Are Model Trains Better With Weathering?

[@Damien.D]

Sam : "I don't like weathering" same Sam : "i've invented physical weathering where wood planking looks like a one hundred years old coffin taken out of its grave. Maggots available in detailing bag" ;)

[@agentM1991]

In my humble opinion I prefer model trains that are weathered. It makes it simulate that the train whether it be a freight car or locomotive was outside working for a period of time. It adds a sense of realism to your layout.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing - it sure adds a lot to the realism! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@WendyFunnell]

In my opinion, it suits diesels better.

[@WendyFunnell]

@SamsTrains My real name is Christian, not Wendy, that is the name of my mum, there was a slight oopsie when my tablet was getting set up when it was brand new.

[@WendyFunnell]

@SamsTrains And I'm a boy. 👦😉

[@WendyFunnell]

@SamsTrains And I'm ten years old, I watch your videos every time I get a notification every time you make one new video.

[@FabianHunor]

11:20 The coaches were like "right, that's our stop"

[@kennethmacneil686]

"Smell ya later!"

[@SamsTrains]

hahaha!!

[@railway187]

It seems these clean coaches didn't like a weathered locomotive 😂

[@WendyFunnell]

@@FabianHunor 🙂‍↕️

[@harrytodhunter5078]

I think factory weathering usually looks a bit weak, but third party weathering, especially when done by a professional, can look stunning! I have a Hattons Andrew Barclay I bought on ebay with a ton of coal weathering and it looks beautiful, a lot more like the real workhorse engines themselves.

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah definitely less keen on factory weathering - some of the pro stuff does look outstanding! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@autobotjazz1972]

That would make sense as a factory worker has to follow the provided directions and use what paints they are given and so the weathering is gonna be at par at best, getting a talented 3rd party to do it would tend to look much better.

[@michaelwhite8031]

I love weathered models. I can understand your point of view, but realism is what l like.

[@SamsTrains]

Totally fair Michael - it's certainly more realistic! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@KirbyGaming104]

I like realism

[@byronthomas4733]

Great bumper music..and your information on the trains is very informative..keep up the great work.

[@delboy1727]

Preferring models to be pristine I guess puts you in the 'collector' corner rather than the 'railway modeller' corner. Each to their own of course, but if a train is being run on a layout that has scenery added to represent the real world, it makes sense that the locos and stock should try and fit in to that scenario. Unless you are modelling a heritage line of course. And the brownish tinge tends to come from brake dust, not mud. You can see it on lineside equipment, even where there is no mud present.

[@RyanHellyer]

Even a heritage line train is going to have some weathering on it, just much less.

[@LickorishAllsorts]

When I used to watch the old steam engines as a kid I was always impressed by how clean and sparkly they were, even run of the mill Halls and Castles were always turned out beautifully. Perhaps some shunting engines were "weathered" but it was the diesels that always looked like they could do with a wash. Now the rolling stock . . .

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing! The heritage railways I've been to certainly keep their engines clean too! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@yakuza1333]

I'm old enough to remember back in the 50s really smart engines running out of Waterloo. The decline really set in when the locos started being taken out of service.

[@richardlee653]

During the steam era, cleaning locos was part of the normal career path leading to fireman, then driver. I have a feeling that this changed when diesels took over.

[@rogerking7258]

I broadly agree with your attitude towards weathering. As someone aiming to produce a realistic model rather than a train set I tend to favour the weathered look, and it can be fun to do. However, subtle is the way to go if you don't want to end up with a loco that looks like the dog's been sick all over it. The one thing I disagree with though, is your comment about the Q1 being the only loco that always looks better weathered - and that is because of the existence of the 9F (Evening Star aside). I've never seen a photo of a clean one.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing Roger! haha that is true about the 9F - though the one at the GCR (that I once drove!) was pretty clean! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Olivers-trains]

All firemen start out as cleaners, and I take pride in doing my job cleaning the engines of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway. Most of our engines get cleaned daily. But weathering on some diesels is nice

[@joelwatkins]

Shout out to Neville Grove for his fantastic weathering work, as he's great at doing various finishes from "oily rag clean" to "rusty n' crusty". Personally, I think if you have more than one of any particular loco classes, can always keep one as is, and weather the other, but freight locos like 9Fs and Q1s probably look the best when dirty, as BR fairly ran steam locos into the ground without too much care and attention if it wasn't an express passenger loco they were looking after.

