BCDR Diesel D1 (No. 2)

[Tullygrainey]

I'm approaching the painting and lining out stage with this project. My previous attempts at BCDR livery have involved red and white lining from Fox Transfers applied separately over Railmatch GWR post-1928 loco green (undercoated with Halfords Matt Black to darken the result). But even at 0.33mm, the lining is a bit broad and over-scale. I'm happy enough with that but are there other options that would produce a finer result? Grateful for any advice.

Alan

[Galteemore]

Bow pen is the classic way. Or possibly use transfers from a smaller scale ? 

[Tullygrainey]

7 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Bow pen is the classic way. Or possibly use transfers from a smaller scale ? 

Yes. I've been thinking about trying a bow pen but there's going to need to be some practising done first!

I've searched for smaller scale transfers but no joy as yet. Fox do some finer lines but not in the right colour, and no corners to match.

Cheers, Alan

[David Holman]

Some people take to bow pens like ducks to water, rather like an air brush. I've got both, but have yet to gain confidence in either!

  I've adapted lining in the past - trimming with a scalpel and going over  with another colour too, but very fine lines mean every blemish sticks out. These can be removed, once half dry - you apply thinners with a fine brush and it comes away like magic. Very time consuming though, but useful on hand drawn corners.

[Tullygrainey]

I decided to take the easier route and stick with what I know, using transfers for the lining. I was making good progress with the paint - a nice even coat of GWR green overall, left to harden for 3 or more days.

Then a dusting of (acrylic) gloss varnish to provide a good surface for the lining transfers. And that's when the disaster arrived. It crazed the paint - on one side only, strangely enough.

Trying to sand it out proved futile and I've now taken it back to the metal in places. The engine casing doors, complete with louvres proved unsavable and will need to be remade. Also the rivet strip at the bottom. It's going to be a challenge to blend this back in. I've so far resisted the temptation to bin it but It's certainly taken the shine off my day. 

Backwards and downwards

Alan

[Galteemore]

It’s how it goes for the scratch builder isn’t ? So frustrating and so annoying when progress has been good, as yours has on this. I once had to take a slice out of the middle of a nicely rolled boiler. I’ve recently discovered that I will have to desolder the chassis extension on another loco and re-fabricate Sometimes you have to walk away for a while otherwise it’s tempting to chuck it at the wall. It will all be worth it in the end, and this will be a super loco. 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Galteemore

[Tullygrainey]

Thanks GM. You’re right and I do need to walk away for a while or risk making it worse.  

Cheers

[jhb171achill]

3 hours ago, Tullygrainey said:

Thanks GM. You’re right and I do need to walk away for a while or risk making it worse.  

Cheers

Superb work so far - a pity for such a drawback.

New year, new paint!!

3 hours ago, Galteemore said:

Sometimes you have to walk away for a while otherwise it’s tempting to chuck it at the wall. It will all be worth it in the end, and this will be a super loco. 

If I had attempted this, my walls would have lots of dents…….

[David Holman]

What paints and varnish brands did you use, Alan? Your misfortune could yet help others avoid such problems. However, seems to me you did the right thing in waiting three days for the paint to harden, so no idea why this should happen, though thinking about it there may be a 'rule' that says acrylic-enamel only works one way. Hopefully others will confirm and explain.

 Either way, much too good a model to discard, as that coat of green proves! Pause, deep breath and go again. Profanities and rude words optional, but certainly work for me.

[Tullygrainey]

Thanks David. Yes, the loco may be green but the air was decidedly blue here yesterday! And yes, I think we're looking at an enamel/acrylic reaction here. Clearly 3 or 4 days drying time for the colour coat wasn't enough! The fact that only one side was affected is odd but I think the culprit was an over-liberal dose of varnish on the affected side.

For the record:

the green body colour was Railmatch enamel, (GWR loco green 1601)

the varnish was Humbrol Acrylic Varnish (Gloss 35)

both applied from aerosol cans.

The unaffected side shows it can be done without mishap but it needs care and plenty of drying time. Patience, in fact. I must order some of that 

Alan

[Galteemore]

I have had a few similar reactions - both chemical and verbal ! I understand that the solvents in enamel can take well over a week to  clear. Enamel over acrylic is ok, but I know the reverse can be problematic. 

[Patrick Davey]

Fully confident that you will rectify the situation Alan and I am very relieved that you did not discard the model!

Wishing you a happy 2023 - it will be a pleasure to see the completed model in due course.

Edited January 1, 2023 by Patrick Davey

[Tullygrainey]

Thanks Patrick, and Happy New Year everyone

The future’s bright. The future’s BCDR green 

Alan

[Hadren Railway]

1 hour ago, Tullygrainey said:

The future’s BCDR green

Only the best colour this side of the Lagan!

[Tullygrainey]

So, the swearing eventually stopped, the tantrums subsided and when calm was restored, the recovery got underway.

