Shiny plastic brick/ stone needs weathering

Hi All.  We have all traveled on trains? Or how did we get into Railways? Dirty smokey things, but essential.For my current project,  I have purchased a pair of shiny plastic portals . Not very convincing,and require years of grime and smoke applied by me in a days.  By an old fashioned paint brush and me. Can anybody please point me in the correct direction?  Best wishes Kevin 

I painted this one with a dirty red-brown colour from the standard Humbrol range of enamels, then took to it with various weathering powders in the dark earth and dark rust hues, with some grey and black tones thrown in as well. I did a little more after this photo (second photo). The first one shows the raw, unpainted plastic (just in the background, as the tunnel wasn't really the main subject of the photo!).


LBSC Terriers Compared - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Tunnel Improvements - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


I used the same techniques on the retaining walls alongside the programming track, only this time the base colour was a dark slate grey.


IMG_20180128_131441 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Note that it doesn't hurt to have some darker, glossy streaks and patches to represent damp patches.

With the use of the weathering powders, if you don't like the effect, it can be washed and scraped off again. Alternatively, you could start with some scrap pieces of the materials and textures you wish to use (something similar to the tunnels you wish to use), then paint and weather them before settling on the final effect to be applied. 

Hi Jeff. Thank you very much. That is some great advice, and I will have to head for my local model shop. And hope that I can replicate your results.  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Jeff. I ordered two tunnel portals from Hattons The portals arrived, they are made of soft plastic  now I am not certain about fixing them to the plywood “ scenic break “ , If I select the wrong adhesive it may melt the plastic, would you please advise me. Best wishes Kevin 

If you've got a hot glue gun that should be ok as it dries/goes hard straightaway.Perhaps try on a small area first.

Hi Alan. Thank you. I do have a Hot Glue Gun and I will try it.  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi All. I have made a discovery  with my cheap and cheerful portals, on a backside of the portals there is a groove, ready made for a “ tunnel lining? “ brick would look nice but black would do. As long as it is durable, with clumsy me around it. Has anyone got any ideas please???  Best wishes Kevin 

How about a plastic bottle or a cornflake packet cut up.

Thank you, good thinking there Alan I will have to investigate the possibility’s. Scenery is another world to me.Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Kevin

Crinkled-up foil on a cardboard former made from a corn flake packet or similar held in shape with elastic bands or masking tape. Then apply a couple of coats of plaster cloth (old-school would use Papier-mâché) over the foil. When set remove tube, paint the crinkled foil rock color. It looks very realistic. Not all tunnels were lined with brick, many were left bare rock, especially if it was a dry bore.

With a bit of practice you can dispense with the cardboard former if you use heavy duty foil.

SE Finecast sell some to-scale OO flexible brick sheets that you can easily do the same with.

Nigel

Hi Nigel. Thank you for that info. My tunnel/ tunnels won’t be very long, just for effect, of going into a very black hole, not in outer space, or I would never see the train again.  I was thinking about “ some sort of wide flexible hose “ ?? Or very flexible doors that a train can push away in passing???  Best wishes Kevin 

In a pinch you could also cover the cardboard former with brick or rock pattern printed on paper

Hi Zelda.  Thank you. I had been weighing up between a really old smoky tunnel and a smart clean brick lining.But, because it is going to be rather short, and it will not be a “ Black Hole “ like all good tunnels should be , the “balls are still up in the air “?    Best wishes Kevin 

For inside the tunnels, I use card with either brick or stone paper.

For the glue, I play safe and use PVA.

Hi Jeff  . Thank you. As this is a portable/stowable plank module, the tunnels will be unbelievably short, only to be attached when the plank modules are set up. That is the Inglenook and Fiddleyard clamped together.  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Alan. Thank you for your input but since I began this Tunnel thread, I have found a more suitable pair of Portals, and returned those that I purchased from Hattons. Now I will have to rethink the tunnel idea. The portals are made by Noch, I don’t know if they are good or bad? But if I can get it done a bit of PVA and flock should work wonders.   Best wishes Kevin   PS I had better check on the suitability of PVA and or hot melt glue.

PVA should not affect any of the materials tunnel mouths can be made from. Hot glue will be mostly good, but I would avoid using it if the tunnel material is expanded polystyrene or the similar foam material some manufacturers use.

Hi Jeff. Thank you very much. My new portals are supplied by Gaugemaster from Noch and are made of hard foam, they are probably “ Old Hat “ and very familiar to most Modellers, but, to me they look excellent. It is a pity about the source of the product.  Best wishes Kevin 

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Jeff. Thank you very much. My new portals are supplied by Gaugemaster from Noch and are made of hard foam, they are probably “ Old Hat “ and very familiar to most Modellers, but, to me they look excellent. It is a pity about the source of the product.  Best wishes Kevin

 
what does that mean Kevin ?

Hi Ron.  Thank you for your reply. That  means  that a lot of Modellers of my acquaintance are not keen on Gaugemaster. I don’t know why, they seem okay 👌 to me. Maybe some of them have had a bad experience Best wishes Kevin