Finishing three little wagons

The three little wagons have now been through the paint shop. I find paint covers much better over a primer, even when painting plain plastic, so all got a spray of grey automotive primer. Since they are destined to be used as part of the shunting puzzle on Loctern Quay, they each needed to look distinctive.

I decided to paint the steel open wagon in the "Dutch" yellow and grey livery once used by British Rail for their engineering department wagons. Of course, Loctern Quay is set pre-war long before British Rail, but it's a distinctive livery, and why not? I applied a coat of white, then of yellow onto the sides. When dry, Tamia masking tape was pressed firmly onto the upper part of each side, and another coat of the grey primer spray applied. This worked surprisingly well, and the primer is a good wagon grey colour. 

A piece of foam-core board cut to fit neatly in the wagon had the card face removed on one side, and the foam carved to a mound. Painted black, it was covered in ballast. The wagon was weathered, and had couplings and a little lead sheet fitted underneath. 

Looking for a recognisable load for the flat wagon I found a model cable drum in my bits box, it may be by Knightwing but I am not sure. It was painted, given a cotton thread "cable", and a supporting frame made from plastic strip. I've no idea if this is how a cable drum would be secured, perhaps a rope or two would be needed, but it looks plausible. The wagon got a bauxite brown livery, since most of my wagons are grey. 

The Corris-style van also got the bauxite/brown livery, and like the other wagons a basic weathering treatment of a well-thinned brown wash and a dusting of weathering powder. This had longer (Microtrains 1016) couplings fitted, since I had some (I'm running low on 1015s) and the buffer beams were very deep. 

 Finally of course, a wagon card was made up for each, so they can be used in the shunting puzzle.

So the new wagons are ready for service on Loctern Quay at Narrow Gauge South at Eastleigh tomorrow. Do say hello if you can make it.