Loco weathering - a beginner’s tale

[Steve M]

Matching colours/shades was always going to be an issue for me and looking at this first effort I think I need to go lighter - both in shade and in application. I’m also going to try reducing the air presure in stages to see if that affects the paint flow.

First cleanup worked well with the pot cleaner so I’m quite happy with that.

One gripe I do have is the lack of decent ‘how to’ guides online. If anyone knows of any please let me know.

I believe I saw a leaflet about weathering in one of the magazines not so long ago. I can't remember when or which magazine.

I think there is one in the Hornby mag next month.

[Mountain Goat]

Ah. You need a little patience...
To be honest, from the photos your work looks excellent.

[yelrow]

It would be interesting to obtain the views of all.. I can understand taking old locos of little value, and experimenting. However, if your loco costs £100, plus, surely you are devaluing your asset. They cannot be worth anything like before, in my view. But then, i am not a fan of weathered locos

[Walkingthedog]

The fact is locos are not worth a lot when you sell them unless they are very special. When I was at the Milton Keynes show there were more people looking at the weathered locos on the TMC (weathering specialists) stand than any other.

[Chops]

Interesting recollections, MG.

[yelrow]

WTD, yup, accept its popular, if you are starting, or buying 2/3, or you are well off. But if you are like us with a lot of locos, are you devaluing, even more. Think its down to taste.

[Steve M]

I can only speak for myself and I have to say that a well executed weathered model adds to the realism of a layout.
I have 60 or so locos but certainly don’t intend to weather the whole fleet, indeed there are some that will be ‘preserved’ in factory condition. As I mentioned on another thread, I have just acquired a Railroad pannier for £40 - little risk in doing that one but my Black Label A4 ain’t being done.

[yelrow]

Steve, Exactly. Thats the point i had in mind.

[Mountain Goat]

While I'm glad I didn't weather my 00 gauge locos, as now I'm selling them on, weathered locos do make the scene look very realistic. If one is a B.R. modeller in the last days of steam few steam locos looked prestine.
I'd be inclined to weather them as it is your little railway. We dont know if we will keep them or not in the future... However enjoy them now. Let the future worry about itself. (Rare locos or very valueable locos may be an idea to have them unweathered, but only if one may part with them in future years).

[Steve M]

Continuing my practicing on the statics - not quite so heavy handed on this K3.

This is the (very) basic model to start with.

20181021_140050 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

I need to work on the fine control but I think it’s starting to come together.
20181021_140059 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr