Tag Archives: Robin Sweet

Fisherton Sarum, General, Painting & Decorating, RT Models, Techniques, Workbench, Workbench Witterings

Workbench Witterings #4 identity changing and weathering

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At long last, assisted by a few days off work over the recent Easter weekend, I have finally completed a few outstanding items on the workbench. This has mainly been around renumbering, naming and weathering a few items of rolling stock so I thought I would share with you some of the locomotives that I have now finished.

I have detailed a few times on this blog my method of renumbering (see Workbench Witterings #3 here) and also weathering (such as in this post here) so I wont repeat all those details this time.

Battle of Britain Class 21C149 ‘Anti Aircraft Command’ with her distinctive orange background to the emblem

First up, is a Bullied Battle Britain Class 21c149 ‘Anti Aircraft Command’ 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 to represent one the regular SR crew route familiarisation turns, via Dawlish to Plymouth that also took WR engines over the ex LSWR north Dartmoor route.

The other side of 21C149 the addition of the RT Models front steps and Cylinder Drain pipes certainly complete the look.

21C149 was in this period a Salisbury engine, so again like the N Class I have done for Rob before, again a nice link to Fisherton Sarum, but Exmouth Junction must have hijacked her for a while…
She started as a Hornby 21C159 split from one their train packs as this was in the correct condition with the original forward position of the safety valves, She gained the wedge shaped cab modification in March 1948, was named in April that year and not fully renumbered to 34049 until April 1949. In addition to the renumbering and naming using HMRS Pressfix decals and Fox Transfers etched nameplates, I also fitted front steps and cylinder drain pipes from the excellent RT Models range, Springside Models front lamps and real coal in the tender.

S15 number 829 with Urie flared topped tender

Secondly are two Hornby S15s,  one as number 829 from the first batch of the Maunsell S15s built in July 1927 paired with a Urie style tender and one as number 845 from the third batch of Maunsell S15s  built in October 1936 paired with a Maunsell flat sided bogie tender.

S15 number 845 with Maunsell flat sided tender

Number 829 was a Salisbury allocated engine during my 1946 to 1949 modelling period, whilst 845 was initially allocated to Feltham but in 1947 was moved to Exmouth Junction and therefore would also have regularly been seen at Salisbury.

Schools Class V number 929 ‘Malvern’

Finally for now, is Hornby Schools Class V number 929 ‘Malvern’ whose repainting and numbering was the topic of my Workbench Wittering #2 post way back in June last year! Now finally her weathering is complete. As I mentioned in that post Schools class number 929 “Malvern” was one of only seven members of the class not to regain malachite green livery after the war, but stayed in SR black until January 1949. The Schools Class V were not often seen at Salisbury in SR days but as she was a Brighton allocated engine from 1947 my excuse is that she has arrived on one of the Brighton to Plymouth services that changed locomotives at Salisbury.

That’s all for now, I will post some details of some of the other items of rolling stock that I recently completed in due course.

Fisherton Sarum, General, Workbench

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

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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.

The finished and weathered Bachmann N class as 1848, the  top front lamp iron, missing from the Bachmann model is made from a staple and a Sprinside SR lamp drilled to be an interface fit added

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.

a rear 3/4 view of 1848, real coal has been added to the tender along with crew.

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

N Class 1848 enters Brent Station on Rob’s excellent layout

– 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.

The train spotters view over the fence at Brent station

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

!848 catches late evening sunlight as she rounds rounds the curve leaving the station

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

Crossing the road bridge with a view of South Dartmoor beyond. Meanwhile the Postman is completing his round.

tender and cab sides and boiler

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

A final close up of 1848 at home amongst Rob’s excellent scenic work and very effective backscene.

– 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.