Factory weathering

Bealman · July 18, 2015, 03:15:01 AM

Thanks for that snippet! I certainly did not know that, yet alone ever given thought to it, but it makes sense!

Cheers,

George

scruff · July 18, 2015, 09:52:42 AM

To my mind the Dapol Western has the best weathering I've ever seen on a RTR model.

http://www.ehattons.com/74776/Dapol_2D_003_011_Class_52_diesel_locomotive_D1009_Western_Invader_in_BR_Blue_with_full_yellow_end/StockDetail.aspx

I had to fight the temptation to buy one of these when I saw them!

Cheers
Mark

austinbob · July 18, 2015, 10:00:08 AM

Quote from: JasonBz on July 18, 2015, 12:51:05 AM
Most factory "weathering" is a dash of uniform dirty brown blown over from a air brush, its not weathering as such.

Ok Jason - here's one I did earlier !!!!
[smg id=27216 type=preview align=center caption="Weathered 9F"]
This is definitely not a rough airbrush of dirty brown!!
I'm not sure if Farish or Dapol would want to go to this extreme.
This was taken at Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway in 1995 to commemorate the end of steam.
Not done with an airbrush I suspect!!.
The 'weathering' is a bit overdone in my opinion but the picture demonstrates how subjective peoples' opinions of what proper weathering is.

davidinyork · July 18, 2015, 10:05:15 AM

Quote from: newportnobby on July 17, 2015, 09:11:32 PM
BTW - Dapol do weathered locos. The 9F, Western, Hymek and class 22 spring to mind immediately.
The Western and the class 22 are very, very good.

I'd forgotten them. I suppose the main difference is that Dapol normally do unweathered locos in the same livery at around the same time, whereas with Bachmann/Farish the weathered version can be the only on they've done for several years.

Roy L S · July 18, 2015, 11:08:41 AM

Probably the best steam loco weathering I have seen on a RTR N model is that on the Dapol 9F, all those I have seen look very good indeded.

I am not too unhappy with my Farish stuff (B1, J39, WD) probably the best of the three is the J39.

Roy

MJKERR · July 18, 2015, 12:52:35 PM

Quote from: davidinyork on July 17, 2015, 09:04:21 PM
What do people think of Bachmann's practice of releasing models with factory weathering?

Duplicate topic, already discussed :
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=8766.0

NeMo · July 18, 2015, 12:57:05 PM

Quote from: mjkerr on July 18, 2015, 12:52:35 PM
Duplicate topic, already discussed :
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=8766.0

Who cares? That's an old topic (2012, so three years out of date) and the examples of factory weathering we're discussing here are different (and arguably better).

A forum isn't a book. It doesn't have an index. It doesn't cost money to create new pages. If you're going to direct someone to an older set of posts, instead of dismissing the present one as a "duplicate", why not simply observe, "we discussed this a few years back; some of those posts there might interest you".

Cheers, NeMo

Bealman · July 18, 2015, 01:23:53 PM

Thanks, Nemo. The forum is basically a living breathing thing with a membership around the world.

Time zones are different.... me, for example!

But that is the whole point..... as NeMo says, just go with the flow and learn things on the way!

Oh, and have fun with the banter, too.

George

Sprintex · July 18, 2015, 01:57:35 PM

Topics merged as it's all relevant to the discussion

Paul

Skyline2uk · July 18, 2015, 07:46:45 PM

I fully appreciate the policy of weathering for those who want it and pristine for those who don't.

What annoys me (as I think others have said) is that Farish sometimes (actually increasingly often) don't offer a pristine version of a loco / livery when they do a weathered one. The upcoming 158's in Regional spring to the front of my mind. This would be a "must have" for me, but not if they only offer a grubby one.

I personally have 100% pristine fleet, but regard moving onto weathering as the "next stage" of my n gauge journey. Seriously thinking about how I can afford some of the work of Mercig (I saw a Dutch livery class 47 that he had done at TINGS last year, it was a thing of beauty) to have a look at how it should be done.

Of course, SOME of my fleet will always be gleaming (92!)

Skyline2uk

Newportnobby · July 18, 2015, 08:21:41 PM

When I originally ordered the Farish Royal Scot (ref 372-579) it was because the catalogue at the time stated it was to be 'heavily weathered'.
This now seems to have been downgraded to just 'weathered'

The other thing I've noticed about the earlier Farish weathering is that it can easily rub off with handling.

Bealman · July 18, 2015, 11:39:03 PM

Yes, I've noticed that on some of my stock.

PLD · July 19, 2015, 12:40:31 AM

Quote from: davidinyork on July 17, 2015, 09:04:21 PMWhat do people think of Bachmann's practice of releasing models with factory weathering? This seems to be something they are doing with increasing number of locos in both gauges recently.

They are increasing the output of weathered models because experience has told them they sell! And on that basis they would be silly not to... As you say -

Quote from: davidinyork on July 17, 2015, 09:04:21 PMthey must have done research on what people want

Quote from: davidinyork on July 17, 2015, 09:04:21 PMThere are a number of recent / current / forthcoming Bachmann/Farish models which I would have bought but won't because they are weathered - I simply don't like them weathered

That is your opinion (which you are perfectly entitled to hold), however some others have different opinions (which they are equally entitled to); neither of you is 'wrong' - such is the nature of the hobby and the customer base the manufacturers have to deal with...

Quote from: Skyline2uk on July 18, 2015, 07:46:45 PM
What annoys me (as I think others have said) is that Farish sometimes (actually increasingly often) don't offer a pristine version of a loco / livery when they do a weathered one.

It must be emphasised however that there has never been a model/livery combination produced ONLY in a weathered version. Every weathered model released to date by the big two manufacturers has had a 'clean' equivalent, albeit with a different running number and sometimes not released simultaneously. (more often than not, the clean version preceded the weathered one by a year or so). In the same way that not every possible livery is released simultaneously, but they do appear eventually for those with patience...

Quote from: davidinyork on July 17, 2015, 09:04:21 PMDapol don't (so far as I know) supply anything weathered, and Hornby only do it occasionally.

Incorrect - in fact Dapol were the first to do it in N and have released a far greater proportion of their range with a weathered option...

This is a topic done several times on different forums and unfortunately some of the comments from the 'anti' camp do come across as suggesting that "because they don't like it, it shouldn't be offered as an option for those who do". This thread hasn't (so far) quite descended to that level but some comments are heading that way. Please remember that it is an option in addition to the clean version and to date has never been the only option...

jpendle · July 19, 2015, 12:41:10 AM

I think on some models weathering is essential. How many clean silver bullets do you see? I was also shocked to discover that the Megafrets are light blue underneath all that grime.
Locos and passenger stock seems to be cleaned much more frequently.

Regards,

John P

Skyline2uk · July 19, 2015, 08:05:37 AM

@PLD

Happy (as ever) to be proved wrong, it's just that the pristine Reginal 158 is not listed at all in future releases. If weathered models sell well then it makes absolute sense that Bachman only do that version at first if there are limited production slots.

As I said nothing against the choice being offered (that's a good thing) so long as it continues to be a choice

Skyline2uk