The iconic Bay Colony GP7…

Another 'must have' is now a have as my latest H0 scale model is completed and sees it's first 'turn' on Beaverbrook over the weekend, let me introduce HMLX (ex Bay Colony) 1701...

The model started life as a bog standard 2000 era Proto 2000 GP7. I chose it as a donor model as the side handrails were quite fine, and the chassis was DCC ready with an 8 pin socket, which would make my conversion a little easier. The model had also been fitted with a set of Athearn wheelsets, so no trouble from the dreaded Proto2000 split axle gear muff click. This was unceremoniously stripped down into it's component parts and dunked in IPA to remove the factory paint. 

Re-work was fairly light, as the model matched the Bay Colony prototype quite well. I removed the front and rear pilot footboards with a razor saw and replaced them with a thin 10 thou styrene plate. The air hoses were also modified to match the real 1701, and a Kadee brake line added. Ditch lights, like the prototype, are without bulbs (or lenses) too! 

Up top a new horn and bell for prototype accuracy, and then the more serious surgery - adding a set of Keyser Valley radiator grills and open cab doors - these details are really transformative and lift an ageing piece of tooling right into the 21st century. Painting followed my usual approach of not worrying too much about prototype accuracy and going for something that looked right, in this case a Humbrol gloss grey I had in stock. Decals are from Highball Graphics and Smokebox Graphics along with the custom HMLX patches I designed and had made especially for the project.

Weathering was great fun, I wanted to try and recreate the finish of the prototype as today, where graffiti has been removed the paintwork has been damaged and in places repainted. A pin wash was a good start and then I hand painted the patches in with a darker grey and a bright orange. Panel damage and rub/discolouration in the paint was also carefully observed and copied. I free-lanced a little with the rust damage, but I hope this in in keeping with the model. Dry brushed gun metal on the step edges and footways suggests wear. The under frame was treated to a coat of black brown with the airbrush, then a wash picking out brake shoes in a lighter colour, and some streaks of brown on the frames. A metallic dry brush just lifted the detail a little. Final touch was to add some dirt with the airbrush on the chassis and sides and soot around the exhausts and she's ready for service. With an ESU Loksound 5 and Rail Exclusive speaker in the cab (no space anywhere else!) the open doors really help deliver a crystal clear sound of that distinctive EMD 567 prime mover. I look forward to getting some 'action' shots in time, until then though, more soon...

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