Weathering Bachmann 16t Mineral Wagons

[Dave]

After seeing Ian's wagons as well, now I really want to have a go at this weathering! Did you use your airbrush freehand, Ian, or did you use masks?

Mike: I knew I'd read a modelling article somewhere recently about using either Hairspray or Salt to produce the kind of chipped paint effect you were after, and I finally found the links last night. Hope this helps, or at least offers some ideas.

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.com/2011/02/tutorial-weathering-with-salt.html

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.com/2010/02/tutorial-weathering-wall-by-using.html

[mick]

That's exactly what I was looking for Ian - thanks for posting. The 2 left hand wagons on each of the first photos are just how I remember these wagons and it's that effect I'm hoping to achieve. The whole rake looks really spot on - you've certainly got an eye for detail no matter what the subject.

I spent a lot of time on the 'rusty' wagon but the others have all just had a quick brush and wipe. As I remarked in my previous post, if I don't get something done quickly I'm never going to get anything done at all. I will be spending some time on individual wagons in the future because I want to learn how to do them correctly but first I want a set that's ready to run as the warmer days are by all accounts just around the corner.

[mick]

 

Dave said:

...I knew I'd read a modelling article somewhere recently about using either Hairspray or Salt to produce the kind of chipped paint effect you were after, and I finally found the links last night. Hope this helps, or at least offers some ideas.

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.com/2011/02/tutorial-weathering-with-salt.html

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.com/2010/02/tutorial-weathering-wall-by-using.html

Wow, thanks for those links Dave....and I was trying to crack on and get something done today. That is the kind of chipped paint effect I was after and along with those rusted areas as seen on Ian's photos, if I can somehow combine the two effects onto the sides of a 16t mineral then I'll be more than happy. Watch this space...

[IanR]

 

Quote

Did you use your airbrush freehand, Ian, or did you use masks?

Freehand Dave.

Mixing talcum powder with paint will give the rust a more textured effect too.

One of the most realistic effects I have seen is to paint the wagon all over in rust colours and then dab Maskol on in random areas where you want the rust patches to be. Next paint the wagon all over in grey and then remove the Maskol revealing the rust colour underneath.

This is shown in Martyn Welch's excellent book 'The Art of Weathering'. Well worth purchasing.

[cleanerg6e]

 

IanR said:

Mixing talcum powder with paint will give the rust a more textured effect too.

One of the most realistic effects I have seen is to paint the wagon all over in rust colours and then dab Maskol on in random areas where you want the rust patches to be. Next paint the wagon all over in grey and then remove the Maskol revealing the rust colour underneath.

This is shown in Martyn Welch's excellent book 'The Art of Weathering'. Well worth purchasing.

This method is also shown on George Dents Weathering DVD available from Telerail. I think of what I've seen from Mick and Ian's photos is that there's many ways to rust up 16t mineral wagons. I saw a DVD of a 7F on 16tonners and although most were a sort of cream colour albeit with coal staining some were totally rusted so you had no idea what the base colour was. Grey or bauxite. I've also heard it said not to weather all your 16tonners but to keep the odd one or two in near pristine condition, as if they've just come out of the paint shop. Although it's also said that wagon numbers and other identification markings were often just repainted straight onto the rusted surface. I may have to get some instant rust made by Deluxe Materials and available from the Engine Shed at Arundel in Sussex. I have on a movie outtake footage from the old Ealing Comedy The Ladykillers and that shows 16tonners in near pristine condition but with rusty insides being hauled by a V2 out of Copenhagen Tunnel in 1955 in Colour.

[mick]

Roy's correct - there are many ways to weather a 16 tonner and there are many types of weathering effects to be found on them. What I'm looking for is something that is firstly quick and easy to apply and that secondly portrays the rusty stanchions with a clear central area through which the body colour can come through. I can create the textured rust effect just by using a sponge and paint which is adequate for my needs. I'm working on the colouring because although I prefer the lighter coloured rust stains I have been using it doesn't always look right. What I need to perfect is the random areas of bodyside paint that remain visible.

Hopefully the following photos will show that it's possible to do areas of textured rust just with paint and a sponge.

Although the photo is a bit dark this is a sideways view of a wagon that has been stippled with rust and then had the central area wiped clear to reveal the bodyside colour. It hasn't yet dried so the lighter colored rust is more prominent than it needs to be. You can however see the crusty effect of the rust. There hasn't been anything else used other than paint and sponge.

The second photo shows the effect a bit better but I need to work on the edges of the visible bodyside paint so that it doesn't look like it's simply been wiped clean, which it has of course. This wagon is also more rusty than I would like for my rake so I'm going to try taking it back further and seeing if I can get better definition between paint and rust areas.

[mick]

I feel as if I'm on the right track but I'm still getting that 'feeling' that it isn't right. When it's 'there' you feel it, but this isn't doing it for me just yet. The right hand panel especially, reminds me of an old fashioned television screen. Photo enlargements are typically cruel so I've also included a photo depicting the wagon at a greater distance which is how it will be viewed once completed.

