[paulpaul]

Hi folks,
I have dug out a pretty large collection of old Hornby O gauge locos, carriages, wagons etc, and a couple are in a pretty sorry state!

What I wondered, despite hours of searching on the interweb, was how I should go about renovating them?

Firstly, I'm not sure if this is frowned upon by serious collectors (probably!) but would it really destroy any value they may have?

The roofs of some of the carriages are pretty rusty, and I would like to have them gleaming again.

What I am very surprised at is the fact there is literally NO information on the web about this process. I have googled just about every possible connotation of restore/repaint hornby and there is NOTHING coming up!

Some roofs are an off-white colour, and some are grey-Is there a colour code for this so I can get a matching paint?

And is there any special technique for painting the tinplate or can I just prepare the surface and go ahead and spray them? Also, should there be a varnish applied over the top?

If any knowledgable folks can shed any light on this I would be most appreciative!

PS If anyone wants to take any off my hands before i 'destroy' them, please let me know!

Cheers, Paul

 

[Brian Considine]

Hi Paul - I have no idea at all on the pros/cons of restoring the "O" stock or going about it.

What I can do though is to welcome you to MRF.

I'm sure that some of the members here will be able to help.

 

[7113]

Hi Paul

Restoration of old stock is always a touchy subject, and without knowing what you actually have it will be difficult for anyone to advise accurately. Some old Hornby O is collectable and has value, other items are not. My personal opinion would be if you want to repaint the roofs - go ahead, if they are as battered as you say I can't see it having any major detrimental effect.

Regards

 

[paulpaul]

ok thanks for that-I may just go ahead and repaint them then!

Ive made some nice mahogany display cases with some track and buffers for them, so I guess since im not selling them, it makes no odds to repaint them!

Cheers again

Paul

 

[leicester thumper]

i will say go for it

me and my dad have done this a fair few times now with rolling stock, and we would say heed warning that some spray paints might react when sprayed on, so we recommend stripping it right back to bare metal, priming it, then spraying it, wet and dry if necessary! we have found that though not an exact match, Halfords car spray cans do quite a good job.

also just watch some of the lithographing, as any rust will damage this and remove the lithograph, so in this scenario, a rag and some oil is a good idea

anyway good luck with this and if you want anymore tips and help then please PM me, i may be able to help, as i have friends who collect this stuff and carry spares, if need be.

LT

 

[trixybe]

Hi folks,
I have dug out a pretty large collection of old Hornby O gauge locos, carriages, wagons etc, and a couple are in a pretty sorry state!

What I wondered, despite hours of searching on the interweb, was how I should go about renovating them?

Firstly, I'm not sure if this is frowned upon by serious collectors (probably!) but would it really destroy any value they may have?

The roofs of some of the carriages are pretty rusty, and I would like to have them gleaming again.

What I am very surprised at is the fact there is literally NO information on the web about this process. I have googled just about every possible connotation of restore/repaint hornby and there is NOTHING coming up!

Some roofs are an off-white colour, and some are grey-Is there a colour code for this so I can get a matching paint?

And is there any special technique for painting the tinplate or can I just prepare the surface and go ahead and spray them? Also, should there be a varnish applied over the top?

If any knowledgable folks can shed any light on this I would be most appreciative!

PS If anyone wants to take any off my hands before i 'destroy' them, please let me know!

Cheers, Paul

Hi Paul I am in the same boat I have been given old O gauge Models that have extensive damage and paint corrosion from rust.
I am not daunted by value issues as these items are usually old and not very saleable so I just strip and repaint them. If the model is not too far gone just a light clean with rubbing alcohol does wonders and then I spray them with silicone. If there is extensive rust damage and most of the lithography is gone then you need to strip them entirely.

Taking apart tinplate models is tricky as you have to be careful not to break small tabs that hold the model together. If rust has already damaged the tabs you may not be able to save them. You can use super glue when putting them back together. I usually use a bath of phosphoric acid ready mixed from hardware stores to remove rust and old paint. There are other methods described on youtube clips. Place the flat items in the bath overnight and then clean of the item under water. Phosphoric acid bath can be reused a number of times just strain it back into bottle each time to take all the rust and paint debris out.

I usually spray paint a gray sealing undercoat on tin plate models to prime them before spraying them them with the colour I want. I match enamel spray paints from Bunnings in the dulux range as they are quick drying. You can also use Tamiya acrylic paints or Car duco touch up paints which take a long time to dry. The main issue in finishing models is linework and decals as these are not easily sourced. Microscale have many different decal sheets that you may find useful for line work. On some models I have used Sharpie Permanent Ink Markers for gold lining with good success. It does rub off enamel paint easily however but you can touch it up.

Motors are another issue usually they need new brushes, a good clean with rubbing alcohol and re-oiling off gears. I avoid taking them apart as this often requires a wheel puller which I don't have. You can clean the armature facing through the brush holder holes with a cotton but dampened with rubbing alcohol.