Weathering the Aust-N-Rail ELX

Photos: John Miller

Phase 1: Base Painting & Preparation

The auxiliary reservoirs and the bottoms of the sanded frames were brush painted with MODELFLEX “Light Tuscan Oxide Red” and the bogies were airbrushed with the same colour which is virtually a perfect match for the factory paint. The I beams and brass sections were airbrushed with MODELFLEX “UP Harbor Mist Grey” and the timber bolsters were brush painted with TAMIYA “Red Brown”.

I also brush painted the shunters steps, hand rails, uncoupling lever handles and the hand brake release levers with MODELFLEX “Reefer White”. The wagons and loads were airbrushed with TESTORS Dullcote prior to commencing the weathering.

Phase 2: Initial Weathering & Rust Effects

The bogies, interiors and under frames of the wagons along with the VLINE name panels were scrubbed with “Burnt Umber” powdered pastel and the exteriors were randomly brushed with the same colour and sealed with Dullcote.

The interior side walls were again scrubbed with the “Burnt Umber” pastel to represent a dark rust colour mostly devoid of paint as these wagons took a lot of punishment in steel traffic and their interiors were heavily rusted. The side sills under the door openings were coloured by a wash of orange water soluble coloured pencil and another coat of Dullcote was applied to seal the pastel.

Phase 3: Steel Loads & Finishing

The steel loads were weathered using “Burnt Umber” and “Burnt Sienna” pastel to represent light surface rusting and sealed with Dullcote.

Prior to fitting the steel loads the wagons were airbrushed with a number of coats of earth wash concentrating the colour more on the under frames and wagon ends where dirt is thrown up by the wheels followed by a number of coats of Dullcote. The steel loads were then fitted and the final touch was to brush the visible areas of the wagon floors with “Burnt Sienna” pastel which was left unsealed as it would not be subject to handling and I wanted to retain its full colour.