I don't suppose any thread can ever have too many photographs but I do like to treat mine as a kind of working diary so that the changes I make and the methods I've used along with the results obtained can be documented for when I need to refer back to it later. If there are too many photos, or too many similar photos, then I'm sorry about that but I would like to think that some of them might be of interest to others too.

[mick]

Whilst the previous wagon was drying I returned to one I did a few days ago that really didn't look right. It appears that I omitted to mix the paint correctly and it came out all glossy and shiny so with the aid of some white spirit and some gentle rubbing with a cotton bud I managed to remove most of the old paint. Funnily enough, the little bit of stubborn paint that remained on the wagon actually looked quite good and so I added my usual brown/rust weathered wash on top to see how it would turn out. It looks promising.

Although the paint is still wet, the left hand panel looks quite pleasing and the remnants of old paint have mixed with the new paint and actually enhance the rusted look. There are areas where it appears as if the paint is flaking. The darker paint from the earlier coat has left areas of the wagon where it seems the grey paint has come away to reveal a metal body that has not yet rusted.

I might have to look at giving the wagons a prior coat of plain dark paint and allowing them to dry thoroughly before moving on to the actual rust weathering.

[IanR]

You're certainly getting there Mick, I do like the effects that you're getting on your latest efforts.

Don't know if you're aware but Modelmaster do packs of different replacement numbers for 16t minerals. http://www.modelmasterdecals.com/BR194868_FreightDecals.php

I'd also like to point out that the sixteen tonners that you remember would probably be in the later shade of BR freight grey with TOPS number panels which is lighter than the early grey which the Bachmann wagons are finished in. So if they never look quite like you remember them that could be why!

All mine are finished in the lighter grey but that was a mistake when buying the paint. I didn't know about the different shades then!

I agree with Roy too and I have a couple in ex works condition. Ladykillers... great film!

[mick]

 

IanR said:

...Don't know if you're aware but Modelmaster do packs of different replacement numbers for 16t minerals

Thanks Ian. I ordered some last week and they arrived yesterday. There are 2 different packs available each with 20 different numbers so I got them both. Wasn't sure I wanted to go that far with the detailing but looking at them when I publish photos of their progress on here, the first thing you notice is that they all have the same number!

IanR said:

...I'd also like to point out that the sixteen tonners that you remember would probably be in the later shade of BR freight grey with TOPS number panels which is lighter than the early grey which the Bachmann wagons are finished in. So if they never look quite like you remember them that could be why!

All mine are finished in the lighter grey but that was a mistake when buying the paint. I didn't know about the different shades then!

Ah, right. I knew there were two shades of grey but I believed the darker to be the later livery. That being the case I think I'll have to get some light grey paint because I'm sure that will help me get the results I've been after. All the really good weathered ones that you see appear to be in light grey.

[IanR]

Railmatch do both BR greys... 309 BR Freight Stock grey and 322 Early Freight grey.

There's early and late shades of bauxite too!

[mick]

I've decided not to weather any further wagons until I get the BR freight light grey paint so today I've added another 5 coal loads to some previously weathered wagons. Some of the coal loads I have added previously have been done so permanently, meaning it's going to be a hard job getting them out again, but today I've reverted to my previously used method for removable loads. What I'm aiming for is a nicely weathered wagon and a removable coal load as pictured below.

A piece of plasticard is cut to the dimensions of the wagon interior so that it is a nice fit but not tight - remember, we want it to come out easily. A small gap all round is not really noticeable, especially from a normal viewing angle.

So that I don't overload the wagon, making it too heavy, the plasticard requires raising up to the correct height. I've used ordinary carboard on previous attempts but today I've added a small piece of foam. I cut the packing piece so that it takes up just over half the depth of the wagon. Once the packing piece, in this case the foam, is in place, I lay a piece of cling film on top so that it overhangs the wagon sides, before adding the plasticard base. Try to smooth out the cling film that is now trapped between the plasticard and the foam so that it lies flat to the insides of the wagon.

I then cover the plasticard in a thin layer of PVA glue onto which I sprinkle some fine coal dust so that the card is completely covered and no longer visible. I then begin adding lumps of coal and building it up into a central pile. Once I've built a nice pile of coal in the wagon I use a dropper to pour on a 50-50 mixture of PVA glue and ordinary tap water to which has been added a drop of washing up liquid. Then simply place the newly loaded wagon to one side so that it can dry.

It's best to leave the wagon overnight to dry but it is possible to remove the coal load before that time if required. Gently pull up on the exposed cling film and it should lift out easily. Once the coal is completely dry the cling film can be removed.

[mick]

Once the cling film has been removed the coal loads can be placed back into the wagon and the vehicle is then ready for use on the layout. A total of 16 wagons have now been fitted with coal loads, these are the 5 wagons completed today:

The weathering and fitted coal load makes a good deal of difference to the wagons. Now each individual wagon is different from the next.

