Concrete Coaling tower - help to get the colour right
 

Hello Guys and gals
I'm now building a 1920's Midland Railway design Coaling tower to the same design (more or less) to the one that was at Rowsley MPD -17D.

I have roughed up a prototype to prove my measurements and will use the dimensions on a thick card model (this one is corrugated card so is solid)

I am at present trying to get a colour right for concrete that's about 40 years old and gets covered in steam and smoke regularly.

I have ONLY got Acrylic and Gouache paints available as well as a few rather old Humbrol paints but they don't go well on card

The prototype is in the photo's this will not be the model used

Only pic of any tower that I have, Gray, is this of the one at Immingham taken in July 1988, over twenty years after it was last used. Hope this helps.

Regards, 62440.

Morning Gray, have a look in my photo`s and you will find a couple of shots of the coaling towers at Carnforth taken a couple of years ago, I think they just might be able to help you, all the best.

Ta
that looks like a much bigger version to the Rowsley one how was it loaded ??

Same as the one at Carnforth, Gray, Wagon on a hoist up the outside of the tower and tipped over at the top into the bunker.

Regards, 62440.

Right the one I'm modelling has a tippler into a skip which is hoisted up the tower
Still trying to work out where the skip stops at

I like the look of this as it's not a tall building so fits in nicely with others it needs two tracks one for the loco's and one for the wagons but not normal track spacing it needs to be almost 100% more width between track centres which is not a problem


Got some ideas from RM web too so going to check out some textures they suggested for colouring

Madcaravanner, I was interested this week by a TV programme that I hadn't seen before on "Discovery Shed" called: Model Town.

One guy had weathered stone down to a tee! First, (on plastic) a brushing of dark wood colour and allow to dry.

Then, a "horizontal"..... quick spray of Acrylic Grey"


Followed by a "dabbing" (not brushing) of light wood colouring, then wait for the reaction to take place......Astounding!

I must try it sometime, the reaction takes place because of different materials it seems. Something like this may work for a "weathered concrete" effect. Look out for the programme and experiment!

I would never have thought about the process that he had discovered in a million years.....

Will give it a try what type of paint is the wood colours - - I can't get any discovery channels as we only have Freesat (and we are away in our Caravan until the weekend)

Took time to see the tanks at North Walsham but from the road could only see the loco

Forgive me Madcaravanner, I will have to come back to you on the details. He DID make the point that it was for PLASTIC only! This is because chemical reactions take place which wouldn't work on card. But I wondered whether (for instance) What would happen if card was first sprayed with a coating of Acrylic paint first.

As I remember for a weathered sandstone effect, a dark oak wood colour I think he said was painted all over the plastic sheet and left to dry. Then, an acrylic paint spray of mmmmh! I think green or grey is sprayed on lightly whilst holding the sheet at eye level, edge on, spraying very lightly across the surface. Leave to dry. The final application was a light wood colouring.....DABBED ON.....NOT BRUSHED! and wait to dry.

The surface bubbles up it seems and creates those nice green areas of moss etc drying to a textured finish which was shear magic.

He had scratch built a complete village in sandstone and applied similar treatments the slate roofs as well.

I do have the progs on HDD, if you can give an address (any convenient to you will do) and any name you like I'll be glad to burn them for you to DVD and send them along to you.

Did anyone else see this programme? "Model Town".....



AFTERTHOUGHT!

How do I change my details so that Emails can be passed on to me?.........Help!
UPDATE!
Madcaravanner....I think, hope, fingers crossed that I've just enabled you to contact me via the site. RES.