STEP BY STEP
1
This job is really all about the removal of printed whiskers and numbers and then the masking of the yellow panel areas. I needed to practise careful masking which is something I am not good at.
2
The first job was to remove the tampo‑printed numbers. I used T‑cut – a small amount decanted into a glass dish and applied with a cotton bud and left for a while.
3
The buffers will get in the way of the masking, so I carefully levered them out. They are a clip‑fit so take care that they don’t ‘ping’ into oblivion and set them aside safely.
4
Comparison with a photograph showed that the whiskers would need to be completely removed. I decided to keep the model in one piece as I have taken the tops off these before and it is not easy.
5
The T‑cut can be left for a little while to soften the printing but I found that extra persuasion was still needed. A cocktail stick was too gentle, so I used the back of a craft knife blade.
6
Work slowly and with a very light touch using the back of the knife blade.
The T‑cut will still tend to polish the area but it will be hidden either by paint or the new transfers.
7
I used a fresh, dry cotton bud to remove the T‑cut and paint flakes. A little of the green is evident on the cotton bud but the new transfers will hide any variation in the finish.
8
The marker light and spotlight lenses need to be left in place but must be given a coat of masking fluid such as Humbrol Maskol or this Microscale Micromask that I used, dabbed on with a small brush.
9
Masking is a personal weakness so I determined that this time I would do a really good job. I used Tamiya tape in three widths, 2mm, 6mm and 10mm, to mask the yellow panel areas.
10
Working from the photograph and using the lights as positioning guide, I masked the yellow panel shape with the 2mm tape, tight to the top of the spotlamp and covering just the beading along the bottom.
11
Only the yellow panels were to be painted, so every other part of the railbus had to be protected from stray spray using scrap paper and the wider masking tapes. Leave no gaps anywhere!
12
Yellow paint over green won’t work, so it was essential to apply a light‑coloured base coat to block out the green. I used Games Workshop Corax White, which is a matt off‑white shade.
13
I had determined to use aerosol cans as I have never really mastered airbrushes. To avoid risk of a reaction between different paint types I left the white overnight to dry before applying Humbrol matt yellow.
14
I allowed the yellow a day’s drying time before beginning to remove the masking in the reverse order to which I had applied it. At this point I noticed the tape had pulled out the glazing from the destination panel.
15
Once the masking was off, I could see that despite my care, a little of the white paint had found its way under the masking at all four corners. This was removed by the gentlest of scraping with a craft knife blade.
16
Attention then turned to the horns. I used turned brass A1 Railmatch horns which may no longer be easily obtainable. I mounted them in Evergreen No. 134 styrene strip (.030in by .080in).
17
I drilled and cut the styrene strip to produce two mountings into which the horns were a clip-fit. These strips were glued to the roof, set back behind the roof dome and fixed with liquid poly cement.
18
This view shows how the A1 horns fit into the styrene strip. I did not trust them to stay clipped in place so I touched each one with a spot of Velo-set white glue before pressing it in place.
19
The body of the railbus is plastic, so the styrene strip can be glued in place with a brush of Plastic Weld liquid polystyrene cement, and the horns can then be added afterwards.
20
I made up the bodyside numbers from some Modelmaster waterslide decals that I had in stock. I understand these, too, may be difficult to obtain. Fox Transfers has a coach numbering sheet that will do the same job.