Commission: Cavalex CDA Weathering in OO gauge…

Whilst it’s sometimes passable to run box fresh models on your railway when it comes to some traffic there is nothing for it but weathering. Surely the most extreme of all is China clay and the state the wagons get in service is very distinctive…

This quartet of OO gauge CDA hoppers (actually a pair of pairs from Cavalex) are a recent commission, and will feature in time on a Model Rail layout build based upon Fowey. The specific nature of the real commodity leads to distinctive white build up all over the wagons, especially on flat horizontal surfaces. Aging still takes place though, oil, grease and brake dust gather around axle boxes, wheels, suspension and such. Work in this case started with dulling down and adding this sort of shading with my usual suspects, Humbrol 33 and 98 mixed as I went. I used this to add some streaking and dirt to the side of the hopper bodies too, based upon the photographs I was working from. 

 

 

 

Left to harden for a few days I then began to consider the best way to add the China clay accumulation. Airbrush alone didn’t seem sensible, so first I applied a wash using Humbrol 28, thicker on the horizontal flat surfaces where photos suggested build up was heavier. At this stage it felt a little too rough around the edges, and so a dusting of the same colour was used in the airbrush. This toned everything down nicely and softened the edges of the wash.

The result is a set of four ‘layout’ models that set the tone of the scene and clearly identity the location and traffic, and hopefully I’ve helped them feel more lifelike and believable. If you would like me to work on something for yourself then get in touch to discuss your project. Each commission is different but we work together to detemine your requirements and I’ll provide a fixed price proposal based upon these needs. You can reach me on the contact form here on the website, or using the email link on my Facebook page (link on the Modelmaking Commissions page). In the meantime, more soon…

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