Refreshing a Dapol 14xx...

When I was 16 I bought this GWR 14xx from the old Dapol factory/warehouse in Llangollen. It was a re-issue of the old Airfix model, but with a revised motor, and was a very sweet runner. I loved it, and gently weathered and fitted a crew, and it was my best running tank locomotive on my childhood GWR branchline...

Fast forward 20 odd years and it's one of the models I kept hold of, but obviously today it doesn't compare well, at least in the appearance stakes with the new Dapol / Hattons model. I decided though, it warranted a re-work, and determined to keep as much of the original as possible.

I sourced a new smokebox door, chimney (not fitted in the end) and toolboxes from Shapeways, and set about removing and replacing the door first - pretty straight forward, and an Eileen's Emporiun dart was fitted. Next up, the tool boxes, these were a little more tricky, but I managed to not damage the model too much. I decided to replace the moulded handrails on the cab, tanks and bunker - opting for 0.6mm brass wire rather than my usual 0.4mm - why? Well the finer wire seemed to hi-light the chunkiness of other details. I then added small squares to the buffers before touching in the paintwork. Etched plates were fitted from Narrow Planet over the printed originals, keeping the majority of the paintwork and livery intact as a nod to the original model. It probably could do with lamp irons fitting - but anyhow I pushed on with some weathering.

The tanks and footplates were treated to a dirty wash, and then the airbrush was used to dust the model with sooty dust, following photos - I used a touch of Metalcote gunmetal, which allows you to burnish edges, evident on the tank top edges and the firebox and dome. Finally, a blunt cock-tail stick added some polished edges to where hands or feet would have scuffed the dirt away. A ModelU crew has been ordered, so more when that has arrived, and I need to decide on what couplings to use on my new OO project. More soon...