Blog- The GC and Met in OO - Rebuilding an 11B

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These last few weeks I have been quietly working on rebuilding my Great Central 11B. The original model was 'good' but I was convinced I could do 'better'.

 

What finally convinced me to do it was two things. Firstly I found Narrow Planet will custom etch GCR numberplates, and secondly in the E M Johnstone GCR loco volumes there is a photograph of the real no.1042 as she appeared in 'late GCR days' (post 1920) and there are a couple of differences:

 

1. Ross pop valves instead of the more stately Robinson covered type;

 

2. A tender with four coal rails;

 

3. No lining to the driving wheels.

 

The first thing I did to my model was to remove the thick boiler bands and the safety valves, then I gave it a good rubbing down and put it into primer. Then I rubbed it down again. (One of the things that was annoying on the original was the lumpy texture to the boiler).

 

Then followed what I think I shall call 'the quest for a better Brunswick green'.

 

The original finish was simply a coat or two of Humbrol acrylic brunswick, and it looked pretty mediocre and mean. I wanted to try to get closer to the finish on my Bachmann 'Butler Henderson'.

 

I started with two coats of Humbrol enamel gloss brunswick. Then I rubbed the model down and gave it another coat, and then another on top of that which I rubbed over with a cloth even as I was applying it. A coat of matt acrylic brunswick green followed, and when this had dried I- yup, you guessed it- rubbed it down again. Then another coat of acrylic matt brunswick was applied, again much of it was removed with a cloth even as it was being applied.

 

The overall effect is to get a nice sheen to the paintwork. I then painted the frames in a satin mid-brown and the smaokebox and running plate in a matt black.

 

This then is the state of play at present....

 

 

 

 

As you can see, I've started the lining out with the brass beading to the splashers. I think this is a massive improvement on what it was before- the big challenge of course is the lining out and I think this time I'll limit the paint pens to the cabsides and splashers, with transfers for the tender and my usual white paper and black ballpoint pen for the boiler bands.

 

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