WEATHER A ‘16XX’

George Dent couldn’t resist the urge to portray one of the Ncb-liveried ‘16XXS’ in a typically work-stained condition. Here, he shows you how it was done.

My interest was piqued as soon as I realised that our range of ‘16XXS’ was to include NCB liveries and, once they arrived, I couldn’t wait to shunt one of them into my weathering siding. Bright shades of green usually respond well to a weathered finish, especially if a preliminary wash coat is applied, as this allows the ‘grime’ to be retained in any recesses or around raised projections or surface relief – just as in real life.

Since taking over as editor, my modelling time has been restricted lately and this was 8hrs a job I had to fit around other responsibilities, working in bursts of 30 minutes here and there. Therefore, I opted for the use of oil paints for the wash coats. These slow-drying paints allow plenty of working time and, even after decanting onto a mixing palette, the paint remains usable for up to 24 hours. Therefore, there was no need for undue haste and the streaking and staining effects could be modified at leisure, with the help of a little thinner.

The oils were confined to the body and bufferbeams, but the chassis frames, wheel spokes and footplate were stippled with a mix of acrylic paints and dry pigment. This created a discernible texture to the surface and the slightly rough appearance was refined with an airbrush and dry pigments.

As with any locomotive weathering project, it’s vital to keep the wheels clean to maintain reliable electrical performance. I tend to clean them as I go, rather than waiting until

the end – it’s much easier to wipe away thin layers of wet paint than thicker, dry deposits. As well as the treads and flanges, the inner faces of the wheels must also be kept clean and free of paint and debris, as the ‘16XX’ features a set of plunger pickups. Make sure that there are no cotton fibres left behind from the swabs too.

Use of an airbrush for weathering is optional, as the oils, acrylics and powders can create an authentic result on their own (see MR283). However, a fine mist of thinned paint does bring an extra refinement to the weathering and this project allowed me to roadtest a new Iwata airbrush (see review on page 100).

I’m really chuffed with the finished results. Indeed, I find that you learn much more about a model when you take it apart and weather it. I’ve realised that there’s even more fine detail to be found on the ‘16XX’ than I’d noticed before!

A weathered finish brings out the best in the ‘16XX’. Like Chris, George also employed a footplate crew from the Hardy’s Hobbies range.

Instead of the oils, acrylic paints were applied to the chassis, with a little dry pigment mixed in to add texture. A mix of black, dark grey and red/brown shades were employed and the paint stippled onto the wheels and underframe.

I wiped away most of the paint in vertical strokes, leaving behind the pigment in recessed areas and around raised detail. Mr Hobby or Tamiya cotton swabs are more expensive than cosmetic buds, but they last longer and don’t shed fibres onto the model.

The acrylic paint was carefully wiped away from the wheel treads and inner faces. For models without DCC decoders installed, a 9V battery held against the wheels will rotate them, making cleaning easier.

A mix of Abteilung Brown, Earth and Black oil paints was created on a palette and diluted slightly with the same brand’s thinners. The paint was then brushed onto the body, about one square inch at a time.

The smaller swabs are also ideal for working around fine detail and into awkward corners. Dipping into the thinners will help to shift heavier deposits of paint. Keep all strokes in the direction of gravity on the real thing.

Once most of the oil paint has been removed, a soft, dry flat brush can be run over the surface to remove any fibres while also introducing some delicate streaking effects. Again, keep any streaking in line with gravity.