Changing of a Roundhouse Silver Lady - Steamy Clare

[tom_tom_go]

I have finally started to (now that I am over my bubble-wrap period) alter the appearence of my Roundhouse SL:







I have some anthracite that I want to put into the bunkers now they are painted gloss black (with a bit of weathering to show dust) and have tried the PVA 50/50 with water and washing up liquid on a plywood base method with no success. I left it over night, however, none of the coal stuck to the base or other pieces of coal.

Does the solution need to be very thick with PVA or am I doing something wrong?

I found painting the bunkers was a bit of a pain with just using normal Humbrol enamel black so should I of rubbed it all down and primed it? Or do people mask their bunkers off and spray them?

Cheers,

Tom

[Sir haydn]

If you have been polishing your loco with a resin based polish this will have left its residue on the paintwork. This would have stopped the paint from sticking. What I would have done is given the bunker a good wipe over with some meths or white spirit to lift any resin on the paintwork, then just rough the surface up with a bit of wet and dry, the paint will stick very well then.

As for 50/50 PVA mix I would go more 75/25 to the PVA. I use a product called 'Glue and Glaze' which is a glue for sticking glazing in dolls houses. much stronger than PVA and dosnt go milky when wet.

[DolwyddelanLightRail]

As for 50/50 PVA mix I would go more 75/25 to the PVA.  I use a product called 'Glue and Glaze' which is a glue for sticking glazing in dolls houses. much stronger than PVA and dosnt go milky when wet.

If all that doesn't work (which i doubt it won't!) wood glue worked for me! as long as you don't bash it too hard it'll stay!

[tom_tom_go]

Thanks Sir haydn for the advice regarding painting, it worked

Here is my recent progress:







Yes you can guess who doesn't know how to mask off bodywork properly

I am betting that household masking tape is not good enough and I should of used something from Halfords? Nevermind, i'll get a colour match tin mixed up and will go over the cream paint.

The buffer beam idea I have wanted to do for a while as I like the look of the W&L Countess. This is also what Ian Folland did with his SL which is in the latest 16mm Today.

I am also checking to see if I like the look of the cylinder covers removed as they don't appear to do anything other than cosmetics.

Still more CH screws to find and change!

Cheers,

Tom

[ninge]

that's looking great!

Painting the cab of my Ragleth is one of the last jobs on my list.. can't decide if i should do the whole thing or just the top half, or just the cab front tho so have been putting it off... can i ask what paint you used to do yours? The colour looks great!

[Sir haydn]

DO NOT PAINT MATCH for the paint creeping!!!!!!!!! you will ruin your nice gloss finish


If you have used enamel or celulose get some paint thinners and carefully rub the paint away. Afterwards you can use washing up liquid to wash the thinners away.
You can then use a resin based car polish to polish the loco back up

[tom_tom_go]

DO NOT PAINT MATCH for the paint creeping!!!!!!!!! you will ruin your nice gloss finish


If you have used enamel or celulose get some paint thinners and carefully rub the paint away. Afterwards you can use washing up liquid to wash the thinners away.
You can then use a resin based car polish to polish the loco back up

Again, brilliant advice and using thinners works perfectly!

Do I need to mix the washing up liquid with water or just use it on it's own?

Ninge, the paint is Humbrol No. 103 enamel matt.

Glad you like the colour and work so far. I have used the same colour in a guards van I built. It's great for interior walls in my humble opinion.

Cheers,

Tom

[Sir haydn]

mix 25/75 with water. just stops the thinners eating at the paint you dont want it to eat at.

[taliesin001]

looks nice, the bufferbeams are certainly an improvement

[bluewater1150]

Tom

Nice work - changing the buffer beams has completely changed the front on the SL and the coal does look good. Very brave.

