Commission: 16t minerals in O scale…

I've really enjoyed getting back to work this week, it's been a nice break but I have missed the variety of work and focused time I get when working on commissions...

These trio of Dapol O gauge 16t mineral wagons have been an absolute joy to work on! I love how there are no two 16t the same and in this larger scale I've been able to add some variety to the tonal variation of the rust and dirt on these examples. I'm not a believer in texture in these smaller scales. I find it distracting, I'd rather work the variation into the colours in the finish. The 3D texture of a rusted mineral wagon, even in O, would be almost smooth. I work with Humbrol enamels, they dry quicker than artists oil paints, and you can trust the effects you will achieve, both important considerations for a commission model maker.

My approach to mineral wagons such as these is to work off a prototype photo - as it's difficult to imagine the patterns of rust, a photo is always a fantastic guide. Work begins with a basic dirty wash all over the chassis, I also painted the wheel faces and rears, as well as the axles. The wash is quite thin and most of it is wiped off the sides with a rag, in a vertical motion. A thicker, blacker wash was used on the inside of each wagon. Once this had dried over night I began adding the rust effects, using a mix of just two Humbrol colours... Matt 251 and Matt 62 - yes, that's right, Matt 62, leather!

The rust marks are hand painted, with a small brush. You don't need to be terribly neat, but work quickly and vary the shape of the marks, trying to match what you see in the photographs. I mix the 251 and 62 as I go, so each mark is a slightly different shade. The larger marks tend to be older rust, so use more 251. If you do one side, and one end, that is enough drying time then to go to the second stage. Using a wide straight flat soft brush, moistened with white spirit and dried slightly on a paper towel, drag downwards over each panel of the wagon, the paint will soften and begin to streak and a funny thing happens! The leather seems to soften slightly earlier, and leaves a beautiful orangey rust mark blending down the side of the wagon whilst the rust itself stays darker. Be careful not to over do this, it will eventually remove the marks all together or soften all the edges into soft circles! It's also important to keep the brush action vertical. The eye will detect any streaking that is off vertical very quickly indeed. Once the side and end are done, set it to one side to dry overnight before doing the other side and end.

The final stage on these 3 stage weathered wagons was to dust on some airbrushed grime. The chassis got a good dose, as did the lower body sides, and studying photos to where the grime seemed to build up. The secret is not to over do this as the grey will quickly get too dark! The interior were given a heavy dose to really build up the filth.

The end result are unique and individual wagons, that stand fairly close scrutiny but don't cost the earth to produce. That means a train load of these may work out cheaper than you'd imagine! The basic model is well proportioned and pleasingly chunky. They bring me to mind the Dapol 08 I weathered a while back, and how perhaps an 0 gauge diversion might be a lot of fun! Alas, Hornby have announced a 3 axle Sentinel diesel so I think that probably means my next personal British layout will again be OO...

If you've enjoyed looking at these wagons, maybe you could attempt these methods yourself. If however, you'd like me to prepare a proposal, then get in touch and I can work with you to identify the scope of the project, the finish required and provide a fixed cost proposal to your specifications. Contact me through the form on the website, Facebook or the forums. In the meantime, more soon...