Many members want to have a go at painting and weathering but are less than confident - or do not want to damage a favourite loco by practicing on it!

The answer is to practice and gain confidence before you touch a model of course - but how?

There is one resource that is overlooked when it comes to "Practice"... and that’s the domestic recycling bin! There are lots of items in there that can be airbrushed, weathered and generally bashed about to give us the "Zero risk" practice we'd all like.

Think about it – broken appliances, drink cans, vacuum form packaging… all has interesting shapes and on occasion, there are things with modelling possibilities too. And… some of them are tricky technique wise too. In fact… if you can paint the round surface and detailed/ridged end of a coke or soft drink can - you can paint a model!

So... to encourage ALL MRF MEMBERS to "Have a go", provide some light relief and see what an "open brief" and a little creativity can create, I am pleased to invite ALL members to have some fun and participate in a simple competition with prizes of real value.

"PAINT AND WEATHER A DRINK CAN OR TWO…OR THREE".


The Prizes:

Winners Prize:

5 different complete DCCconcepts weathering kits... The full selection valued at £75 / $A100 - PLUS a £100 Gaugemaster Gift voucher / $150DCCconcepts Gift voucher. Total prize value is £175 / $A250! - see images below

3x Runners up Prizes of:

2x Complete DCCconcepts weathering kits, prize value approximately £30/$A40 per prize - see images below

IF Necessary, rather than have to split hairs or play Solomon about knife edge results, if two exceptional entries were both of really high standard and neck and neck for first place… the judges are authorised to offer a SECOND “Full set of 5 DCCconcepts Weathering Kits” to the “Narrowly second place entry”- another £75/$A100 in prizes


The Rules:

(1) Empty cans only (Minimum 1, max 3 in the entry) - see image below if you are unsure as to what this is.
(2) Modify the can(s) by all means… add wheels if you like … as long as they are still identifiable as cans if we look hard.
(3) Any methods are fair game as long as YOU do the work.
(4) Any standard drink can(s) is/are the basis of the work.
(5) Please… no Photoshop effects or image enhancements on entries.
(6) Rivets will be appreciated for their creativity but not counted under any circumstances… this is a FUN competition
(7) Paint scheme is to be “railway oriented” and may well include a “livery” of any period if you fancy it… or even one that “might have been”. Brushing, airbrushing… all acceptable

Entries are to be submitted as a series of photographs, with not less than 3 "in progress" relating to painting and weathering …plus as many "finished photos" you wish to present to show the results.
Completed entries are to be emailed to admin@modelrailforum.com

Please resize images to meet with MRF standards – that is, not larger than 900 pixels wide. Entries are to be accompanied by a list of the main tools and materials used.

In addition, we’d really like to see a commentary on the tricks and techniques that you used. Spell checking will help understanding


The Judging:

This contest will be judged by Doug and the forum Moderators.

They will be looking for finish quality and believable weathering, with a good dose of creativity and a fun approach to the concept.

The judging will be based on the input from several independent moderators who will give scores THEY will work out individually.
The basis will be “out of 100” with 20 points available in each of 5 categories.

These are: (1) Theme, (2) Creativity, (3) Painting quality, (4) Weathering quality and most importantly… (5) "Entry presentation quality"…

(Because some have nicer cameras than others, Judges will not focus on the photo’s only – Entries will be judged "as a whole" in category 5… photos plus the supporting documentation and project write-up)


The TIMING:

This contest starts now… and entries are to be submitted via email to the address provided by midnight on October 31st.

If you want to do so, questions and your work in progress can be posted on THIS thread.

Judging will commence November 1st and to give time for a fair assessment without time pressure, will have one week for completion. If there is a very close contest, then judges reserve the right to ask for "the contenders" to send their models in for final decisions based on the real thing.

The winner will be advised "on forum" in the second week of November.

Prizes will be sent out by DCCconcepts in the week following the announcements…. Or can be presented to the winners at Warley if you prefer


The AFTERMATH:

The winners and runners up entries will be shown "as is" in a thread to be created by the moderators…. with some "Nice Judges comments" as appropriate.

Have fun…










To show what can be done with the weathering powders, this loco below was weathered using the DCCconcepts weathering kits

In light of the growing popularity of this scale, used to represent 2′ gauge on 45mm track and 18″ gauge on 32mm track, Accucraft (UK) has decided to take the plunge and produce its first live steam locomotive for this market. The more generous proportions of models in this scale give the opportunity to look at prototypes which would be rather too small in 1:19 scale but which the firm has long hankered to produce. At the top of this wish list is the archetypal North Wales ‘Quarry’ Hunslet. The model will be gas fired and be fitted with a water top up valve and miniature pressure gauge; constructed of stainless steel and etched brass, the loco will have an enhanced level of detail made possible by this scale and be gauge-adjustable between 45mm and 32mm gauges. It carries a UK RRP of just £850.00 and will be available from UK retailers in March 2013.