Elliot

[Keith S]

As for the cylinder covers, they are only cosmetic, but I just ordered some for my engine. I have seen the cylinders painted and they look pretty good, but I am worried that they are very oily if it's been run, and it would be difficult to do a proper job etching/masking/priming/painting them without taking them off the locomotive. They do tend to come into contact with things and I've seen lots of pictures of engines with painted cylinders having scratches down to the brass. The valve chest covers are held on with four phillips head screws countersunk into the steel, so it doesn't look as nice as the dummy bolt heads on the cover. It's my humble opinion that it probably looks as good the way it is than it would if you took them off and tried to paint the cylinders.

[ianfolland]

Tom, it's looking good. I was surprised how shortening the front buffer beams changes the character of the engine.

Mine was a bit of a quicky job compared to yours! And I still have the bits of liquorice coal!

[tom_tom_go]

Tom, it's looking good. I was surprised how shortening the front buffer beams changes the character of the engine.

Mine was a bit of a quicky job compared to yours! And I still have the bits of liquorice coal!

The weathering on your loco Ian is brilliant so you do yourself no justice by saying you rushed it!

Someone pointed out to me yesterday that the buffer beam could of been replaced using the one from RH Fowler if you didn't fancy doing any mod work. It's cheaper to cut the original though!

RWLR management (SWMBO) has declared the loco must be kept clean for passenger duties so she can't get dirty, however, maybe a bit of grime will surface as the cleaners tend to like a beer or two he he...

Cheers,

Tom

[tom_tom_go]

Here is where we are at the moment with it:






I had a go at spray-painting one of the cab steps and I think it gives the impression that it is a separate part of the body and has had to be bolted on.

The side tank grab rails have also been painted.

Plenty more to do, being a pefectionist is not good!

Cheers,

Tom

[tom_tom_go]

Nameplates for the loco arrived a few days ago, however, I only managed today to quickly cut them out and see what they would look like:



After all, with the SL's simulated drain cocks she is a steamy lady

[tom_tom_go]

Work has been hinder due to, well work and DIY, however, the whistle is now fitted:



In a previous post I ask about blackening wheels and this process I have now done on my guards van which is in the same pic. It makes a big difference as the wheels are Accucraft 32mm and are very shiny out of the box. I will be blackening the wheels on the SL as well as the running gear.

I am hoping ACME engineering will soon be able to source me a set of spectacle plates which should be a nice touch to this cosmetic change.

Cheers,

Tom

[tom_tom_go]

Finally painted the wheels last week which I think makes a big difference to all the shiny running gear stick out like a soar thumb:





Once I get hold of some etch primer I will be spray painting the steam dome the same colour. Also need to decide whether I am going to have a go at fitting the Swift Sixteen cab windows or get them fitted professionally as it seems quite a job!

Now that we have had our English summer (we only get a few weeks of sun after all) I can get some more work done on this rather than building the railway outside!

Cheers,

Tom
RWLR

[tom_tom_go]

Matt of Berry Hill Works has kindly taken on the job of fitting the Swift Sixteen spectacle plates for me because I don't have the time (yes that's my excuse!)

Meanwhile, I had a go at spray painting the steam dome on the SL as I did not really like the brass look:



I need to do something about the smokebox next!

Cheers,

Tom
RWLR

[tom_tom_go]

I have never been happy with the battery being located on the inside of the cab roof. Even when I managed to find a AAA battery pack it still could be seen and the fact that the cable hinders the opening/closing of the roof just annoyed me!

So here is what I have done:

Battery in the bunker secured with quality velcro pads cut to size:


Futaba switch harness replaces the switch fitted by RH allowing on board charging (you can just see the charge lead in the second picture):



Fits nice and snug and allows sufficient movement for the whistle/regulator servo links:


The roof no longer flips up/down. It can be completely removed from the loco when servicing is required which is what I wanted.

I have a pair of loco cab doors on order from Locoworks so this will hide the battery/wiring and complete the mod

Cheers,

Tom

[TonyW]

Are those the Swift Sixteen spectacles?