The GWR 1854 ST is now done. To recap, this is a much modified Finecast body on a Bachmann chassis.
The original plan was to find an acrylic spray paint that gave a suitable representation of the pre-1928 green. When that failed, I was recommended the Belton bottle green which has the RAL code used for landrover green. However, while this and some of the others looked fine outside in the sun, they all looked wrong under my layout lights.
Eventually I reverted to good old brush painting. Not my best effort but I can live with it.
Lining is HMRS Pressfix. I never use the preprinted shapes as they rarely fit. Instead I cut out individual bits and piece them together.
I know some people don't like Pressfix. Personally I feel that it gives good flexibility and leaves no traces of film.
The number plates are from Narrow Planet. You enter the number you need on their website and receive the plates pre-painted. We have it easy these days. No. 1853 is for a future model of an 1813 class.
I was going to fit a cab sheet, but on the photos I have of 1854s none actually have a cab sheet, so unless further evidence turns up I’ll leave it off. The fire irons are the Springside set for tank locos.
Incidentally, I saw this nice fire irons fret by DJM on Mark’s RM Web blog, and ordered some from Kernow. They turned out to be a bit too long for this particular loco, but will find use on my 3232 class.
Here she is messing about on the new layout. In my defence, there is progress at the other end of it!