Commission: Class 47 weathering in 7mm…

This is definitely one of the largest models ever to have graced my work bench, a BR two tone green Heljan Class 47 in 7mm/ft 0 gauge…

The Heljan 47 has had a DCC sound decoder fitted, numbers added and a weathering. It’s physical mass has meant that at times that has been difficult but the overall impact of the process has been good. My customer wanted a ‘used’ look, so I’ve not gone over the top here, this is deliberately subtle in its execution. The fibreglass roof panel being toned down is the biggest noticeable difference, and I revised methods from old, that if our search for Class 33 on here you’ll find I first developed many years ago, where by painting and washes are used to build up the patchy mottled texture visible on the prototype.

The body sides were gently washed with a light tint of 98 and 33 before being wiped away. A second application of body dirt from the airbrush was removed vertically with a wide flat brush frequently cleaned and moistened in enamel thinners before the paint had fully hardened.

The results are subtle yet give the impression a rain soaked filth being slowly washed off ‘new’ paint. To complete a darker blacker sootier build up was added around the exhaust, and gently over sprayed to soften the impact.

All of these methods and colours are based upon 4mm scale methods, scaled up whilst still closely observing period colour photography to hopefully ensure realism is the art of observation. If you’ve got an ‘out of the box’ model in ant axle you’d like me to rework, renumber, name or bring to life with a light to heavy weathering then get in touch for a personal fixed price proposal. Until next time, more soon…