Weathering coal hoppers

steve50 · 23 January 2022

I'm after some advice about painting and weathering the interior of wooden wagons. I'd like to get a well used almost white wood look.
I think I've seen an article on here by rippers but I've searched and cant find it.
Any advice appreciated, I've started by priming the wagons with a mid grey primer.

Many thanks
Steve

Rambler · 24 January 2022

I use “The Art of Weathering” by Martin Welch as my guide. The attached photo shows a coal wagon I‘be done recently, so nowhere near white… If I remember rightly, I started with an overall buff colour for the inside.

daifly · 24 January 2022

steve50 said:
I'm after some advice about painting and weathering the interior of wooden wagons. I'd like to get a well used almost white wood look.
I think I've seen an article on here by rippers but I've searched and cant find it.
Any advice appreciated, I've started by priming the wagons with a mid grey primer.

Many thanks
Steve

Are you thinking of this article by @Spike?
Dave

steve50 · 24 January 2022

@Rambler - Thank you, that's a nice wagon too. I'd be pleased if I got somewhere near that finish.

@daifly - That wasn't the article but thank you that is really helpful, I've prob got similar colours so I can work from that.

NewportRod · 24 January 2022

A years ago I came across the pic that appears to depict the internals of a wooden coal wagon which I use as a guide. I think that mid-grey primer would make a good starting point.

Longbow · 24 January 2022

There are numerous YouTube videos on this topic such as here.

The Weathered Wood paint set from Lifecolor works very well in rendering all types of wood effects .

steve50 · 25 January 2022

Thanks guys, that video is great, I have the Lifecolor weathered and White wood sets so I made a start, left hand wagon painted Cold Base Colour and the Right hand one Cold Grey Umber. They look a bit too pale at the moment but we'll see how things progress, I'm thinking maybe the primer should have been a darker grey.

John Duffy · 25 January 2022

For wood I don't think you should worry about being too pale. In fact the lighter you start the more scope you have for the subsequent stages. Fresh cut timber when viewed from a distance will start at nearly white. I tend to go as light as possible to start with (especially for older wood) and really only tint it with a buff colour. Being too miserable to pay for specialist paint sets, I tend to prime internally with white, then my go to now is Tamiya acrylic White and Deck Tan mixed so I can control the shade.
I seal the base colour with varnish then add layers of very thin grey wash, brush painted along the grain. It is the this wash that builds the grain effect. I use a pin wash to highlight the planks and now prefer to use powders for weathering.

Examples of the early stages prior to the actual weathering.

A selection showing different shades and effects.

I'm looking forward to see how you get on.

John

steve50 · 25 January 2022

Thanks John, I will do one as per the youtube video then try washes on the other one. Do you use different colour washes or just build up layers in different places?

Wagonman · 25 January 2022

John Duffy said:
For wood I don't think you should worry about being too pale. In fact the lighter you start the more scope you have for the subsequent stages. Fresh cut timber when viewed from a distance will start at nearly white. I tend to go as light as possible to start with (especially for older wood) and really only tint it with a buff colour. Being too miserable to pay for specialist paint sets, I tend to prime internally with white, then my go to now is Tamiya acrylic White and Deck Tan mixed so I can control the shade.
I seal the base colour with varnish then add layers of very thin grey wash, brush painted along the grain. It is the this wash that builds the grain effect. I use a pin wash to highlight the planks and now prefer to use powders for weathering.

View attachment 155500
Examples of the early stages prior to the actual weathering.

View attachment 155501
A selection showing different shades and effects.

I'm looking forward to see how you get on.

John

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mike morley · 26 January 2022

I have found that colours which work fine in 7mm scale can look too dark when used in 4mm scale. I discovered that when I used the colours specified by Martyn Welch for unpainted in his Wild Swan book on weathering. Paul Karau has a section near the back of John Hayes "The 4mm Wagon" book, where he specifies what are effectively lighter versions of the colours Martyn Welch used. I tried them for my second attempt and they worked fine.
At present I'm suspecting it's a variation on the same theme that is causing the Phoenix Precision's GWR Coach Lake to look wrong on the 4mm carriage I've just painted.

steve50 · 26 January 2022

I've done the first wagon using the video as a guide, still got to add powders though. I'm pleased with it so far although it looks a bit harsh in the photo.

mike morley said:
I have found that colours which work fine in 7mm scale can look too dark when used in 4mm scale. I discovered that when I used the colours specified by Martyn Welch for unpainted in his Wild Swan book on weathering. Paul Karau has a section near the back of John Hayes "The 4mm Wagon" book, where he specifies what are effectively lighter versions of the colours Martyn Welch used. I tried them for my second attempt and they worked fine.
At present I'm suspecting it's a variation on the same theme that is causing the Phoenix Precision's GWR Coach Lake to look wrong on the 4mm carriage I've just painted.

Good point, and one I've not thought about. Could explain why I've struggled with some paints.

steve50 · 27 January 2022

Added some weathering powders, I'm pleased with how it looks, I just need to colour the supports inside now or leave them as they are, I'm not sure.

The next one I'll do using washes.

Regards.
Steve.

steve50 · 31 January 2022

Finished the wagon interiors, these two were done with grey and brown washes alone. I might add some powders at some point.

steve50 · 10 February 2022

Added transfers to the wagons, using examples from the fantastic Paul Bartlett website as a guide, the two on the end will have tarpaulins over them so I didn't do the interiors. Next up painting some odd planks then a coat of varnish and a bit of weathering and painting the underframes.

Brian Wainwright · 10 February 2022

I love the Lifecolor paints, I just haven't worked out a scientific way to apply them. My way is to put on random coats, and take most of them off with a tissue/paper towel until I am happy with the effect. I'm sure this is a wasteful technique but it works for me.

steve50 · 11 February 2022

Brian Wainwright said:
I love the Lifecolor paints, I just haven't worked out a scientific way to apply them. My way is to put on random coats, and take most of them off with a tissue/paper towel until I am happy with the effect. I'm sure this is a wasteful technique but it works for me.

I like Lifecolour too, I find you need a few coats sometimes but they do brush on nicely. I'm trying to use more acrylics but for certain things find they're not workable enough.

steve50 · 25 February 2022

Finished two of the wagons, not sure about the buffer heads though, they are Metalcote polished steel. Maybe I should have just painted them the same colour as the underframe?

steve50 · 3 March 2022

Finished another wagon, can anyone tell me how to colour the coupling hook a bit better, I just need to sort out the colour of the coupling hook, it's way too shiny! Then find a suitable load for this one.

Steve

AJC · 3 March 2022

Very nice - as for the coupling hook, just a coat of under frame grime will do the job. Just match the W irons and buffer shanks.

Adam

Weathering coal hoppers

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