HOW CAN I DISTRESS WAGON ROOFS?
I’ve been looking at lots of photographs of decrepit freight stock in the 1960s and noticed that some wagon roofs suffered from peeling and blistered coverings. Any ideas for recreating this on ‘OO’ gauge stock? Geoff Strong, by e-mail
George says: Many traditional four-wheel vans featured canvas roof coverings, stretched over a timber framework. Inevitably, exposure to the elements resulted in this covering peeling and lifting away, especially near the corners. A good way of recreating this is to affix a sheet of thin paper to the van’s roof (I use regular printer-grade paper), which also adds some welcome surface texture. With plastic-bodied RTR or kit-built stock, the paper is secured to the roof by brushing with a liberal coating of liquid poly cement, applied over the paper. The solvent then soaks through and bonds the paper to the plastic. Just be sure to prevent the solvent from running down the sides and ends of the wagon and set it aside for a day or two for the plastic to re-harden completely. Any raised details, such as ventilators, need to be flattened with files and abrasives before the paper is applied. The details can be reinstated later, using new off-the-shelf castings, which also offer an uplift in realism. When the solvent has cured, the paper can be gently distressed with abrasive sheets. A set of fine tweezers can create small tears and peeling corners. For even greater realism, we can deliberately miss certain areas with the liquid poly cement, thus encouraging bulges in the paper. These can be exaggerated by wetting the paper slightly with water. The same processes also suit metal or resin van roofs, albeit with a different adhesive, such as contact cement or epoxy. The roof can then be painted and weathered as desired, the paper providing an authentic texture. Any area of the roof substructure that is revealed by peeling or cracked paper can be touched in with appropriate timber-esque and ‘dirty’ shades of paint.