Lining out your Loco after Locolines Stopped Trading

[Redtail]

I was intending to get some tranfers for my Lawley recently, not knowing that Locolines had closed.
What do others use? I know Lightlines are available but what with the cost plus the posting of said loco,
it all starts to add up. What are lining pens like to use? Is it difficult to get a good finish with them?
Your thoughts chaps8|

 

[3Valve]

Quite a few forum memebrs have successfully used Trimline tape. here's my Caradoc lined out with Trimline

 

[Redtail]

Thanks Gareth I will have alook at that. Its a shame about Locolines, my Lady Anne looks very good. However lining out is not a job you look forward to doing:thumbdown: Unless thats just me.

 

[MRail]

Here's my Lawley with Trimline tape, and on the infamous gradient.

...and Wrekin.

I don't have the neatest technique, but it can be removed and re-applied until you're happy.
The thinnest line will take curves quite well.

 

[Redtail]

They both look fine. I think I will have to try some.

 

[MRail]

They both look fine. I think I will have to try some.

Easy, relatively cheap and if it goes belly-up it's no great loss, you still have the other options.

 

[New Haven Neil 2]

Chris Moxham does waterslide transfers for me to my spec - I can give you his e mail if you want by PM?

 

[MRail]

Neil,
Is this the lining, lettering, logos or all?
I would be interested.

 

[Redtail]

Hello Neil,
Yes I would be interested in getting in touch regarding these transfers.

 

[New Haven Neil 2]

Hi Guys

He does the lining as a selection of corners and straight lines, you cut and fit to suit.

All the lining, lettering and the crest are all Chris's work, I think he charged me £30, but that was for the artwork and a full A4 sheet of the transfers. You have to varnish them to protect them, and you need to be careful what you use, as some wipe the ink clean off! I can tell you what I used when I look at the bottle at home tonight, but it is Winsor & Newton acrylic of some kind. I'll PM you both tonight as I don't have Chris's e mail at work.

NHN

 

[tramcar trev]

I had considerable success with DIY Decals:

http://www.gscalecentral.net/m149076

Some pics of the finished linework here:

http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=148911&high=paint+shop < Link To http://www.gscalecentral....11&high=paint+shop

Not hard to do at all with a home PC and printer....

 

[Redtail]

Neil, I think this must be his web site am I right?
http://www.cbtransfers.co.uk If so for all those interested in transfers.

 

[jameshilton]

I might also suggest that lining with a bow pen is actually quite easy if you take your time and has the benefit of being able to adjust line thickness. You could (if you were brave) also try curved or fancy corners. My bow pen is a 25+ year old one used by my Grandma when she was a draughtswoman in the 1950s - I suspect however that they're not as expensive as a proper lining pen and more than capable of lining 16mm and G-scale models with some finesse!

 

[Redtail]

Thank you for the info regarding DIY transfers. May have a look at that. Nice job on the tramcar.
They could do with some of those in Edinburgh

 

[beavercreek]

The home made ones using laser decal paper have the advantage of ther inks not being prone to running (although if a sparay varnish is used sparingly this should not happen anyway) and is cheaper on ink. Obviously white on a clear background cannot be made unless you use an Alps,( OKi, or Citizen clone). But you can match the background colour to the loco/wagon that you are applying it to. If it is black then it is easier to match but there are many different blacks! Of course signs etc can be done as whole item including the background colour.

These were done using laser decal paper:

The signs as well as the climax were done using the decal papaer...it is very versatile and as long as it is not left in glaring sun all day, all year, without a few coats of matt varnish, the colours do last well

 

[New Haven Neil 2]

Neil, I think this must be his web site am I right?
http://www.cbtransfers.co.uk If so for all those interested in transfers.

Yup!!

 

[New Haven Neil 2]

Damn, forgot to look at the varnish tonight in the garage! Sorry!

 

[Redtail]

With the Locolines tranfers I used matt varnish produced by Phoenix Precision Paints.That has worked well.

 

[WKDOR]

Hi Mike, very impressive lettering on your locos for DIY laser decals - I assume these are all white on black or black outlines?

Can I ask whose decal paper have you trusted in which laser printer? Every time this subject is raised we get an avalanche of dire warnings, so any details of how you achieved such a positive result would be very welcome!

Mike

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Mike, very impressive lettering on your locos for DIY laser decals - I assume these are all white on black or black outlines?

Can I ask whose decal paper have you trusted in which laser printer? Every time this subject is raised we get an avalanche of dire warnings, so any details of how you achieved such a positive result would be very welcome!

Mike

Hi Mike
I use http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk < Link To www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk for the white and clear laser paper. I have tried others and this seems to have the best results for me. I use a Minolta-konica 1650 laser and have also used a 2350 as well as an HP jobbie.
I have had to find another supplier for the self-adhesive silver paper that use for streamliner coaches, RDC-3s etc as Crafty do not seem to do it anymore.
The decals either have a black outline or a white one when I use them for black locos. When doing other things like signs, obviously they can be any other colour. If I have to match the background colour I have now set the output from my iMac screen, Photoshop CS5 profile, the printing output settings for the printer and my camera images to give as near a match as possible so it makes it easier to take a photo in grey daylight and then create a decal with a background that matches the object that it is being stuck onto.
Of course even well varnished decal signs will eventually start to fade a bit so the colour will obviously then change.
If I have painted the building or car that the decal is going on to, I will also then paint over the applied decal (very carefully) to match the background even better..but this is infrequently and usually only happens if the decal fades due be left out all year.

If you like cattle/stock cars then this is what I would just love to be able to do........ Four locos...one hell of a load of beef!!