O GAUGE ON A BUDGET?

As mentioned in Bobcom’s post, i had some Lima wagons arrive today for a little project to show how you could put together a few o gauge wagons for around £50 - £60 that don’t look to toy like, with a few hours work and some basic painting techniques.
These techniques could be used on any gauges to put some new life into old or damaged wagon.

So this is what arrived.

I paid £7 - £9 each for these 6 wagons. I try and buy ones with all the buffers which will save time and money. I can always change them at a later date.

This batch had one of the later type of body fixings. The older ones have a large screw with holds the coupling to the chassis and then screws into the body, the later ones have a small screw holding the coupling in place and the body just clips into the chassis. I think most of the oo gauge Hornby wagons use the same method.

All the coupling screws removed and the chassis’s split from the bodies revealed 3 missing weights, not to hard to replace, I use a sheet of thin lead like flashing from Bunnings, easy to cut / snap with a Stanley blade.

12 Lima couplings available....anyone ?

First job is to remove the huge coupling mounting block. I use a small saw and Stanley blade to cut them out. Then just a quick clean up with a file. Drill a small hole in the buffer beam ready to accept a coupling hook and three link chain, my chosen method for coupling.

Next job is to remove the decals. You can paint over them, but I’ve found that they will show through on close inspection. I’ve found that if you wash the bodies in hot soapy water then use a Stanley blade and scrap gently that they come off very easily.

Some decals are “printed” on the wagon, this type i removed with a very fine sheet of wet and dry rubbing up and down the wagon side, not side to side.

It doesn’t take long to do them. I then give them another hot soapy wash to remove any remaining bits.

My preferred way to paint them is to first spray them with an enamel etching primer. The one I use is a medium grey colour.

I use a hair dryer to dry them to speed the painting / weathering process up. Next I add the white stripe to the tipper end. Again when doing several wagons I tape them together, add the fine Tamiya masking for the stripe, plus some cheap decorating masking tape to mask off the rest of the wagon, then a quick blow over with a white paint rattle can.

Out with the hair dryer, then remove the tape. I don’t worry about been exactly perfect here as the final process hides any errors.

Now the fun part. Using just three acrylic colours, Burnt umber, Raw sienna and Black plus some water, a piece of foam / or a large brush and a box of tissues.
I dab the sponge (I use the pliers to hold the sponge because I hate touching the stuff !!) in and out of the three colours and then just dab it all over the model, one side at a time.

Don’t panic !! remember if you think you have stuffed up, it will wash off the model with water. Remember the words of the TV artist Boss Ross, “ there’s no mistakes, only happy accidents”

Now use a tissue and wipe vertically down the model side, the more you rub the more you remove, just have fun with it

If you don’t like it you can brush the model with a wet brush and “move” the paint around, or dab some more on. But make sure every part of the wagon is covered with paint before wiping it off.

Again the hair dryer is used to dry the wagon, then any bits missed or bits that need altering can be attended to. Once happy I dry it again then mix up some more paint and using a large brush I paint the inside of the wagon. Normally it takes two coats to achieve the desired effect.

One of the yellow wagons was in mint condition, so other than a quick wash and removing the Lima coupling and adding a three link chain and hook, I’m leaving it for the new owner to decide whether to keep it as is or paint it.

The wheels on these wagons are plastic. I have given them a good clean and they will be re fitted. You could change them to metal ones, but as this is a budget rake of wagons to help some one start off in o gauge, it make sense to use them to keep the cost down.
3 link Coupling hooks can be purchased from several suppliers quite cheaply. I’ve used spares that come with the peco kits I’ve built over the years.


Kim

 

Cheers Andy

 

Cheers Gary, yes correct.

 

Good tip Bob. Yes these can be run as empties, but I will make some removable loads to give the new owner the option.

 

The bodies once dry where then glued to the chassis and left over night to dry. This morning the chassis were dry brushed with some acrylic, wheels added and then tested on Lord Street Depot.

They run very smooth and close coupled. (I’ve used fixed three link coupling so if you do have a crack at converting some wagons and you have tight curves you will need to use a sprung coupling other wise the wagons will buffer lock and derail)

Next job to make some loads for them.......

Kim

 

Cheers Ralph.
Removable loads made and fitted today.

Kim

 

Cheers Ian

 

Cheers Toto,

 

Cheers Pete

 

Yes I would agree with you, I have 20 Lion Heart & Dapol mineral wagons now, 17 wagon plus a brake van is really my limit in the storage siding, but on Ralph’s garden layout we have between us I think 24 which does look nice running around.