Peco KNR-50. My messed up modern image.

[jacowin80]

So after a few years of thinking do I??? Yesterday I finally took the plunge and decided to buy 11 Peco KNR-50 kits.  The reason I decided on this was due to the rising costs of new RTR models and getting sick of waiting for things to be released.  I have also found it hard to get discontinued items and of course the prices of these things second hand can be astronomical!  So after placing the order yesterday with a certain Merseyside retailer and using the standard delivery service (DHL) my parcel arrived today.  The kit is very, very easy to put together and I would recommend to anyone who has held back on this type of thing.  A good place to start. 

So why have I called this messed up modern Image?  That is where what I am going to do with my new kits come in.  I have been playing around on my computer and have been making the graphics to mock up the castle cement JPA.  I'm also planning on adding a few details etc to make it look a little like the real thing.  Yes I know my little tanker is know where near the size of a JPA but to me it will look good and I will be happy to know that I made it.  Also what will bring a big smile to my face is knowing that I have a rake of 11 for less than £50!  Pictures will hopefully follow if it's not to embarrassing.  I may also be asking for help as I have never done any thing like this before!  Thanks in advance,
James.

[Bealman]

Good luck! Looking forward to the pics 

[Newportnobby]

Good reasoning and a sound plan
I'd like to see pics, too, please.

[jacowin80]

Thank you both so far. I was ready to be getting them sorted in a hurry so popped to Halfords yesterday to buy some Matt white spray paint. Looking at the kit though I have decided not to use this on the body. Tomorrow night I am going to spray all the ladders white so they don't look so shiny and black!  Does anyone know of a good brand of clear decal paper?  They all seem to get mixed reviews on Amazon. Thank you all again in advance.

[njee20]

You know the Castle JPAs are not white, they're grey? Something like rail grey (the lower bodyside on triple grey locos) probably isn't too far out.

If you're looking to copy a wagon of theirs (even vaguely), then the PCA is much closer to the KNR-50 than the JPA is. It's just a two-axle wagon rather than a bogie one for a start.

Good luck with the project! I've used Crafty Decal Paper before (I think it's called that) and it's been fine.

[Dizz]

Good luck with the kits, I'm sure you will enjoy making and then running them (I do - have made up quite a few customised decent rakes )
This is my latest batch currently under construction:


The only thing to watch out for is over tightening the little nuts that hold the body and chassis together: the plastic pegs shear off very easily.

I use this inkjet decal paper:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inkjet-Water-Sheets-Transparent-Printer/dp/B06WRPSGCX/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1547816968&sr=8-3&keywords=decal+paper+inkjet
It is a thicker than commercially produced water slide transfers (especially after a couple of coats of sealer) so doesn't conform to detail so well, but this can be overcome with some judicious nicks with a scalpel and a second application of Decal Fix and after an overall coat of matt varnish they seem to blend in well. 
At the end of the day it works fine for me

[PLD]

Does anyone know of a good brand of clear decal paper?  They all seem to get mixed reviews on Amazon. Thank you all again in advance.

the Quality of home-printed transfers depends as much on the printer you are using as the brand of paper...

I've found that for unfathomable reasons, my Epson Photo printer (5 colour) gives best results on White paper, but the HP printer (3 colour) using the setting for OHP transparencies is better on clear paper...
Make sure you are using paper specified for your type of printer i.e. Ink Jet/Laser.

[jacowin80]

After a hard day at work I haven't managed to get any work done on the tankers this evening, however a search of the web found this....

quite an interesting watch and maybe a good way to avoid buying the decal paper.  I did also think that the end effect with the fade etc would be a good weathered effect.  I shall be giving it a try on some plastic first to see the results.  Just need to buy the varnish.

Thank you to @njee20 on the little note about the real things not been white.  Looking at the tankerI have made up on the layout tonight I released that the model is just to white!  I watched a rake go down the settle to Carlisle at work on Wednesday and was trying to get a grasp of the color.  I did say white but after you have said grey it seems to make more sense.  Very light grey i'd say with a good weathering of the cement and general railway dirt.  Thanks again to all involved so far, I have a busy week ahead (work/pleasure trip away) so hopefully will be back to the tankers late next week and lots of pics to follow. 

[jacowin80]

So finally have managed to get three of these done after some time away.  I had a trip to hobycraft and bought a 'french grey' spray can which to me seems an Ok match.  I have used to method in the video above for the logos.  I have decided I am going to weather these ones as the logos aren't quite as sharp as I would want them to be.  Also I think I could get them that little bit straighter but quite happy for my first attempt.

[Friarjunction21]

Just registered today and saw your post,interesting,i have at the moment just completed 3 of these KNR-50 kits finished in black and weathered to use as the tankers for the Hunslet Barclay weed killing train as the Farish set are impossible to get,have searched for dry white rub on lettering to add to the tankers,reading "WATER ONLY",the only ones that seem available are by woodland scenics and hard to find-anyone have another suggestions please?

[Newportnobby]

@Friarjunction21
Might be worth having a word with Fox Transfers. I did look but couldn't see any but a call might produce something. Welcome to the forum BTW!

https://fox-transfers.co.uk

[nookfield]

as the Farish set are impossible to get

The Farish 'Weed Killing Train' Tank wagon (373-781) hasn't been released.

Model Railways Direct have it listed as due for release in April 2019. Not too bad as it was only announced 2 years ago in the 2017 catalogue.

[jacowin80]

 

Just registered today and saw your post,interesting,i have at the moment just completed 3 of these KNR-50 kits finished in black and weathered to use as the tankers for the Hunslet Barclay weed killing train as the Farish set are impossible to get,have searched for dry white rub on lettering to add to the tankers,reading "WATER ONLY",the only ones that seem available are by woodland scenics and hard to find-anyone have another suggestions please?

Have you tried printing your own transfers?  I have used the method in the video above on the ones pictured but I did get a better result using water slide transfers and completed the other 8 tankers with water slides.  You would have to use white water slide paper and print a black background?  I did think about using this kind of technique to convert some transit vans into story rail vans (blue vans with white font) but think it could be hard to colour match with the van paint,  would be much easier to do with black though and a little weathering would help it blend.

[Paul-H]

Hi

The video above was a nice blast from the past, I used that method in the 70's to add images to custom painted motor bikes and helmets. Used to use it to attach images from magazines.

It worked well and I had completely forgotten about it, till I watch the video above.

Paul

[Friarjunction21]

Thanks for the input newportnobby and for looking,will investigate and look at Fox,even if just to see what they do