Infiltrating the GWR at Brent…or a repainted and weathered N Class

Back at the start of December I started and posted about a repaint of a Bachmann N class into post war SR black livery for friend and fellow post war period modeller Robin Sweet (Gwrrob on RMweb) for use on his excellent, albeit GWR,  layout ‘Brent’ based on South Brent in Devon.

I detailed my process in my post mentioned above but will remind you of it again here for completeness now that the process has been completed over the Christmas break and the locomotive weathered, delivered and run on its new home.

My repainting process takes place with the bodies removed from the chassis:

– Remove the existing decals (with Bachman locos I used good quality enamel thinners on a cotton bud)

– Remove factory fitted such as smoke deflectors, pipework, valve fittings, glazing etc.

– Mask any areas such the buffer beams

– Give a dusting of the excellent Halfords plastic primer, this gives a key for the top coat and prevents any reaction between the factory paint and the top coat of Halfords Satin black

– Brush paint matt black the smokebox and cab roof, repaint the buffer beams if required

– Decal using HMRS Pressfix decals.

My weathering process once the locomotive is fully reassembled (prior to weathering I apply oil on moving parts

such as valve gear joints etc) is as follows:

– Pick out some details in relevant colours such as block dust colour on and around brake blocks, rust on guard irons and exposed firebox sides under the running plate, oily steel and grease on brake pull rods and reversing rod etc.

– Streak a wash of dirty thinners from top to bottom of

tender and cab sides and boiler

– Airbrush dirty black over the boiler took to represent soot deposits

– Airbrush a dirty track colour mix from the bottom upwards over the chassis and slightly up the body sides, not forgetting the tender rear and smokebox front. I do this as a couple of light passes moving the wheels and motion between passes to ensure no shadows appear.

– If required lightly clean off weathering from some areas such as around numbers etc or where crew might had lightly cleaned or grabbed handrails etc.

It was nice to see some Southern influence deep in GWR territory, but of course it was a usual practice for both SR and GWR crew to remain familiar with each other routes to Plymouth in case of the need of diversion, due for example to weather conditions. Number 1848 was in fact a Salisbury based in engine just post war, so quite apt from Fisherton Sarum perspective,  she must therefore have been hijacked by Exmouth Junction shed for a run down to Plymouth.