I'm fairley new to modeling and I would like to get your opinions on a few things. My main topic the red branch line coaches. I'm considering purchasing three Annie or Clarabel coaches to fashion into the red branch line coaches. I want to file down their noses and re-paint them into the red color. My question to you guys is, What color should I use (and brand) of paint and is their a specific way to file down thier noses? My second question is what engine should shoudl I purchase? I want either Henry, Douglas, or Duck. Ideas?
For an engine to pull the red coaches I would definitely wait for Duck's release. Throughout the third and fourth seasons the Western engines pulls those coaches and they have a gorgeous contrast to the green of those characters.
I think just a piece of sandpaper would do. Also Duck would be the best candidate. Thomas has also been seen pulling them in "Paint pots and Queens".
You can file down there face with a fine model file. The coaches are more of a brownis red, after fading.
With just sandpaper you'd probably be at it all day - use a model file if you can, and use sandpaper to smooth out the surface of the model once you've filed away the nose.
In terms of paint, it's very difficult to tell what exact shade to use (there are some paints out there which match exactly, however they're either gloss or auto-laquer etc).
I would suggest (this is just a very quick guess, take some time to look around yourself as well) either:
Humbrol EWS Maroon/Red: (Later Seasons of the TV Series)
(http://www.humbrol.com/_images/assets/product-directory/product-detail-thumbnail/paint_splat_543_acrylic_9d0a0e.jpg)
Humbrol Signal Red: (Earlier Seasons of the TV Series)
(http://www.humbrol.com/_images/assets/product-directory/product-detail-thumbnail/paint_splat_280_acrylic_D74133.jpg)
Humbrol Virgin Red: (Mixture perhaps?)
(http://www.humbrol.com/_images/assets/product-directory/product-detail-thumbnail/paint_splat_546_acrylic_d71921.jpg)
If you can get in touch with users CrovansGateOO9, Robtheredengine and/or bluecoatscheesypoofs on YouTube, they might be able to tell you what paints they used for their projects (if I recall, bluecoatscheesypoofs actually mentions the paint he used for his project in his project video - I think it was Model Master's Flame Red).
JWR3001