Garden Railway Forum

Now I have a few goods wagons to work my line, I need a way of identifying them to the railway company.
There used to be a rub-on lettering system called 'Lettraset' which was available in many sizes, colours and typefaces. Since the advent of computers and printers these seem to be all-but obsolete except for a few common types, none of which are what I want!
I wonder if there is a manufacturer out there who is prepared to make a sheet of transfers of just the letters I need, in the size and colour I want, without having to throw away 90% of the alphabet I won't ever use?
All I need is a sheet containing repeats of the letters .... 'B & U R' in white and about 15mm tall. Is that too much to ask?

Hi Peter you can buy transfer paper and print your own transfers then spray with a water proofing solution and apply like normal transfers.

http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/.I ... er_151.htm

http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/.- ... er_159.htm

http://www.letraset.com/products/90-Letraset-Transfers/

http://www.riversidemodels.co.uk/Vinyl_lettering.htm

Thanks Big Al!
The 'print your own' sounds like a good idea and one I will certainly look in to.
Letraset is a simpler solution but has limited number of useable letters and would work out much more expensive.
Do you have the contact details for the people who offered to print railway crests for carriages? That might be another area to explore.

Peter Butler:99469 wrote:   I wonder if there is a manufacturer out there who is prepared to make a sheet of transfers of just the letters I need, in the size and colour I want,  without having to throw away 90% of the alphabet I won't ever use?

I print my own decals and there are a few bespoke waterslide decal manufacturers around that use the same technology.

Try Chris Moxham at

http://www.cbtransfers.co.uk/home

There's also a list of custom suppliers here that can do small runs, but I don't know how up to date it is.

http://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/decals.htm#custom

There are inkjet and laser printer decal papers around, but if you want white lettering they aren't particularly useful. You'll see suggestions on various sites that all you have to do is print a coloured background on white film, but your chances of matching inkjet and paint colours are slim to vanishing.

Graeme

As an alternative to transfers, have you considered stencils? A few years ago the 16mm Association sent out a freebie to members, a brass etch with some detail parts and stencils of numbers 0-9 and the words TARE and TONS. This was primarily intended for junior members to apply to their free wagon kits, but everyone got one so it might be worth asking around.

Letters were harder to find, but we eventually tracked some down. While visiting the inlaws we went shopping and visited the giant chain craft store A C Moore, and found cardboard stencils of the correct size and a suitably bland font for only a couple of dollars. Low price means mass production so I'd imagine they'd turn up in crafty shops here too.

He makes transfers on request.

http://www.rail-roadmodels.co.uk/#!cust ... ests/c1yg4

Thanks again Al. I have asked whether it is possible to make my transfers and await a reply.
I'll let you know the result.

Hello Peter,
Did you get any luck in your search for lettering decals?

Big Al:99507 wrote:He makes transfers on request.

http://www.rail-roadmodels.co.uk/#!cust ... ests/c1yg4

I can highly recommend Rail-road models for the custom transfers. They are excellent, and the service was second to none!

My crests came from him, and with extra care cutting them out, they worked out superbly!

Still waiting for a test run on vinyl letters cut to shape for self adhesive attachment to my stock. There is a very helpful local printer who says it can be done but perhaps he doesn't realise I might only have twenty years to live?

Result!!!!!!!!!
Today I collected my sheet of vinyl letters which are laser cut and very crisp indeed. I had two sizes made, 15mm and12mm and both work extremely well.
They stick well to the wagon sides, follow the grooves between planking and take weathering tones of acrylic paint before a final matt varnish.
Overall I am very pleased with the result.
Pictures show letters before weathering and varnish but I will post more when completed.

Nice job Peter, who did them for you? I think I will go down this route as the 'print yer own' is proving a pain.