Now wearing LMS livery, the Johnson 0-4-4 looks pretty smart. Needless to say the finishing was a bit fraught. Transfers wouldn’t stick down properly – only showing when I started varnishing !
Thankfully some Microset & Microsol (never can work out the difference) bedded them down and I made sure the varnish sealed them in !
Getting a good match in sheen between the tank sides and the rest of the body was fiddly as well. It turned out too shinny despite the use of the same satin varnish. The weathering coat had some matt included in it to cure this. A weak mix of brown/grey/varnish blending everything together. I try to avoid the very even dirt that the RTR makers apply. Some of the letters & numbers are cleaner than others – the shed cleaner has wiped them with his cloth !
In conclusion (read back in the blog for the full story), this is a nice but old fashioned kit. If I do another the chassis will be re-worked a bit to allow for cab detail but that’s the main change. The result is certainly a very handsome locomotive and one I’m quite proud of.
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