[@smithge4uk]

Ex works locomotives you would see spotless, plus some sheds still had pride when they still had dedicated cleaners. As someone posted below, wouldnt want to spend £250+ on a model just to weather it - devalues the resale value. They next guy can add it on if they want, but cant take it off

[@azuma892]

I tend to like a bit of both, I only tend to weather kit built models or stuff I got for very cheap, just don't feel comfortable altering an expensive RTR model. 🙂

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Azuma - a bit of both is a good idea! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@damianinCanadaTT-OO]

I think it speaks a lot to your audience the number of people who agree with you. More collectors than railway modellers. I’ve always been too scared to weather my own locomotives. Concerned about resale although who knows if I’ll ever sell anything. Thanks for the video

[@2010ditta]

I'm with you Sam, especially when you pay a lot of money for a model, only to get it home and the first thing you do is spray paint all over it. Very enjoyable Sam.

[@SamsTrains]

haha yeah - it's not for me - but kudos to those who do that and make it look realistic! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@animechef4331]

To me weathering has always been an afterthought. I'm not against it but Sam makes a good point about models being pristine. Having engines look very smart and clean really brings out their true colors as if they were just built for the first time in the workshop during the steam era.

[@jonathandnicholson]

Top express locomotives would be clean. My problem with weathering is getting both sides similar. Thank you as ever for sharing.

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah very true on both counts! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@kellyashfordtrains2642]

Not every single steam engine was left grimy in the 1960s. The one type of steam engine that was kept surprisingly clean was the GWR Manors. Yes, many steamies were left in filthy conditions, but not the Manors. If you look at a colour photo of a GWR Manor taken in the 1960s, you will see the Manors were kept reasonably or almost immaculately clean. Goes to show, the footplate crews loved the Manor engines more than any other design, and were willing to work their socks off to keep this beautiful GWR engines clean. Long live God's Wonderful Railway.

[@ThatFemboyModeller]

Kelly the manors were very weathered in the 1960s

[@lukejackson8741]

@AlfieGould-l1jagreed, even a fresh polished loco by time it’s got half way to London is going to be fair from immaculate, especially in the 60s when maintenance practices started to drift

[@Jaidencharlotte]

depends on the loco really, lets take 7802 and 7803. they were regulars on the cambrian coast express, so the shed staff wouldve done their best to keep them in good condition. but by the mid 60's the BR standard 4's were taking over and displacing the manors to other duties where they didnt need to be as clean, so as a low priority they were left and just used and used and used. ive seen archive footage of 7821 at shrewsbury looking so filthy you cant tell what livery its wearing. locos arent cleaned based on their class, theyre cleaned based on the duties they carried out and if there was time. i cleaned 6990 at the gcr the other day, and it took me 2 hours to do just the motion and wheels. cleaning is a very time consuming process, and by the end of steam their just wasnt the time or the need to keep locos immaculate.

[@kodieight]

Really!

[@kodieight]

If you try to make your railway realistic ,having pristine locomotives running around your track is just plain silly.

[@clockwork3494]

I think I like both, weathering is definitely very subjective and it comes down to what you as the modeler are trying to achieve. If you're modeling an industry or freight engine pre preservation era then mid-heavy is the way to go, meanwhile express engines would usually receive much more attention and cleaning as they were the face of many railways, so you could usually expect them to be clean or have very light coats of soot and grime at most. Overall it comes to preference, for me having a light bit of dust to imitate soot and ash buildup from the funnel is more than enough to give the impression they're real, but not enough to the point they look unkept with only very few exceptions such as industrial engines.

[@peterknight4692]

Clean locos shine! Fresh from the works every loco shone with the fresh gloss paint on the cladding cab and tender, whether black, blue green or red. If you want to pretend your loco is straight from the works, give it a thin coat of varnish.

[@SamsTrains]

Great idea - though you've got to watch it with models... a gloss finish can make them look a bit toylike somehow! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@peterknight4692]

@SamsTrains True, so the varnish has to be thin to replicate the full size shine without rounding off the detail.

[@alex_the_balding_fat_man]

I'm with you Sam, probably because I see steam engines in preservation. I make model aircraft too, and generally make them museum/factory fresh. Similarly I only see aircraft close up at air shows though I actually live near a busy airbase and to be honest all the military aircraft appear to be kept very clean.

[@countottovanshanoo822]

My preference is for mostly weathered stock - but it has to be done well to look good. A brownish stripe over the running gear and lower body as per most 'factory' weathering looks exactly like a brown stripe sprayed on, not weathering. I like to have some rolling stock in ex-works condition though as, at least briefly, some was. One thing that does grate is, and Sam won't like this, is locomotives in ex-works condition being presented in satin finish - a look at photo's show they were all (bar photographic grey) very definitely high gloss when exiting the paint shop.