By the mid 19th century, the North Wales’ slate mines and quarries had a requirement for small, powerful and rugged locos to work the galleries and tramways in what was by then a rapidly expanding industry. Various manufacturers supplied narrow gauge motive power to these businesses but none became more synonymous with the area than the saddle tanks supplied by the Hunslet Engine Co. of Leeds. These sturdy little locos were ideal for the roughly laid, temporary lines in the quarries and the class evolved from the first design, produced in 1870, to encompass a variety of sizes and types which found work at Penrhyn, Dinorwic (where many acquired the names of racehorses!) and the Nantlle valley. Remarkably the majority of those locos still in service in the 1960's survived to be preserved, some of them in America and Canada. Today full size Quarry Hunslets are still being produced in limited numbers by the new Hunslet Engine Co. based at the Statfold Barn Railway.



60134

Click here for the Hornby 2013 Range

Note: This is a Powerpoint presentation saved for the web, so in this collection of information I have no control over individual images and files. As you will notice some images are very large and unfortunately that slows download times. As the CD with this info only arrived on my desk a couple of hours ago, I have not had the time to format it accordingly.

In the next few hours I will try and resize some of the larger images to speed up download times.

Proses launches a new helix system quite different from what has come before.

It's fully modular, can be assembled and disassembled in less than 2 hours. This enables you to move, or change your layout and modify the helix with ease.

It's silent, probably the most silent helix system around. The track-beds are laid on rubber supports and fixed with thick rubber gaskets.

Very strong despite being modular. Assembly is done using nuts and wing nuts, you don't need any tools, even a screwdriver, spanners or glue.

System comes in different versions (clear acrylic track-beds/roads or MDF track-beds/roads) to suit various budgets.

The version using clear acrylic track-bed has the fancy look and lets you see through all the layers.

The version using 6 mm MDF track-beds has the same features as being modular, silent and strong but the price is much lower.

Custom helices with different radii and dimensions can be ordered. More layers can be added for lower climbing grades.

The current standard versions and prices are as below.

Helices w/Clear Acrylic track-beds/roads

Helix-50-505S (AC) (single track, radius 505mm)
Height 50 cm, 4,5 layers (R3 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price: 352 Euros

Helix-50-538D (AC) (double track, radius 505mm + radius 572mm)
Height 50 cm, 4,5 layers (R3 +R4 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price: 590 Euros

Helix-39-505S (AC) (single track, radius 505mm)
Height 39 cm, 3,5 layers (R3 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price: 295 Euros

Helix-39-538D (AC) (double track, radius 505mm + radius 572mm)
Height 39 cm, 3,5 layers (R3 +R4 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price: 480 Euros

Helices w/ MDF track-beds/roads

Helix-50-505S (MD) (single track, radius 505mm)
Height 50 cm, 4,5 layers (R3 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price: 255 Euros

Helix-50-538D (MD) (double track, radius 505mm + radius 572mm)
Height 50 cm, 4,5 layers (R3 +R4 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price: 320 Euros

Helix-39-505S (MD) (single track, radius 505mm)
Height 39 cm, 3,5 layers (R3 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price:225 Euros

Helix-39-538D (MD) (double track, radius 505mm + radius 572mm)
Height 39 cm, 3,5 layers (R3 +R4 of Hornby, Peco Settrack, Branchline)
Price: 272 Euros

Accucraft's first model in 1:32 scale should be here by the end of the year. Production of these "entry level" live steamers is now under way.



An initial batch of twenty locomotives were designed by William Adams for the London & South Western Railway and constructed at Nine Elms between 1891 and 1893. These small but powerful engines were intended for shunting in restricted sidings with tight curves and were deployed in such locations as Southampton Docks, the Hamworthy freight branch and Poole Quay. Drummond added five similar locos to the class in 1905 although assorted rebuilds saw a great many variations in cab design and boiler fittings. Because of their work in the docks, twelve acquired names from locations along the French channel coast. After a long career with the L&SWR, Southern Railway and BR, some were sold into industrial use and two have been preserved, Normandy on the Bluebell Railway and Granville at Bressingham.

Accucraft's first Gauge 1 live steam 0-4-0 tank engine is based on the L&SWR B4 Class, in particular No. 30089 Trouville which had a reasonably ‘normal’ cab. Intended as an “entry level” loco in Gauge 1, the model is gas-fired with piston valves and has all the features you would expect from an Accucraft locomotive. The chassis is constructed from stainless steel, the boiler is copper and the cab and superstructure is made from etched brass. It carries a UK RRP of £800.00 and is available from Accucraft dealers in Britain and around the world.



The locomotive can negotiate curves down to 0.6m (24 ins) and has a centre flue boiler with a working pressure of 60psi. The valve gear is simulated Stephenson link activated by a piston reverse controlled by a lever in the cab. The boiler is fitted with a pressure gauge, two safety valves and a water gauge - the boiler can be topped up with a Goodall valve.

Versions available subject to production batch:

S32-8 – BR (Ex L&SWR) B4 0-4-0T No. 30089 in BR black, early emblem
S32-9 – BR (Ex L&SWR) B4 0-4-0T No. 30089 in BR black, late crest
S32-10 – BR (Ex L&SWR) B4 0-4-0T in black, unlettered
S32-11 – B4 0-4-0 Power Unit