Modelling: The ‘N’ gauge paint shop

A stint in the paint shop completes the ‘N’ gauge Class 150/0 conversion based on the Graham Farish model as described in the February 2020 issue (REM190). The same painting techniques may be used to apply Regional Railways livery too, except dark blue r

How to paint Regional Railways and Centro liveries, including masking and transfer application techniques.

WHEN establishing the theme and location of a layout, populating it with traction typical of the area painted in signature local liveries will quickly establish the layout’s credentials.

For example, modelling the

Glasgow suburban area in BR days calls for distinctive EMUs painted in either SPT orange and black or the more upto-date carmine and cream scheme, which will instantly help to place the layout.

To establish the feel of a layout based on that area, some kit building, conversions and a lot of repainting in any scale is inevitable to achieve the desired character and at least two or more trains alongside infrastructure, signage and road vehicles will need to bemodelled. However, it will be all the more worth it in having a unique layout with a realistic theme and setting.

The same approach has been applied to the author’s ‘N’ gauge West Midlands-based layout where Centro would be the local passenger Transport authority or PTE in real life for the modelled time period. Centro livery was

applied to multiple units working in the area including Class 323s and Class 150s too, and was not always available in out-the-box form. It shouts West Midlands and that is the reason for populating the layout with green Centro Class 150s to start with and working towards several similarly decorated Class 323s based on conversions around the Graham Farish Class 158. A lot of work is needed to populate even a small layout to that extent, especially with models of trains like the Class 150/0 and Class 323.

Centro livery is relatively complex to apply and has many small variations in the position of the Centro logo and some lining. Apart from that, the livery and colours are essentially the same as Regional Railways livery except for green where there is dark blue on a Regional Railways Class 150. Logos and other small details vary too, but the techniques described here are the same for both.

So, with masking medium, paints and an Iwata Highline airbrush to hand, the delicate task of applying five paint and three lining colours to bodyshells little larger than a sausage can commence.

Masking work

Having completed the Class 150/0 conversion, the plastic bodyshells were thoroughly cleaned and primed in light grey before undercoating in Regional Railways silver grey. A gloss finish for this first coat was chosen and it usually reveals dust and blemishes, particularly in the centre car body which was subject to a cut and shut exercise.

This is the time to complete remedial filling and smoothing before applying a second coat of the same colour. It’s the perfect undercoat for warning panel yellowwhich is applied to the cab fronts of the driving cars after masking off the sides of the body shells.

Masking is required for most of the colours used in this livery and Regional Railways livery too – a process sometimes regarded with some trepidation by some modellers. Take your time, use a sharp scalpel to cut the

edge of the tape for the sharpest paint lines and keep everything clean for the best results. Carefullymeasure where the masking lines are to go and mark in with a soft pencil beforemasking. Tamiyamasking, themediumused in this project, is both readily available and inexpensive. It is thin enough for

‘N’ gauge repainting projects and is prepared by placing it on a clean cutting mat or glass to reduce the tackiness. Don’t forget to mask the inside of the driving cab areas to prevent body side colours from getting through and on to the yellow cab fronts.

Masking recessed doors

When masking in recessed door areas such as those in the Class 150 or other Mk.3-basedmultiple unit stock (Class 455, Class 456 etc.), measure the width of the door opening and cut masking pieces accordingly.

Place these over the doors first in the desired position. Next, apply lengths of tape to mask off the full length of the body for the lower paint line of the green band, working the tape into the

door recesses gentlywith a scalpel blade. Hopefully, it aligns with the tape first applied in the recesses and measuring marksmade on the model beforehand. Small pieces of tape can be used to cover any cuts in the masking made with the scalpel at the corner of the recesses, just to be absolutely sure no paint will creep underneath.

Paint application

Both Centro green or Regional Railways dark blue cover well and can be applied in a single thin coat. Use the airbrush airflow to dry the paint between passes to prevent runs and build up along the masking tape edge. When spraying, direct the spray pattern away from the masking edge and finish by applying paint from a distance of about 18 inches to complete the coat.

Masking is removed as quickly as possible by grabbing it with tweezers and pulling it back on its self gently along the paint edge. This minimises any raggedness (difficult to avoid with the best will in the world) and the risk of lifting the underlying paint.

The model is left for a minimum of 24 hours to dry before starting on masking to paint the roof. The cab fronts of driving vehicles remains masked off at all times having applied warning panel yellowearly in the process.

One of the best colours to apply to the roof is Executive dark grey, it being a shade which has a slightly weathered and faded black hue to it. Masking for this part of the livery is straightforward as long as the light grey band between the green (or blue) and the roof colour is of the correct width– measure carefully! The same spraying technique is used to avoid runs and build up along the edge of themasking tape.

Detail painting

Having completed the main livery colours, black is applied to the vehicle ends and around the cab window area. Using a paint pen to run round the inside of the cab window recess and filling in with a paint brush is perhaps the quickest way to finish the cab fronts.

The ‘Wipac’ light clusters are

painted at the same time. A black band is also applied along the lower edge of the body below the passenger door foot steps. This is ruled in place and finished with a paint brush.

On the inner ends, a vertical line is ruled in just inboard of the sides and filled in with black. The inner gangway doors are then painted white and everything left to dry before lining application.