[@donsharpe5786]

I don't think I ever saw a Q1 as clean as your weathered version.

[@SamsTrains]

hahahaha!!

[@tumbleweed6458]

In my collection, the vast majority is un-weathered. (Rule 1) The pieces I have that are weathred mostly came that way or were gifted to me. I agree that proper weathering can enhance the realism of a layout or scene. I've seen weathering that was done to the point where the models looked as lf they were derelict, and I don't find that attractive.

[@Larry]

I'd have thought weathering would be paint coming off revealing the metal underneath, maybe even the odd patch of rust. But why do they never have smoke/soot stains on the top of an engine?

[@ScottishClass34]

i love weathered engines, they look more than they cost and they add realism to the railway, brilliant video, keep up the work!👍 - Adam

[@modelrailfan37]

This was a cool video! I actually quite like weathered models but seeing as my layout is a heritage railway most of my locos are pristine. Also in terms of diesels you could have chosen your Bachmann Regional Railways Class 37 is lightly weathered, and I’ve seen some pristine ones and honestly I think that livery looks 10 times better with the weathering!

[@SamsTrains]

Ahh there you go - modelling heritage is a great excuse for pristine locos! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@modelrailfan37]

@ exactly!

[@aleopardstail]

there is a case for simple detailing, not exactly weather say a LNER green loco, or BR blue diesel, but going in with some panel lining, ink washes in recesses etc add a lot of depth without making the model "dirty", very easy way to remove the plastic look. e.g. the yellow cab ends getting a sepia panel pin wash

[@WendyFunnell]

I have a model railway 🛤 myself and I have a diesel called "Crepello." I can't remember if it's whethered or not, by my oh my it is beautiful! 😍

[@johnrigby7373]

My memory of the end of steam was locos looking more rust/ red coloured than grey. I recall a Black 5 at New Street that looked orange. However as a collector I only own pristine locos because just like you Sam I enjoy the aesthetic of a clean loco.

[@TrainmanDan]

Hey Sam. Sometimes I will go to town on a loco or piece of rolling stock if I'm modeling a specific piece. Mostly I just dust the bottom and trucks especially on a nice bright paint job. I tend to paint my stuff the way the prototype was painted and that is usually gloss so spraying the 'weathered' areas with a clear matte will sometimes suffice especially on passenger equipment which was usually well looked after, at least here in the Great White North! The only line in the sand that I will not cross is graffiti so I try to model years previous to the beginning of that abomination. Thank you, Sam. Cheers, Dan.

[@JerseyBill-x9r]

I totally agree with you when it comes to the state of my locomotives for a few reasons. The number one reason is that they can lose their value once weathered unless done by a famous weathering person or company or the locomotive had little value and was enhanced by the application. The second reason is I'm a collector and would like to see the product as it was when opened it or viewed it for the first time. Another reason is resale appeal you cut out possibly half your customers if the locomotive is weathered and people that think the way we do will not look at it or they will offer a low amount. If factory weathered, then that's for me for the same reason as number 2. Now for rolling stock I don't mind freight being weathered but passenger cars definitely not. The distressed carts you did are the best idea and I can't believe no company has not gone all in on the concept they are company weathered and distressed after all plus my favorites. I've gone on too long, so I'll end by saying great video, Jersey Bill.

[@tonypetts6663]

I'm with you regarding weathering of locos and coaches, I do love a sparkling train running by, especially at today's prices. Wagons are less of a issue to me and physically distressed ones (like your 3d printed one) would be a good option for modellers to buy. I also think you made a valid point regarding diesels and older models that it can actually highlight the little details they have and make them look a lot more complicated - the difference between the two 25's was quite marked. However when making a layout I find buildings, infrastructure etc need to be weathered else they don't look right at all.

[@RG-Models86]

I'm with you, Sam, when it comes to preferring my models pristine. They just look far better, in my opinion, not to say that weathered models don't have their place. They absolutely do. I personally know several people who custom weather their own models from scratch, and they look absolutely amazing. It's almost like they've been plucked out from a photograph and placed onto a layout.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing - yeah got to prefer pristine, but custom weathering can look amazing that's true! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@StanDoesTrains]

As and Industrial Railway Modeler most of my models are weathered. I have always preferred how engines look all weathered up. I find it really shows how hard working locomotives are when weathered.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing Stan yeah it certainly does! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@aveedub7403]

Hi Sam, a really good interesting review. I have three Bulleid Q1 class Locos, two of which are clean , one factory weathered. I actually like both finishes, but i generally gravitate to Locos that are clean, unless I can't find a clean prototype that i want. Although I'm lucky enough to have a substantial loft layout I don't do dust collecting scenery, or, diorama so me having weathered models really makes no difference. i clearly appreciate those that seek or are driven to realism down to the last rust scab or mark . Horses for courses! Keep up the excellent efforts you make!

