A stock masterclass

great idea, looking forward........

These trains are DC not DCC

Ok stage ONE

Get the model check all the bits are there - usual really!

The Radley models A stock is good but there are still things that need to be done to make it a proper job!

The DM cars don't fit the chasis. Not sure why but they don't. The best thing to do is to cut the white metal chasis ends to fit the resin body. This may need a little trimming too. At this stage it is worth writing in pencil which bodies are to fit which chasis and with A stock it is important to write 'A' and 'D' on the ends on the chasis and in the roof of the bodies. Trust me, it helps!

Here are a couple of photos to show what happens next.....

Being a refurbished car, the internal grab handle arrangement is different. These are cut away and the ceiling bulk heads straightened from rounded edges at the roof to square edges.i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/Adthelad/DSC01331.jpg

The windows have lots of flash round them so remove them carefully with a sharp knife.
Always take care when using glues and knives but make sure your blade is sharp, a blunt edge WILL do more harm to you than a sharp one- again this is learnt the hard way after 18 years (5 professionally) modelling!

Next square up the R/S trailing end communicating doors. These are not rounded as on the model. This is quite straight forward. The trailing ends of each motor car and the adjacent ends of their trailer also have an emergency light fitted. Drill a small hole and insert a small pin to do this job. This is the benefit of numbering your cars early. A60 trailers and A62 cars up to 6134 have the air intake above the door sealed. All motors and late A62 cars (including 6188/9) don't. I use a little modelling putty to achieve this.
i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/Adthelad/DSC01330.jpg

Refurbished stock also has the grab handles removed at all trailing ends so file these off. A stock motor cab domes all slope down (except 5172/3) as the photo shows. It makes a great improvement to scrape and sand these down to a smoother profile - don't over do it. Look for references on the net of two cabs end to and and you'll see. i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/Adthelad/DSC01332.jpg

Now you've profiled the cab dome you need to fill in the old air take which is coming apart on 5091 and 5082. I don't know why these were sealed perhaps the cabs were draughty enough! Drill out a small hole for the whistle and square it off gently with a knife. (Remember to leave enough room for the blue car number to fit between the destination box and the whistle box [more if the white dot for de-icing units is needed!!]) The grab handles to the cab remain-but they were too chunky for me so I used thinner brass rod instead.
i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/Adthelad/DSC01333.jpg
A62 units 5158 onwards were given beading round the destination blind. Don't know why but this is a pain and should be avoided by those of you who lack experience, patience or sanity. In addition, 5121 and 5077 had them too!
Finally the underscale lighting pod is filed off and relaced by a thin plasticard oval 8mm x 4mm rounded off. This is to be stuck on later. It's worth the work.
i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/Adthelad/DSC01334.jpg

See you soon

Stage Three

I use a cheap masking tape and from inside cover all windows. I don't want spray getting inside. It would also make the windows harder to stick in. The cream inside is close enough for my liking.
i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/Adthelad/DSC01339.jpg

The next stage is to prime the model. I use Games Workshop Skull White spray, mainly as the car body is white and it saves time. I used to work for GW and know the paints very well. Spray outside and go from side to side on each elevation so you get an even covering. 30cm from the model is ok. I spray on a board but there are other options.

When the model is totally dry you can mask for the blue boarder. I use a high quality Tamiya tape which leaves a very clean line. My border is 5mm so the 'Underground' transfers fit. I then use the lower quality tape to mask the rest of the car before spraying with Humbrol French Blue (14)
i100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/Adthelad/DSC01343.jpg

I appreciative that you are painting your A stock in the current LT livery, however if you were painting them in original livery what colour would you use? I ask this as I most likely will get a 4 car A Stock set in the future and paint it in the original livery.

The problem I have is that they are always described as being unpainted aluminum but they always look white in photos!

XF

I will be painting a unit silver 5002 when brand spanking new.

It is a colour that I have struggled to try and match. Colour photos of A stock when new are rare. I think there are two types of new aluminum. The R stock look which was very shiney and the flatter looking matt silver.
www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=26046

www.transportarchive.org.uk/printStoryObject.php?rnum=L2651&enum=LE130&pnum=17&maxp=18&from=l

Yes I think it will be easier to paint them black!



I found a Humbrol (11 Silver) spray. Looks ok and very similar to the EFE 1959 stock colour. I would like to put a varnish on to see how it looks. It'll either be a very flat matt one (Testors Dullcoat) or a very shiney one.

Thoughts?

The R59 and a few of R49 cars were left raw. The rest were repaints from red. I belive the early silver paint was replaced with a white paint although the varnish tended to go a bone/cream colour after a while.

I'll keep experimenting with the colours.

Thanks for the science lesson.

Ah, Pirate Models! Yes, I have the 38TS as well as the 62TS of these models. I ended up using Testors Al paint (which I think you can get in the UK now) see www.testors.com/products/573107 This lacks a shine and doe look more white than Al.

Stage Five?

It's been a while since we had an A stock update. I've been very busy, but here goes....

The roof is probably the only part of the body that I weather. They tend to be the first bits to get dirty and hence I use a wash which gets into the recesses.

www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/8393400740/in/photostream

The roof is given a coat of (slightly watered down) Fortress Grey. When this is dry a wash of very watery Scorched brown is used. Don't use too much or it will run down the side of the train and ruin the white!

Once dry repaint the roof with a couple of thin coats of Fortress Grey but leave the gaps and recesses with the darker colour.

Metman, What method did you use to just paint the doors? I'm also finding this tricky with mixed success on the 73TS.

Make sure they are closed before you paint them!

XF

After what seems to be ages I am starting to make further progress with my A stock - after all they might actually have somewhere to run next year!!

Two bits of progress; firstly the trailers are having their roofs finished. The photo demonstrates that it is a slow process building up the colour in thin coats.
www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/11503770915/

The second major change is to modify all 16! driving motors to have the drivers cab (M) door flush with the front (the CO/CP stock will be done too). This will be tricky but I think worth it. Watch this space....

Middle motor 5188 is the first DM to have the M door made flush. Wasn't as bad as I thought although this and 5189 are still being painted 5056/57, 5112/13 and 5234/35 will be more of a challenge.

Plasticard was glued over the top (once the old door handle was removed) and then the window cut out.

www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/11610676593/
www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/11611238026/

Nearly forgot to do the chassis ends so here they are. I use a nice simple bar coupler like the real trains so the guard irons have to be cut down. The buffing plates are also added. 5234 has working buffers but these are troublesome so 5189 will have fixed ones.
www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/11771992225/

Prior to spraying the bogies and chassis I mark the wheel treads so they don't get paint on them. I never spray motor bogies with the motors on - it isn't worth the risk!
A Halfords grey primer is used followed by chaos black spray from Games workshop.
www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/11772013745/

The chassis and bogies are given a drybrush of GW Charadon Granite with bubonic brown and bleached bone mixed in for highlights.
I also paint the lift points on the chassis yellow prior to weathering.
www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/11805492794/

6189 is nearing completion but I forgot the porter buttons. These are painted on the end next to the driving motor.
www.flickr.com/photos/25182511@N08/11805517964/