Transfers

Centro logos are impossible to find in ‘N’ gauge, meaning that they had to be produced as a bespoke item. Railtec Transfers produced a bespoke sheet with the logos, including spares, together with the required number sets for No. 150002 which saved a great deal of time. The F2220/1 Regional Railways/Scotrail lining sheet from Fox Transfers, together with orange safety lining applied using paint through an Easi-Liner pen (0.25mm lining), was used to complete the livery.

The benefit of a gloss finish to the light grey area of the livery becomes apparent because transfers will bond well to it. The Regional Railways lining transfer, with the aid of transfer setting solution, took up the shape of the door recesses and adhered firmly to flat surfaces after being applied.

Long lining can be awkward and the best approach is to ensure the transfer is well and truly soaked before attempting to slide it on to the model. Whilst it is soaking in warm water, a smear of transfer setting solution is applied to the model to aid the positioning of the transfer lining. It is pushed off the paper sideways using a cocktail stick and positioned quickly, with care to fit the doorways. Once positioned, it is pressed into place and a further application of setting solution applied to soften it and ensure it sticks.

After applying six lengths of lining to the Class 150, finishing off with the number sets and Centro logos was simple. The model was left to dry for a day or two, after all small detail had been painted (white to the front grab rails; yellow to the door foot steps and so on).

Once fully happy with the finish, with all touching up and remedial work completed, the model may have the end gangways fitted alongside the exhaust assemblies. Then to the paint shop for satin varnish suitably thinned for airbrushing and applied to achieve a light sheen to the model.

Putting it all back together

Enamel varnishes can take several days to fully dry sufficiently for safe handling. Surface tackiness or strong solvent smell will tell you that the model is not ready for the handling

required to restore the glazing, cab inserts, lighting guides and other fittings.

The model of No. 150002 saw the new cut and shut centre car finished first and assembled to its underframe (without an interior being fitted to begin with) so it could be tested on the layout. After some tweaking, the centre car ran round the layout sandwiched between the chassis of the powered and unpowered driving cars whilst the other body shells were finished off.

The model was gradually set up on the layout for testing as each body was assembled until a fully complete unit was in operation. It became the third Centro liveried Class 150 in the fleet, leaving one three-car hybrid set to complete alongside a Class 150/2 in the same livery. That should be sufficient to establish a consistently finished signature fleet for local services whilst a Class 323 or two are built. The model can be lightly weathered in the weeks following its introduction to traffic and a couple of tiny details added, such as the driver door hand rails.

So, what is next for ‘Dudley Heath’? A Centro Class 323? Building up a fleet of ordinary work-a-day trains to establish a layout’s theme is very satisfying, even though it takes time and a lot of livery painting.

Centro Class 150s are a signaturemultiple unit for local services on the author’s ‘N’ gaugeWest Midlands layout, establishing its time frame and purpose.

Masking for five colours followed by lining and other work to build up the livery. Fox Transfers’ lining sheet was adopted after the work of hand-painting the light blue and white lining on the first Class 150/0 for the layout proved to be less than satisfactory (model to the rear).

Application of both Centro and Regional Railways livery starts with undercoat and a base coat of Regional Railways silver grey, as applied to the centre car of No. 150002.

To ensure paint does not creep through, additional pieces of masking are applied over the creases introduced in the long pieces of masking.

Lining is completed with transfers from Fox Transfers using sheet F2220/1, applied with the help of a lot of transfer setting solution to work it into the door recesses.

Masking is removed as soon as spraying is completed by pulling it back on its self, amethod to help avoid a ridge of paint building up along the masked line. Masking for the application of executive dark grey paint to the roofs.

→ Completed bodyshells awaiting a final coat of varnish and refitting with glazing, cab interiors and lighting guides. Care is taken to ensure the glazing pieces with integral body clips are fitted in the correct openings to align with those in the chassis frames. After releasing from the backing sheet, the lining is pushed off the side of the paper with a cocktail stick and worked into place.

A technique for masking the recessed doors in Mk.3-based multiple units involves cutting small pieces of masking to fit the door recesses and applying them before the longer pieces of masking for the bottom edge of the green band. They guard against any bridging of the tape across the door recesses.

Masking for the green (or Regional Railways blue) body side band is completed by applying the tape for the top edge and covering the roof too.

A toilet roll inner card is the perfect paint handle for holding ‘N’ gauge body shells safely for painting.

A scalpel is used to push the masking into the corners of the door recesses. Scoring the masking with a scalpel helps it sit into the recess.

Masking for the green band is well under way with the door recesses treated to protect the light grey paint.

Test operation of the new centre car of No. 150002. Note the white lining adjacent to the doors as an aid to passengers which was applied using pieces of white stripe trimmed from 4mm scale Inter-City lining transfers.

As each vehicle was completed, the body and chassis were reunited and placed on the layout for testing until all three cars of No. 150002 were in use.

With assembly completed, No. 150002 was run-in for an hour or two before being removed for light weathering and the fitting of some final details. It is one of three Class 150s finished in the local livery which shuttle to and fro on the layout like the full size trains once did in the West Midlands before the introduction of Class 172 multiple units.

To ensure running lights showed the correct colour at each end of the unit, the decoder fitted to the unpowered driving car was reprogrammed (CV29) to reverse its running direction due to a wiring fault in early versions of the Graham Farish Class 150. No. 150001 passed No. 150002 on the main line whilst working local services.