[@lesliedickinson198]

I have to admit i do love weathered models as thats how i remember steam loco's in the 60's and some were that bad you struggled to see the number lol. I will keep some of mine in 'clean' condition as i do remember some being freshly outshopped and same went for diesels of the time. We all have our preferences and thats what makes the hobby fun 🙂

[@jackstrains4468]

Very interesting! I think they look much more realistic (obviously), but also it enhances the detail! I would say models like mallard should always be pristine, as the nrm keeps her shiny ( I've got a gloss mallard nrm exclusive, I've got quite a few shorts on her on my channel if you'd like to check her out ;) but yeah, great video sam, and id love to get more weathered models myself

[@grahamsharpley4889]

Have you all forgotten the stunning Hornby Dublo die cast locomotives being left in the dusty attic that also got a bit damp in the winter, baking hot in the summer. Then there was the myriad on oily finger marks and then the years of unwiped dust adhering to the shell. Now that is perfect weathering. Interestingly the tin plate carriages seemed to stay bright and fresh. I love pristine locos and rolling stock, they were all prototypical for 20 minutes of their lives. Metropolitan Railway stock look generally clean in photos apart from the 57xx’s in their latter days. I took L90 after it had a clean oily rag clean and it looks just right with a black looking parts due to access or cant be bovvered edges, though i suspect the tank tops were sooty and un-sweep. What was that sooty you don’t like lying about on steam locomotives, made you cough did they.

[@richardlee653]

During the mid to late 1960s, steam locomotives were becoming unusual on the national railway network where I lived. One of the last steam trains I saw had a really dirty locomotive, which if it had been a model, would have likely have been considered "heavily weathered". In the same year, I saw one of the ex-GWR tanks that London Transport bought for departmental work (pulling ballast trains when track power was turned-off). It looked, from the distance I saw it, to be "pristine", or at very worse "very lightly weathered". Going back to earlier memories, most steam locomotives pulling passenger trains were kept fairly clean, so either "light weathering", or "pristine". If you are modelling the very end of steam, heavy weathering might work, particularly for goods trains. Earlier, locomotives and coaches were usually cleaned fairly frequently, at least during peacetime.

[@zippy5131]

Very slightly weathered, I've repainted some very old Peco Jubilees into crimson lake and only highlighted the rivets to show a cleaned but still used loco. On the other hand I have built some kit wagons , the decals once placed have been weathered to hide the fact they are decals. I'm at the moment repainting two Farish class 47's for a club member to represent them at the end of life. The pictures he gave me are from the shotton steel works era and area. I've done some panel lining but he wants to heavily weather them himself, so a good start from me, just to help. I use Railmatch paints acrylic as they produce weathering sets for steam and diesel (available from Howes Models).

[@11000038]

I like them shiny!

[@thevauxhallman7157]

I reckon about a third of mine are weathered. One black steam is weathered and realistically typical of the real life 060s that ran in Fife when i was growing up. I researched the freight class 37 diesel and weathered it myself. A coronation class ( my favourite ) loco that i saw an old coloured photo so its weathered in the Crimson Lake LMS livery. Very authentic look.

[@aspicer15]

Totally agree pristine models are for me I did have weathered also done weathering myself in the end I got rid of them all and will no longer purchase weathered locos.

[@robertlucido3686]

I've done some weathering on some of my freight rolling stock. I've made my railroad a regional railroad that runs a tourist train program, so I haven't weathered any of my locomotives or passenger rolling stock because, like you said, heritage railroads and even restoration groups always keep their locomotives and passenger rolling stock clean and with fresh paint and I do that with my locomotives and passenger rolling stock.

[@johnbeck3270]

“Back in the day”, early in American rail history crews were assigned to their locomotives, the fireman had to come in 2 hours before his shift and wipe the locomotive down, do all necessary lubrication the nick name for a fireman was “tallow pot” because of the material used to polish the locomotive, and sweep the cab. This was all done on his own time, he wasn’t compensated for this work. So early pristine steam locomotives from the period after the Civil War to say 1890 wouldn’t be unheard of.

