When it came to painting my tender, I knew I had to use green paint, but which green?
It had to be from the fifties/sixties as which I remember, and possibly from preserved locos.
From my youth I knew it as Brunswick green - but this is not specific enough.
I checked online between different suppliers with no positive leads.
So I thought I would seek help from the Bulleid Builders Group.
That returned some suggestions from colour charts using BS and RAL shades.
Now armed with ideas of shades and numbers supplied by BBG colleagues, I took to the net again.
I had painted the frames with an acrylic car aerosol spray can, which I was pleased with the application, finish and durability.
So I pursued tracking down rattle cans in the shades advised.
It took me quite a long time to settle on a source, Brunswick green suppied by Humbrol, Halfords Brookland green, and from the RAL colour chart - RAL6020 from APS Hull found on our old friend Ebay.
I sprayed 3" x 3" areas on a sample on a piece sheet, 3 similar shades but very different.
I took this sample to the Bulleid festival at Swanage in July; here I held it up against the tenders of couple of engines (out the way of too many on lookers).
The clear winner was the colour RAL6020 paint.
After watching loads of videos on YouTube I built a plan of spraying primer and top coat of lots of thin coats, rubbing down in between each coat.
This is the secret: - If the ambient temperature is warm and dry, the spray paint dries very quickly enabling rubbing down properly with fine grit paper - wet.
I was able to build a good depth of colour and even avoided runs, within a few days.
The Lining
I think for me to brush or pen paint the lining would too big a task in both skill and tools, so I choose to apply transfers/decals.
This is another job I looked up on YouTube. I found lots of ways to apply the transfers, none show how to apply flimsy long straight lines.
I found a reel of old electrical tape which I could use to help keep the lines straight, the adhesive was not very strong, so it would not pull the paint off.
I planned out where the lines should be and applied the masking tape.
Silvering.
I have found through viewing YouTube that there is school of thought trapping air under the decal resulting in 'silvering'.
The transfer should be applied to a smooth gloss finish, a matt finish is made up of highs and lows therefore breaking up the reflected light and then trapping air. (I used satin finish paint).
There are various liquids on the market which can be applied to help the transfer to bed down and adhere.
I painted on the tender 'DecalFix' by Humbrol.
Application.
I used a long tray to soak my transfers then slipped them off the backing paper onto the tender, whilst the DecalFix was still wet, carefully manipulating into position with a wet paint brush.
When straight to the eye and the tape guide, I dabbed them dry with a kitchen towel.
Finishing.
There is a lot of information on YouTube about varnishing to seal the transfers, none succinct.
I needed to do some more experiments on my test sheet.
I got hold of a couple of rattle-cans of varnish and sprayed some transfers I'd laid on the sample sheet, they all had a reaction with the transfer and wrinkling them up.
This being no good I followed the other thing I saw on YouTube, being a water soluble wooden floor varnish.
Many videos refer to an American product; I thought there must be a UK equivalent.
I did find a product called Zep in one of the supermarkets.
So I tried this on the sample sheet and all was good.
Next I set up my spray gun, and sprayed the tender sides; only a couple of thin layers because the floor varnish is slightly milky.
That's it !
I am very pleased with the outcome and I did it myself, with a lot of help from various places.
I certainly now have enough confidence and know-how to tackle the locomotive casing.