Prepared by Tommy Day Originator Steve Rowe

Steven Rowe - May 19, 2018 at 2:40 AM
After tweaking the roof so it fits I cleaned the body
I have now primed and painted the body.
perfect autumnal spraying weather here in Sydney very low humidity and 20 C

Steven Rowe - May 19, 2018 at 1:17 PM
Im lazy and so if painting a black loco I use spray tins.
Actually car paint is unbeatable.
It goes on well, dries extremely quickly and the finish is durable.
Next job is painting the buffer beam and cab then lining and glazing.
Regards Steven

Davenport20954 - May 20, 2018 at 12:08 AM
A great looking model. To help with the painting process I use a brass strip fitted to the body using the chassis mounting screws. Left on for the entire process it allows the model to be turned at all angles during the painting process. After each painting step it is quickly clamped in a workmate and an inverted Useful box placed over it to keep off dust and wildlife while drying. Cocktail sticks and a balsa block also have their use's for small parts!
David

Steven Rowe - May 20, 2018 at 12:15 AM
I have a JLTRT 57XX to build as L94.
A bit of nostalgia for me as I chased the red ghosts around the underground in 1971.
I would like to think i could paint it as well as yours.
Loved the 57XX class and they looked so lovely in LT livery

Steven Rowe - May 20, 2018 at 10:50 AM
Started painting buffer beams and 3 coats should cover the black. One more to go.
Also painted interior of can roof.
Will start on the back head Monday morning

DLOS - May 20, 2018 at 6:36 PM
Just food for thought: As red tends to be such a 'thin' colour that does not cover so well, I have always started by paining the buffer beams. After the primer, I spray a dark red or brown undercoat followed immediately by the desired lighter red. After a day or so, I mask off the buffer beams and press on with the black (which I later mask off before finally applying the livery colour, on the basis that it is easier to touch in any errors on the black than it is on the livery colour). When all is dry, I use my lining pen to sharpen up the boundaries between the red and black, and between the black and the livery colour. I know that professional painters will happily spray red over black … but then that's why they are professionals and I am decidedly not! David

Example of a red buffer plank on unlined green loco

Steven Rowe - May 20, 2018 at 8:36 PM
Your loco looks good.
It's always a dilemma and buffer beams are awkward with a brush .
Sometimes I look at what I do and feel like a hack.
Lining the front splasher and sandbox looks like fun.
I'm no Iain Rathbone

Davenport20954 - May 20, 2018 at 8:46 PM
The reason for my 'handle' approach is that when using an airbrush you can only tilt it so far in any direction before you may lose paint out of the bowl. So to get at hidden nooks and crannies the ability to turn the model in all directions is useful.
In case the sharp eyed notice the proportions for the Metropolitan Class A are not quite right is because it was a scratch build to fit a vintage Hornby 3RE mech to run on my vintage layout.
David

Buckley10339 - May 20, 2018 at 9:32 PM

As someone who barely knows which end of a paintbrush is which i can say that that i do definitly know that a coat of yellow should allways go on before the red.I do spray my black locos and paint the buffer beams red (over the yellow) but as for Green lined or even black lined my friend Len who posts on here is the master at turning y pigs ears into nice looking locos. Thats basicely the only thing i really know about painting locos that its yellow before red !

Pat.

Steven Rowe - May 20, 2018 at 9:36 PM
Good Point that I will bear in mind for my next build.

paul copsey - May 21, 2018 at 9:34 AM
Hi Steve , if you don't mind mixing your paints then Tamiya flat red does a really good job over black and is a good match for buffer beam red , whatever colour that is .
Cheers Paul

Steven Rowe - May 21, 2018 at 9:42 AM
Paul thanks for the tip.

Bob Alderman - May 21, 2018 at 12:23 PM
Consider matt white as the undercoat for red.
I've used it for years.
Bob

Len Jones 14652 - May 21, 2018 at 12:57 PM
Steve ,morning ,afternoon ,not sure what for your neck f the woods .
I always prime in etch grey ,then mask off the buffer beams whilst painting footplate and body .
Then I varnish just above around the beam.Once “set “ after around three /four days .I then remove the buffer beam masking and mask up the footplate area and spray buffer beam red .
I varnish the footplate area so if the masking tape even low tack lifts ,it only lifts varnish not footplate colour

Steven Rowe - May 21, 2018 at 1:05 PM
And now for the fun part, lining of the front splasher and sandbox.
Ok I read the book, saw the video but have never lined with a bow pen.
Remember the Kraut who tried to fly a plane and read the manual at the same time in the film Those Magnificent men in their flying machines. i know how he feels now.

Steven Rowe - May 23, 2018 at 6:29 AM
The N2 gas been given a coat of gloss varnish and it looks terrible, once the transfers are on it will be taken back to a semi gloss finish but let's hope is a semi semi finish.
Installed the back head and screw reversed.
The reversed was to long so got sawn off.
Not like lock stock and two smoking barrels..

Len Jones 14652 - May 23, 2018 at 8:55 AM
Morning Steve ,like the detail of the cab ,it will certainly stand out once the roof is on .
I totally agree with you ,to me gloss finish is just the base coat to allow easier application of transfers Just does not sit well at all .I prefer a sheen for the body with a very dead Matt varnish for smokebox and steam pipes if fitted .
That is the finish that I will use on my build.
Keep the pics coming please

Steven Rowe - May 23, 2018 at 9:43 AM
Hello Len
Yes the cab looks good and painting the cab roof interior cream will hightlight the detail. The satin finish was wayyy to glossyy so once its lined out i need to find a more flat finish. I also want the smokebox to have a very flat finish.
I always weather locos and i normally dust the loco with a slightly ashen look airbrushed on. Usually a dark grey and use for thinners the murky muck that I clean brushes with. The chassis will also get a bit of a workover too.

So much going on and i want to get my quadart sets running.
Mu ACE C1 is a thorn in the flesh that i have to conquer.
Had i known about Ace vefore i bought it then i would have stayed well clear.
All this plus trying to build my railway, i must be mad

Steven Rowe - May 25, 2018 at 9:58 AM
Boiler bands on. So far so good

Turnbull21603 - May 25, 2018 at 11:14 AM
Hello Steve,
I have found an excellent aerosol matt finish, which I apply to locomotives and rolling stock. The product is PRO matt from PRO XL, [URL=“http://www.pro-xl.co.uk”]www.pro-xl.co.uk[/URL], which I buy through EBay. It costs approximately £15.00 for a 400ml can, but as it is an automotive product should be available from a paint supplier.
Possibly this product, or something similar, is available in Australia.
I am attaching a photograph to show the finish.

Steven Rowe - May 25, 2018 at 11:28 AM
Les
Im certain i i wi find something similar.
Your loco looks good.
Just ruzst .into a bit of a problem, the bunker steps i have in the wrong place. I am going to have to relocate anf fix up the paimt.
Very annoying.

End of thread 4/2/2019