[@dannyvanstraelen3273]

I don't like weathering that much, and avoid it at all costs, but what I do like, and do my self, is improving models, specially the old ones, like painting the footplate instruments and pipe work or chemically treat wheels and running work if they are super silver shining, this way the older models blend in with the new models. Also giving the loco's a crew gives it an extra dimension if well done. But I think there is a big misunderstanding of how clean or dirty locomotives are, and it really comes down in what era they ran, before WW2, loco's where much cleaner than after. And great deal has to do with available money and the cost of wages, working force was quit cheap before WW2, after WW2 and due to the war the financial situation was pretty grim and the decision to renew infrastructure was always postponed, until Dr. Beeching made serious cuts by eliminating branch lines. This was a hard blow for a lot of people, on the other hand it was the unique birth of many heritage lines in the uk, nowhere else seen on earth, due to the army of youngsters who keep the lines open doing voluntary work. But I do understand why people do it, but as sound and smoke it's not my thing. But a question I ask my self does it change the value of a model, like a missing box does? Although I don't see the point of a box except save packing, but for running a model it has no purpose. And I tend to say that weathering decreases the value, although I think it's wrong to see the hobby as an investment…

[@nathanbowers6364]

I've just noticed something unusual in one of my books. A withdrawn 02 tank on the IOW in immaculate condition, and not from the last day of steam either. 34 Newport; All cleaned up by its' regular crew ready for overhaul, however serious faults were found during a pre overhaul inspection and it was written off as "beyond economic repair." It looks unusual as locos awaiting scrapping were usually seen dirty and worn out with nameplates and parts removed but 34 was immaculate.

[@JustinFrazier_360]

Amazing review sam

[@HighballMachineWorks]

I definitely agree with your opinion on weathered models, some locomotives are show horses and others are work horses. I operate and weather with the intent of building an O scale winter scape railroad most of the standard gauge locomotives are well taken care of but still receives natural wear and tear from lubricants and leaky smoke fluid, (with one exception that I’ll get to later) and all the S gauge On3 equipment gets run into the ground and caked in snow and slush. Just as the slow, podunk narrow gauge should. And then, there’s the “second hand” equipment. My fictional railroad purchased two locomotives from the ES&DT (whose acronym I will not clarify due to vulgarity). One was a pacific that was still in pretty good condition and the other was a little gas mechanical switcher that was severely rusted on the underside, the systems were maintained, but little regard was given to appearance. “We’re not using it, leave it in a siding and throw a tarp over it! Throw the keys in the dirt and walk away.”

[@historyotaku]

So right off the bat, I will say I do think that on the whole, I do prefer certain models with weathering(mainly freight engines and locos that are at the end of their working lives) but the caveat to that is provided it's done well which I don't think factory weathered models quite are. The weather usually looks like just a layer of grime or rust sprayed on and likes finer details like lime scale, or small builds up of rust from water leaks, etc.

[@Modelrealtrainsplanes]

Hi Sam I did recently buy at weathered Accurascale class 37043 from TMC and the weathering is beautiful but I can agree with you some steam locomotives don't look the greatest weathered

[@TheMichaelWilcock2016Railways]

Always enjoy your reviews; Will you look at the "Railadventure HST" Useless, no couplings on the front of the power cars!!

[@michalg777]

22:42 I don't think this metallic paint was added on your Class 25 buffers in order to imitiate bare metal because of contact with other stock. I think this was meant to be grease which has to be applied regulairly for smooth operation on curves so it didn't disappear under ordinary brake dust. The only occasion you could see bare metal on buffer heads it was if they were intentionally polished by cleaners, like on A4 Pacifics for example.

[@OlivierGabin]

I'm not a fan of weathering for my own rolling stock in any shape or form. I love the toy-like look of pristine locomotives, coaches and wagons, and I'm more into evocation than exact reproduction. Totally subjective view by me, but I understand people who are fans of weathering. One of the best at this exercise on YT is Mouldy Raspberry. Sometimes in his videos, he shows you ho he do it, and it's amazing. Have a look if you are interested.

[@therailfanman2078]

I think it's entirely up to the owner. Weathered and clean can work depending on your railway, and it's up to you on which you want.

[@JohnCouldwell]

I don't have anywhere near the skill to weather my locos so run them clean. I don't think factory weathering is that great except on some simple rolling stock. Mouldy Raspberry's Yorkshire Dales Railway is a masterclass in effective weathering and making you feel like you are standing on the edge of a real railway.

