Can you almost hear it?

I don’t think I’ll ever tire of getting lost in the box that contains Lochdubh, but as the scene progresses then ‘out of the box’ Farish models were beginning to jar…

Can you hear it? I can. It might be a DC silent model but the view and the scene evoke a set of feeling and memories, both primary and secondary of Class 37s and Scottish Branchlines.

I wanted the character of the prototype but was cautious of overdoing things, the real 37s in the period quickly lost their box fresh pale grey roofs but whilst in reality these ended up black I wanted a cleaner, perhaps less realistic but more nostalgic effect. How to build up layers of dirt without over doing things though?

The first step was a careful wash of Humbrol 245 on the roof, wiped off with a wide flat white spirit moistened brush, resulting in a dirty grey brown green residue around panels and exactly as I had hoped. A darker wash, as I would normally use may well have over powered the model. My hope was this subtle streaked finish would snow through the later stages quite nicely.

Coach roofs were also tackled, these has the same shade applied to represent peeling paint. A wash and removal with the wide flat brush was used on the second coach. The usual mix of 98 and 33 were applied to the underframe of the locomotive and stock, as well as various shades painted into panels on the same coach roof, being concious that the patterns of weathering are deeply engrained in my pshyche from years of absorbing prototype photos, but it’s always worth checking reference material, which I did over a pleasant coffee with the dog on the sofa. I decided there wasn’t enough relief in the trucks so a wash of ‘Nuln oil’ from Games Workshop was applied, which toned things down just a touch and added a little artificial shadow.

Next the roofs which would receive a heavier weathering than usual, so sides (and windows) were masked and 133/245/27004 was sprayed over each model. The masking removed the same shade was sprayed over the underframe and lower body sides. To finish things off some neat 27004 was sprayed over the exhaust.

Seeing 37418 here at the end of the head-shunt on Lochdubh I can almost hear it’s melodic idle. Whilst I walked around from the platform to the quayside she had propelled her carriages back into the loop and was preparing to run around… a cold wind despite the time of year, the lapping of waves against the shore, gulls screeching as they circle above and the ‘ting ting ting ting’ of the rigging on a boat in the small harbour.

I love this small layout and the possibilities for time travel. It’s the perfect example of how ‘gateway models’ such as a Large Logo 37 can be such a tonic for the weary mind. Until next time, more soon…

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