0 gauge Grampus - some rusty thoughts

Well it was back to work with a thud this week, after enjoying a lovely extended xmas break and equally relaxing start to the new year.  With plenty of time off I started to make some real progress on  the long list of ongoing, unfinished, projects.  Two projects that made some real headway were the 0 gauge 13t sand wagon and the 0 gauge grampus wagon.

The first finished 0 gauge kit

The 0 gauge grampus wagon is now finished. I tried to create a well worn rusty look to the wagon, through multiple passes with the airbrush and lots of weathering.  The result I am reasonably happy with, I think it looks like a grampus wagon.  However, the more I was working on the body for this, the less happy I was with my rendition of a rust-effect on the wagon sides.

Part of my dissatisfaction for the rust appearances I am creating is the lack of relief that is caused by the use of airbrushed paints when simulating rust patches.  So I have started some experiments with the new Noch scenic rust kit.  I plastered this over a corrugated model roof this morning and am waiting to see the results.  I want to apply it to this wagon, but am worried about ruining the finish, so I am going to put the grampus in the  finished box and maybe return to it in a few months.

Consequently, I am considering applying the scenic rust to the sand wagon, which is having its first coats of varnish ready for the transfers.  It seems to me that to get the best out of the scenic rust you need to use it in a moderate way and work this into the painting of the wagon.  It also seems too coarse for 4mm, so I am going to build an 0 gauge Slaters 13t steel open or a Parkside 16t mineral wagon and have an experiment on this.  I think that I need to be confident about applying it before I use it on finished kits.

However, my first 0 gauge wagon rolls out of the workshop and I am delighted with it.  The detail and painting is fantastic and I already have backlog of 0 gauge kits to build and others ready for the paintshop.  The 0 gauge bug has well and truly bitten, and I think that I am looking more and more to 0 gauge.  In fact, I have an awful lot of 00 gauge stock in boxes in storage and I am considering selling some of this to fund further 0 gauge purchases, not least a JLTRT class 33....an 0 gauge shunting plank is definitely on the way.