Weathering rolling stock...

These three wagons, all built from Parkside kits, have been painted and finished for my own industrial projects, however I wanted to share the approach to weathering that may help you with your own models, or show how I can help you bring your stock to life with a commission...

Often the poor relation in terms of finishing to our locomotives, I've been working hard (and enjoying it) on stock for my projects over the past few weeks. These Parkside kits are a joy to build and so well detailed. They really reward careful assembly and finishing, and I've added Accurascale buffers and Smiths couplings as appropriate to prototype. After painting in Humbrol enamels, plus BR coach grey from Precision for the van roofs, transfers applied (the internal use transfers are from the Planet Industrials range) they have been weathered.

I often think nice loco, shame about the stock when I see photos in magazines. I was determined to go some way to rectify this and show a multi-faceted approach needn't be time consuming. The weathering follows the same steps as I use on locomotives. First of all a wash is applied the chassis and body. This is wiped off the body in a vertical motion on van sides, to leave streaks as well as dirt collected around rivet heads. I use some dry brushed gun-metal on buffers, and then finish with the airbrush using the same mix as for locos, a spray on the under frame and then over the roof, leaving a dirtier streak down the centre of the roof. 

The open wagon now needs some real coal adding to the inside, and then it can be used on any of the projects. Obviously this approach lends itself to speed, and you can work on a batch of wagons alongside a locomotive. I don't spend quite so much time on detail micro painting, but the colour palette is consistent and this gives a lovely feel to a complete train. If you'd be interested in me weathering a rake of your own stock then do get in touch, through the contact form, Facebook or the forum messaging systems. More soon....