Garden Railway Forum

Hi Everyone, I am new to 16mm, but have some modelling experience in Finescale 7mm, all be it over 14 year ago. I decided to get into garden railways and wanted to start by building some rolling stock, the actual line is a year or two off yet.
My partner bought me an IP Talyllyn coach for xmas, which looks quite respectable for the money, I have to say that given my previous modelling background, I do find the running gear rather under engineered!
I have a few questions which I hope you guys can help me with.
I plan to buy another couple of IP coaches, probably another No 1/2 and a No4, I have noticed that the buffers supplied on this dont seem to bare a great likeness to the actual coach, particularly the post preservation dual buffer arrangement, which look a bit like wagon buffers to me. First question, are there any more prototypical buffer available.
The next question is regarding paint and finishing, very different to painting brass and also I am struggling with what colours (brands and tin codes) to use and would be interested in your recommendations and preferences

Finally I need a brake (pardon the pun). I have been trying to find some info on the Tenmille Brake /Ticket van (G014), and cant seem to find much on the web, even Tenmille's own site is not very inspiring. I am aware of the Perfect World one which seems to be much better constructed but to me looks a bit odd for some reason.
I did have a search around this forum first and appreciate any help that you experts can supply and offer my thanks in advance
Regards Ian

Buffers are an interesting issue.
Most people seem to use centre buffers or chopper couplings as these make it easier to couple with other stock. I think Tenmille make some standard type buffers (maybe gauge one) that would look okay if you wanted to go down that route.
I have no experience of the Tenmille brake van but I have built a 3rd class coach kit. These are quite fiddly to make as you have to cut out all the windows and the plastic is of varying thickness due to the moulding process used. The solebar detail is quite crude (unless they have updated the kit since I built it)
Regarding painting, I use an aerosol plastic primer and then airbrush the top coat using Tamiya acrylics. As I don't model a prototype I don't worry too much about exact shades. Others out there may be better able to help you on that one.

Welcome!

For painting I'd suggest car spray primer (red, white or grey - I keep all 3 in stock) plus gloss or satin black for the underpinnings and buffer beams, followed by a rub down of the "primed only" areas if they've got oversprayed. Can't help with the paint colours, I'm afraid (and neither can Precision Paints)

Thanks guys, I am realising that the 16mm world is far less regimented than the previous scales that I have dabbled with. I guess the dual buffer arrangement is not that suited to the tight curves on garden railways. The full size coach buffers do seem to have very long shafts.
I am hoping some of the Talyllyn modellers out there could give me a tip on the best paint shades, I have seen Humbrol 20 and 10, mentioned, I get the crimson (20) but no 10 seems rather too dark for the woodwork

I can give you the official colours, but not the models. I can't bring myself to model the Talyllyn after 20 years of painting the real stuff!

Hello,

Sorry, can't help with the colours, but I would suggest using a sanding sealer before painting to reduce the appearance of overscale swirly grain patterns - IP kits seem particularly prone to this. I think the brand I use is called Liberon. I use that and the car primer before painting.

Colourwise my local model shop (I know, I'm lucky to have one...)stocks both Revell and Humbrol enamel - I generally just pick whichever matt tin looks closest to what I want, but then I'm modelling the 20s so no-one can be entirely sure whether the colour's right or not because the photos are all black and white.

Varnish is important I've found - I don't know whether indoor modellers generally bother, but in the garden there's all sorts of dirt, water - and especially oil - to guard the paintwork from. I use a spray matt varnish, but I'm not convinced carriages don't look better in satin.

I don't know if I've ever seen one, but it looks like Jurassic Models do a kit for the TR's van - http://www.summerlands-chuffer.co.uk/ju ... 4577586366. Otherwise it's a boxy little design that shouldn't be too tricky to scratchbuild with ply and stripwood?

All the best,

Andrew.

Thanks Andrew, some good tips, will check out the sealer. Took the plunge with a couple of Tenmille kits, the Ticket Brake and the ex Corris, A good price even with the postage from Germany LOL

Hi Ian,

if your interested I have 3 Perfect World Talyllyn kits that are unwanted - I decided to model IoM.
They are TL 11 - Booking Office
TL 17 - Coach No 4
TL 16 - Coach No 1-3
Also with it is a book 16mm Scale Drawings of Talyllyn that gives all the details of both coaches and Locos. You can email if interested.

Regards

Richard

Thanks for the offer Richard, I am going to stick with the IP kits for now and I just ordered that book from the Talyllyn Railway shop.