The engine casing doors were remade, the rivet strip reinstated and some Halford's grey primer was applied with care...

 

... and every cloud etc, so with encouragement and advice from jhb171achill (thank you again JB), we took the opportunity of the repaint to try and get a bit closer to BCDR green. That Great Western colour I used before was a bit too olive. This time Humbrol Brunswick green enamel was the starting point, darkened with a little black.

 

There's loads of room inside this bruiser so the shell is now lead-lined...

 

... and here's an approximation of the control desks for inside the cab. They'll hardly be seen.

Onward and upward again 

Alan

 

[Galteemore]

Superb, Alan. Well done - if anything, looks even better now. 

[Patrick Davey]

Always like to see updates on this thread Alan and this is a cracker - the loco is looking great and with all that lead it'll probably be able to haul 10-coach Bangor specials as well as the 2-coach Ballynahinch branch set...

Colour looks great, and the cab controls will make a big difference even if they can't be seen too clearly - we all know they'll be there!!

Looking forward to more!!

[David Holman]

Well done Alan, good to see things are back on track.

[jhb171achill]

Love the cab controls! Absolutely excellent model.

[Tullygrainey]

A quick update. The last week or so has seen the delicate task of applying livery. This involved working without breathing. The air has been blue occasionally on this project. This time it was my face. 

The results aren't entirely prototypically accurate because (a) the lining is overscale, (b) there should be another white line inside the red one but adding this would unbalance it I think and (c) the lettering isn't the correct font but I hope that overall, it conveys a general impression of the thing. 

Lining transfers are from Fox and the lettering is from the Railtec BCDR wagon sheet. The transfers have been sealed with satin varnish - I used enamel this time! Once bitten...

Onwards towards more fiddly bits

Alan

 

[jhb171achill]

Absolutely beautiful model indeed. 

Out of interest, what chassis?

[popeye]

It does convey a general impression of the thing 

And the paint, lining, colour and lettering look good to me.

Very nice. 

[Tullygrainey]

11 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Absolutely beautiful model indeed. 

Out of interest, what chassis?

Thanks JB. Chassis scratch built around a Hi-Level QuadDriver

[jhb171achill]

27 minutes ago, Tullygrainey said:

A quick update. The last week or so has seen the delicate task of applying livery. This involved working without breathing. The air has been blue occasionally on this project. This time it was my face. 

The results aren't entirely prototypically accurate because (a) the lining is overscale, (b) there should be another white line inside the red one but adding this would unbalance it I think and (c) the lettering isn't the correct font but I hope that overall, it conveys a general impression of the thing. 

Lining transfers are from Fox and the lettering is from the Railtec BCDR wagon sheet. The transfers have been sealed with satin varnish - I used enamel this time! Once bitten...

Onwards towards more fiddly bits

Alan

 

I think the lining looks extremely neat at that scale, and the lettering looks the part. The only alternative would have been to get specially made lettering with the right shading, but at 00 scale who'd notice! Probably more important for a gauge 0 model. Overall, that loco is absolutely superb. Looking forward to seeing it operating!

 

[Galteemore]

Alan - that’s simply spectacular. Anyone would think that’s a well-made etched kit. The crispness of the work shows a very high level of scratch building skill. Whatever livery inaccuracies you think are there are not at all obvious - it really looks like the prototype to me.

Edited February 4, 2023 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

14 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Alan - that’s simply spectacular. Anyone would think that’s a well-made etched kit. The crispness of the work shows a very high level of scratch building skill. Whatever livery inaccuracies you think are there are not at all obvious - it really looks like the prototype to me.

Couldn't agree more. Superb work.

 

[Tullygrainey]

Getting there, slowly but slowly.

Buffers from Alan Gibson (4908 Early GWR Dean), Kadee couplers, Whistle from Smokey Joe, vacuum hoses from the bits box. There's a driver in there too, from Dart Castings, trying to understand the improvised controls.

Some detail painting still to do. A bit of light weathering wouldn't go amiss either. Watch me wreck it 

Alan

[connollystn]

Absolutely brilliant. Can't say more than that.

[David Holman]

Yep, an absolute gem.

[Mike 84C]

Fabulous!  And worth all the trials and tribulations.   Thank you for posting its build with the ups and downs.

[popeye]

10/10 Top class  

[jhb171achill]

Absolutely T O P class!!!!

[Patrick Davey]

From the BCDR's No. 1 enthusiast....... AMAZINGGGGGGG!!!!!!

This is, as many if not all would agree, the scratchbuild of the year.  Simply a work of art.

Baltic next....??

[the Bandon tank]

A stunning model.

[Mayner]

Brilliant model, those Harland and Woolff diesels certainly have a 1930s Sci-fi Jules Verne look about them.

I think loco crews would have kept D1 fairly clean while working on the Ballinahinch branch and occasional forays on the ex-NCC after the UTA take over.