George Dent provides an overview of Model Rail’s exclusive locomotive model and tries his hand at weathering a pair of industrial versions for his colliery-themed layout.
Model: Model Rail/Heljan Class 11
Price: £169 (get 10% off full-price models as a subscriber to the magazine)
Formerly BR 12052, this Class 11 – like many of its classmates – found gainful employment after withdrawal by BR, operating at Widdrington open cast mine, Northumberland, during the 1970s and 1980s.
No matter how good a new model locomotive looks straight out of the box, seeing it ‘in the wild’ of a scenic model railway, preferably with a bespoke weathered finish, can offer a more thorough test of its appearance.
Having put Model Rail’s most recent releases (Ruston & Hornsby ‘PWM’ and Hawksworth ‘16XX’) to this test over the past couple of years, the same treatment has been handed out to a couple of our new Class 11s.
The development of these exclusive models has been a fascinating journey, seeing them progress from CAD artwork, through various engineering prototypes and decorated samples. Now that the production models are here, it’s a thrill to see them running on a layout. And even more exciting to get my hands dirty – literally – by applying suitably grimy weathering to a pair of post ‐BR industrial versions.
Wearing National Coal Board orange, ex ‐BR 12099 worked at British Oak Disposal Point, near Wakefield. Adding a weathered finish really brings these new models to life.
The use of enamel washes serves to highlight all of the exquisite surface detail, while adding footplate crew provides the icing on the cake. While the LMS and BR livery versions look incredibly smart, and the WD options offer something a little different, I have a particular soft spot for the two industrial schemes, based on real ex-BR Class 11s that worked at open cast mining operations in Northern England during the 1970s and 1980s.
Out of the 15 different versions on offer, three feature high ‐quality factory-applied weathering. But if you fancy tackling the weathering yourself, here’s a rundown of how I treated my models, along with tips for removing the bodyshell and adding a few extra details.
What George used
SHOPPING LIST
◆ Modelu figures 9011 ‐076 Coal Miners Bundle (five figures)
Price: £18.00
Availability: www.modelu3d.co.uk
◆ Glue ‘n’ Glaze (£8.26), Roket Rapid cyanoacrylate (£7.50)
Availability:
Deluxe Materials stockists
Web: www.deluxematerials.co.uk
◆ AMMO by MIG enamel Dark Brown wash and thinners
Availability: Scale Model Shop
◆ RailMatch Paints 402 Frame Dirt, 412 Weathered Black, enamel thinners
Availability: Fox Transfers
TOOLS
◆ Miniature screwdrivers
◆ Tweezers
◆ Scalpel and spare blades
◆ Fine-nosed pliers
◆ Cocktail stick
◆ Cotton swabs
◆ Paintbrushes
◆ Airbrush and equipment (optional)
STEP BY STEP
1 Only simple tools are required to access the interior of the Class 11, to install a DCC decoder or to add crew. A small bag of extra details is supplied, plus a set of tension lock couplings to slot into the NEM sockets below the chassis.
2 Grip the battery boxes on each running plate firmly between finger and thumb and gently prise away from the body. This will reveal a small screw on each side, which need to be removed with a crosshead screwdriver.
3 A set of plastic clips holds the cab against the footplate. Gently twisting the cab from side to side will release them. Note the small packing pieces behind the cab footsteps. I recommend leaving these in place while handling the model.
4 Small clips also keep the nose end snug against the footplate, so a little jiggling of the bonnet will release them. The clips are designed to keep the gap between the body and chassis as neat as possible.
5 Lift the body away, and be gentle – there are cables within the bonnet. The cab and bonnet may come apart, but this is normal – just clip them back together. Be careful to not bend the sprung copper contacts inside the bonnet.
6 The supplied details include a cross brace that fits between the bottom corners of the front footsteps, plus a pair of cosmetic screw couplings which can be installed if dispensing with the tension locks. I used Glue ‘n’ Glaze.
7 Radiator filler pipes are provided for some later versions. To save on costs, mounting holes are not provided, so you may want to drill some. Instead, I cut the lugs away from the pipes and glued them to the nose, aligning them by eye.
8 Having painted the pipes yellow before fixing them in position, I then touched in the black areas to match the ‘wasp’ stripes, following prototype images found online. These pipes are only required on Class 11s without side ladders.
9 With the body removed, now’s a good time to add a crew to the cab interior. Having painted some Modelu figures, they were fixed to the inside of the cab body with Glue ‘n’ Glaze adhesive, and left overnight to cure.
10 For those wishing to have crew members leaning out of the side windows, gently prise the glazing out with the edge of a fresh blade. Don’t force it, or damage may result, but it should be easy to break the glue bond.
11 The cab side glazing panel can be cut with repeated passes of a sharp scalpel blade along the plastic. Once weakened, the parts can be broken apart. Retain the redundant panel in case you want to refit it at a later date.
12 Having re-affixed the door glazing panel using Glue ‘n’ Glaze, a suitable crew member is also fixed in position. The glue dries clear, so a generous blob around the feet and lower legs will provide a strong, discreet bond.
13 After checking the figure’s position, leave the bodyshell overnight to dry. To suit these colliery-based locomotives, I chose a pack of coal miner figures from Modelu, trimming away the lamps from the hard hats.
14 If you intend to weather your Class 11, it helps to treat the body and chassis separately. Make sure you’ve test-run your model first, especially if fitting a DCC chip. I began with an all-over coating of a dark brown enamel wash.
15 The wash coat was left for an hour or so before wiping most of it away with cotton swabs, leaving the dark pigment within the door and panel seams. Vertical strokes create authentic streaking, in line with gravity.
16 As much or as little of the weathering wash can be removed to suit your taste, dipping a swab into a small amount of thinners (use a brand tailored to suit the wash) if necessary. Don’t forget to treat the battery boxes too.
17 Careful use of the washes alone can produce great results. An airbrush can also be used to mist layers of grime over the body and chassis. I used two shades of RailMatch enamels, thinned and sprayed at a low pressure.
18 When the weathering paints are fully dry and the wheels have been cleaned, the model can be reassembled. Slide the body back over the chassis block, ensuring no wires are trapped, and clip the nose end lugs into the footplate.
19 Check that the nose end remains snug with the running plate while clipping the cab end into place. Take care handling the model at this stage, as the fine underframe detail is at risk of breakage, especially the cab footsteps.
20 Replace the screws in each side of the bonnet and gently push the battery boxes back into place. Note that each box is handed, so ensure they’re fitted to the correct side. These two industrial Class 11s are now ready for service!
Model Rail’s new Class 11 has been produced in conjunction with Heljan, recreating an important prototype in British diesel locomotive development.
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