Rolling stock, restoration and new build projects

@toplight
Have you tried "Paintman Paints" ?
- I had a long chat with the guy at the HRA conference this week, I've a sample to test* and I know Phil Anderson uses them.

Will report back !

 

https://paintman.co.uk/

I'm going to give them a try now that Williamsons have effectively disappeared.

 

Williamsons havent disappeared as such. They became part of Thomas Howe who I understand have now become part of a chinese company.

The main issue with Williamsons is consistency now. We had a bacth of GWR chocolate for a job, whilst the same colour. Each tin applied differently. We have also had issues with colour as well. Giving them the product number for Spec81, which hasnt changed in many years but getting a totally different shade.

 

We must have been lucky with top coats remaining fairly consistent, but undercoats have been all over the place, some very thick, and some going on almost translucent. Free delivery on orders over whatever value it was went quite some time ago too. Looking at Paintman the prices are still a bit higher - reds and maroons only by a small amount but Williamsons still significantly cheaper on others like chocolate and cream. So I don't think we'll be changing over yet, but I'll certainly be interested to see and hear people's experiences with Paintman.

 

No not tried it but I understand its made by HMG who also make the Craftmaster so I would be reluctant to buy. Found the HMG coach enamel very difficult to get a good result, tried thinning it out with their thinners and also putting some owatrol oil in. Covered well with lots of pigment but just very difficult to get it to go on evenly and dry without brushmarks. It doesn't help that I am painting wood so the surface is already uneven with the grain and not totally smooth like metal. Seemed somewhat better on metal. Wet and dried it between coats. It's frustrating when you put the work in but then stand back and are unhappy with the result. Will probably end up having to try and polish it to make it look reasonable.

Think in future will stick to paints made by PPG Johnstone's, Leyland etc. Always seem to like their paints which have used for the interior and also in my house and there is a Johnstone's decorator centre close by.

 

Interesting, I can get a very good finish with craftmaster's paints on wood.

 

They have a very good reputation in the world of classic cars, particularly Land Rovers.

I have used some of their coach enamel on our landrover, the colour match was OK- the finish was very good and the coating has stood up to a thoroughly miserable life on the rear arches of our Defender, which is used off road.

Chris

 

Looks like a young volunteer at Kirkby Stephen East is leading a project to build a new S&DR “Bouch” Brake Van:

 

What was the state of the track like that these vans were operating over?
When you look at the amount and location of grab handles.

 

Says they were operated over the Darlington section from 1863 to 1873

 

Little different to BR standard vans, apart from the odd curved one on the veranda end.

 

Not sure how that curved handrail would be of benefit to anyone.

 

The three on each side of the clerestorey roof must have been of relatively limited value, I would have thought.....

 

you stand on the lower hand rail on the body side, one hand on the upper grab rails and clean the windows with your free hand

 

I missed those.

 

I wondered if they were to steady yourself with one hand while changing the oil lamp? (Though it’s quite hard to imagine precisely how that was done - for a goods brake van you can’t just run along the rooves, unlike with carriages).

Tom

 

I've been reading the discussion about Mk 1s, 2s and 3s on steam specials. I was wondering if someone commissioned one of the modern train builders to design and build a rake of "heritage friendly" coaches to modern safety standards, what would the requirements be? I take it that the safety requirements are well understood, but what would people want for the "heritage friendly" aspects?

 

For me the ability to see, hear and smell the loco is paramount. so windows that slide open (with regret I accept the necessity not enought to stick heads out) and with cameras in various positions along the rake pointing at the loco and on the footplate with a series of livestreams

 

A vast, vast amount of money, that would make the cost of fitting CDL to every Mk1 in the country look like loose change!