nice two-tone engine shed door as well!

Thanks Stephen. I regularly use the photos you kindly sent of the mill and its environs.

A few odd bits today: painted the doors cream, grey primer on the roof and cut the main end wall of the mill. Steady as she goes…

Sure, pm me your email address. It will be autocad though.

Can I ask what the likely colour scheme would have been for these doors? They are the inside faces of engine shed doors, as they would have appeared C1907? Many thanks.

I don’t believe it gets much better than this does it….?!