Hornby Dublo restoration project

[Ancientmariner]

A very cool pastime! Well done. They look great!

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, they certainly seem to be improving with each one I do now.

[Ancientmariner]

Excellent stuff. The 4MT looks superb in mixed traffic lined black doesn’t it!

Yeah I don't think it's a scheme that existed and I think the black was always with grey and red lining?

I did this one differently, I had a proper set for a 4MT and the small side panels cut and applied in 4 pieces and the large side panels are cut I to 8 or 10 pieces and applied bit by bit.

I am semi tempted to do one of the duchess bodies line with orange and black now for something different.
I shall however be removing the numbers from the duchess which is numbered as these are not Fox decals and came with the name plates I use and I don't like the fact you can see the back ground of the decals even when softened and pressed down and varnished.

Also the hand rails on the 4MT are far better than the last one I did, more time taken and patience applied.

Also the hand rails

[Isitme]

Just caught up to your re-build, and the years just dropped away.
Could I reccomend a book to you, 'Aspects of Modelling - Weathering Locomotives'. Even as a tank builder I found this book informative.
Looking forward to more.
Cheers,
Mike.

[Ancientmariner]

Just caught up to your re-build, and the years just dropped away.
Could I reccomend a book to you, 'Aspects of Modelling - Weathering Locomotives'. Even as a tank builder I found this book informative.
Looking forward to more.
Cheers,
Mike.

Hi Mike,

Thanks for that I shall try and source a copy and have a read.

I don't weather as I sell the bodies alone they wouldn't match the wheel sets and the people who re-home these seem to prefer unweathered. I don't know why, maybe as it's more like how Hornby had them?

However, weathering is something even with my aircraft I have stayed away from so I will be having a god at some of the techniques in there on some of my spare 1/72 kits in the near future :thumb2:

[Ancientmariner]

Part of the next batch primed and ready to paint......

[Tim Marlow]

Man, you must have painted more of these than the LNER by now….great stuff.
With regard to books on weathering locos, look out “The art of weathering” by Martin Welch. It is the gold standard for railway modelling. His web page,

https://www.martynwelch.com/

is worth a look as well….

[Ancientmariner]

So have taken on a more industrial approach. Had to write on the board what's going to be what colour as otherwise I will forget which green is which etc!

[Tim Marlow]

By “shop grey” do you mean photographic grey? If so, fantastic. Haven’t seen a loco done in that before.

[Ancientmariner]

Indeed I do Tim, apparently the first of each class was done like this I think?
I think it will look quite nice.

[Guest]

Lovely delicate work My Ancient Mariner alias James.

A question James. As a boy I was fascinated by the ears, the covers either side on the front of the 46240.

What did they do ?

Laurie

[Ancientmariner]

Thanks for the praise Laurie, I was doing a bit of spraying this evening but gave up after a blockage so just popped the airbrush in cleaning fluid to soak and will have another go tomorrow with a clean air brush.
Trying to do a variety of colour schemes.

To my knowledge Laurie I think they were smoke deflectors to keeps the drivers view clear........though I suspect Mr Marlow can either confirm or correct this?

[Guest]

James .Great to see, and to think they go on to a new owner to treasure and enjoy .
Proper recycling.
Takes me back to my Hornby 3 rail days .

[Tim Marlow]

Yep,

Thanks for the praise Laurie, I was doing a bit of spraying this evening but gave up after a blockage so just popped the airbrush in cleaning fluid to soak and will have another go tomorrow with a clean air brush.
Trying to do a variety of colour schemes.

To my knowledge Laurie I think they were smoke deflectors to keeps the drivers view clear........though I suspect Mr Marlow can either confirm or correct this?

Yep, they were smoke deflectors. They funnel the air as the loco moves forward at speed and use it to drive the smoke up and away from the cab. They became necessary because as locomotive firebox and boiler design improved the velocity of smoke exiting the chimney reduced. Allied to the shape of the engine this caused smoke to cling to the boiler, so restricting visibility for the driver.

[Tim Marlow]

Indeed I do Tim, apparently the first of each class was done like this I think?
I think it will look quite nice.

Nice idea James. Indeed the first of each class, and sometimes of each batch if there were variations, was done in photographic grey to better show the lining and paint design, especially on the more complex Edwardian liveries. Photographic plates at the time were not panchromatic so certain lining colours didn’t show up unless they were emphasised in this way. They were, in effect, publicity shots for the new design.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a “colour” photograph of photographic grey before, so don’t actually know what colours were used :thinking:
Just a though, but if you are running out of loco bodies have you given a thought to Dinky toy restoration carried out in much in the same way?

[Tim Marlow]

Done a bit of research on photographic grey while herself was in a shop..
Turns out it was usually done over the top of an already painted loco using water based paint, such as distemper. It was then washed off to save on an expensive repaint. The grey tones were apparently made by mixing soot into the base distemper white, and here’s the clincher…..they only painted the side that was going to be photographed :surprised: