Aspinall Class 23 0-6-0ST

[Heather Kay]

I finally got round to taking the official portrait shot of the Lanky Tank.



Hmm, too shiny.

 

[Scale7JB]

Very nicely done !

JB.

 

[john lewsey]

Like it

 

[Ressaldar]

As you say Heather- too shiny - I doubt if they even came out of the paintshops that clean

cheers

Mike

 

[warren haywood]

Nice Heather,
got one of those to do in Lined L&Y goods livery. I think that one should be fairly shiny

 

[pete waterman]

Sorry guys o yes they did they had up to 4 coats of black and boy did they shine. It was only very late on that the paint work went down hill some being done by the fitters. The paint guys cared about what they did. My paint shop guys all ex Crewe paint shop used to drive me mad that were always telling me how good they were and that the only profit I made was because of there paint work. Look at the Fright Liners we did. They drove me mad.

 

[John Miller]

That's why I don't really like weathering. Every time I clean and polish my locomotives, I can't help but think of that unsung army of cleaners and painters in the early part of the last century - setting off in the early hours on foot and on their bicycles with a pride and determination that 'their' locomotive will be shinier and brighter than all the others.

 

[Locomodels]

I can't help but think of that unsung army of cleaners and painters in the early part of the last century - setting off in the early hours on foot and on their bicycles with a pride and determination that 'their' locomotive will be shinier and brighter than all the others.

That's a very nice thought, I had never looked at it that way before.

 

[Heather Kay]

That's why I don't really like weathering. Every time I clean and polish my locomotives, I can't help but think of that unsung army of cleaners and painters in the early part of the last century - setting off in the early hours on foot and on their bicycles with a pride and determination that 'their' locomotive will be shinier and brighter than all the others.

A nice sentiment. Then again, if you read Martyn Welch's book "The Art of Weathering" (Wild Swan), you will see that even what appears to be the shiniest engine is in fact remarkably dirty. Steam engines are dirty machines, burning coal, spewing ash and soot and oil. The art is to give the model loco the appearance of being well cared for but in fact shows signs of being that fire-breathing water-boiling living machine.

The best cleaners in the world won't have been able to remove all traces of dirt. In a dirty environment, the best they could manage was probably to push the dirt about. It would gather in recesses, awkward areas the oily rag couldn't reach, where hob-nailed boots would scratch and scrape. Gentle weathering brings a model to life. Indeed Martyn shows how subtle weathering enhances the skill of the model builder.

Of course, it's down to personal preference in the end. Rule One applies!

 

[pete waterman]

Yes Heather your right but yours is just out of the shops.

 

[JimG]

Heather,

The Class 303 in my avatar was a royal train and you could have eaten your breakfast off any part of it. I think it was the only time I ever saw the real colours of the wheels and underframes on the Blue Trains.

Jim.