[mick]

Heavy rusting is what suits these 16t mineral wagons the best but producing an effective rust to a scale of 4mm to the the foot isn't an easy task. To make it look effective on a photograph would mean modelling rust at a scale that wouldn't be visible on the model wagon from a normal viewing distance. When it appears that you've got it right on the model a photograph is quick to point out that you've gone way overscale again.

I've been trying to modify one of my previously weathered wagons to exhibit heavy rusting of the main framing of the vehicle and added an additional rusted area to make it appear that the wagon has undergone bodywork repair as frequently seen in prototype photographs. From a normal viewing distance it looks pretty good but the photo highlights areas that need more work. Again, the yellowish rust coloured paint brings the model to life but looks overdone on the photo.

An enlargement of a section of the wagon shows the rusting effect in detail. It's simply a mixture of enamel paint that's been stippled with a piece of sponge

Another tip that I picked up elsewhere was how to remove the inward bow of the wagon sides that's frequently seen on the Bachmann model. Almost all the wagons I have in my collection tend to bow inwards and while no doubt some of the prototype wagons did also, I would imagine that from the pressure of coal within a loaded wagon the tendency would have been for the wagon sides to sag outwards. So, support the sides of the wagon at the required distance apart by inserting an offcut of wood and simply immerse the wagon body (minus the chassis of course) in a dish of boiling water. I left the wagon for just a few minutes, took out the wood support and hey presto, a wagon with the sides now bowing outwards!

[mick]

Having studied the most recent photos I've decided to remove some more of the weathering from the bottom edge of the sides and to add some extra weathering effects in the form of rust patches and some staining. I'm particularly pleased with the first rust patch as seen on the photo below:

The rust patch on the opposite side of the wagon isn't quite as good and I'm going to have to clean up the staining immediately above it although the rust stains coming down from the top rail are quite pleasing.

I've made a start weathering the chassis, again to depict a rusty wagon, and it looks like this will be a nice wagon once it's fully completed.

The final photo here shows the way that the sides of the wagon now bow outwards after being wedged apart and placed in boiling water. It's beginning to look like it should be heavily loaded with coal.

[IanR]

Wow! They're getting better and better! The rust effect looks very realistic and the latest wagon looks as good as anything I've seen. Looking forward to seeing them out on the railway, have you got a nice weathered loco that will do them justice?

Can you remind me what paints you are using?

Ian.

[mick]

 

IanR said:

... have you got a nice weathered loco that will do them justice?

Can you remind me what paints you are using?

The only suitably 'weathered' loco's I have are the WD and the 9F, both of them lightly factory weathered. Reckon I'll just have to have a go at weathering a loco soon

The paints are Railmatch enamels. I've mainly been using mixtures of Frame Dirt (402) and Brake Dust (416) with the odd spots of Light Rust (404), Dark Rust (405) and Sleeper Grime (406). I've also tried using the darker Roof Dirt (???). I've gone by the colour rather than what it says on the tin! I think the 2 'rust' colours look best when mixed with the Frame Dirt but it's all a matter of personal preference.

I was pleased with the latest effort - it's getting close to where I want to be - but it's still pure imagination rather than being true to prototype. Anyway, I've still got a fair number of wagons to practice on before I need to start on the HEAs, HAAs, and so on.

[mick]

Here are a couple of updated images of the most recently weathered wagon with its chassis completed and wheel sets replaced:

I've been continuing with the rusty framed theme and trying to produce realistic rust patches on the wagon sides. Sometimes it looks quite effective, other times I've had to wipe it clean and start again. The photo below is of another rusty framed wagon similar to the previous one, where I have attempted to add some damage/rust patches to the side panels. They don't look too bad.

On this wagon I have also increased the quantity of dark rust paint added into the mix to give the rust covered frames a slightly redder tint. I like the crusty underframes too. It's a work in progress so there's still work to do with this one.

I'm going to have to try my hand at some light weathering before long otherwise every wagon I've got will be in a work stained and run down condition.

[willo]

very nice mike ive been quietly following the thread and very impressed, tidy work.

[mick]

 

willo said:

very nice mike ive been quietly following the thread and very impressed, tidy work.

Thanks for that Dave - I'm glad it's been of interest to you.

I think I've improved my technique a bit since my first efforts (just had a quick look back through the thread ) so I might return to some of the wagons I did earlier. I've never been comfortable with paints (I can't draw to save my life) so getting the paint mix right and its actual application onto the wagons has been totally new to me. One thing I can say is that although it took me some time to finally decide to make a start weathering these brand new wagons, I wouldn't be afraid now to try it on something more expensive. I think the majority of the wagons I have weathered so far - certainly the most recent ones - really do look better than they did before and I'm sure that subsequent video footage of them in action will confirm that.