Blue box…

For many of us ‘blue box’ will forever be associated with Athearn H0 scale trains of the 70s, 80s and 90s where the US manufacturer made part assembled pre-decorated model kits…

This new model on Beaverbrook is indeed a blue box, but not from a blue box. However (although its manufacturer is now sadly defunct) this Branchline Trains car is not only a physical blue box, but a kit that apes that Athearn concept. Arriving at Christmas decorated for Pickens it required handrails, brake rigging and various other details to be added, to which I added a finer brake wheel and patched out the Pickens markings.

Once assembled weathering started with an overall fade applied using a thin Humbrol 28 via the airbrush. Left to dry before adding the patched HMLX markings and further weathering. The rust patches were left to the end, added using a mix of Humbrol,33 and 62, stippled and painted on, left to just ‘go off’ before being removed in a downward motion with a moistened flat brush. Regular readers will realise this isn’t the first HMLX branded box car, the previous red example made its way to Chris’s ‘shove’ before that layouts recent ending.

This of course means, with my one in one out policy, that another box car needs to move on! I have chosen another Branchline Trains cars, the black HSWR example, yours for £30 including postage! Photos can be provided if you’re interested, it’s the same basic design as this car but in patched black. For now though I’m enjoying this little splash of subdued colour on Beaverbrook, until next time more soon…

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