[@qa1710]

Oh my goodness I was literally talking about weathering all week so this is timely haha!

[@jimtrotman-p4w]

I prefer mine in museum condition too.

[@stephendavies6949]

Hi Sam. I'm in the "pristine" camp too. I display my locos when not running them, and like to enjoy them in ex-works condition. Having said that, hobbyists such as Mouldly Raspberry & Everard Junction produce some amazing results when weathering their stock. And TMC is superb at it.

[@alecwaddington7993]

You should get a weathered locomotive from TMC

[@ShukakuTheCrazy1]

Ive seen some really lovely weathering, but i do like mine more clean. I do admire the skills of those who do weather things a bit.

[@ModelTrainOutsider]

Weathering is a subjective call. Some have to see weathering, some of us do not care. I appreciate and admire weathering, but I am not going to weather my trains. I like the clean look.

[@TankEngineFan5]

Something I just thought of, when model trains get dusty it's kinda like free weathering (I am still at the beginning of the video as I am typing this comment so don't roast me if he said that later in the video)

[@thestocktonflyer4059]

Great video sam 👍 a video on weathering would be worth watching sam 👌

[@adamhickey396]

I am relatively new to this hobby so every single item I own is pristine. I do think however I will invest in a few weathered models in the future for variety, especially freight locos and shunters.

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah I'd say that's worth doing - certainly for the sake of variety and realism! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@NextEevolution]

For the most part, I prefer my models pristine as well. However, there are certain models that absolutely look spectacular with a bit of weathering, especially models whose prototypes were used for freight or industrial settings. Most of mine are second hand but the only model I've ordered new with weathering so far is Rapido's 16XX 'Vinegar Castle.' With the Busby chimney and weathering, it really completes the appearance of a hard working steam engine. And I definitely would be interested in a retooled, modern LMS Crab model too, weathered or not.

[@HowardLeVert]

21:26 12,500hp?! I think you've added a nought there, Sam...

[@SamsTrains]

hahaha possibly I'll have to look that up again!! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Watermillfilms]

In my opinion I think when a model is weathered it doesn’t always necessarily mean they all should be completely grubby and run down. Some light highlighting on the wheels can make the model pop. Scale colour and all that.

[@marktegrotenhuis]

My collection is 0.2% weathered I think. I only have 2 steam locomotives with some very light weathering done by a professional. They have added custom etched number plates, painted details on the air hoses on the front bufferbeam, a bit of "grease" on the buffers, and a little dry brushed dirt on the running boards.

[@WendyFunnell]

And maybe you should get a loco called "Crepello?"

[@RCassinello]

It also doesn't help that most manufacturers say "weathered" when actually what they mean is "sprayed with matt brown on the bottom half" when true weathering would take many other factors into consideration.

[@1337flite]

I'm not currently a model railway-er, but I do scale modelling. I think that weathering is really necessary if you care about your layout looking real. I think the biggest break in the illusion of many layouts is the clean, shiny train. Plastic looks plasticy unless you do something to tone it down. Over and above that a railway full of show room clean, unchipped unoxidised trains just doesn't look real. Weathering is every thing if you want a life like layout - and that includes all the elements on teh layout, buildings, cars, signs etc. However I think the trains catch the eye more because they are moving and because for many they are the important part of the layout, so I think the trains more than anything elsre need good weathering. If I do start building a layout I wil weather my trains myself, because as Sam says, implies you can't expect much for a couple of dollars extra on the price of an unweathered model. I think that the trains would also benefit from detailing e.g. washed to bring out the details. This is widely done in scale modelling, even really simple things like a "pin wash" for panel lines, louvres and the likes really makes details pop.

[@adamwilliams192]

I am the first to admit weathered models are essential for a realistic model railway… But I am also in a problem of having so much pristine stock collected over the years I don’t know where to start with it. I really don’t like factory weathered stuff, with some exceptions. The Dapol weathered silver bullets are superb, and I believe that is a lot to do with the fact the used the services of a professional modeller to do the “master” for them. I cringe at taking grime to some of my absolute favourite locos, so those will always be “crew favourites” as well, polished every morning! Best

[@SamsTrains]

haha yeah exactly - I'd have no way of weathering all of mine now even if I wanted to!! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@speleokeir]

It's very much down to personal taste and depends on what you want to model isn't it? If you want a realistic replica of the 50s/60s then yes it's more realistic. If you're modelling a Heritage line I agree you can get away with more pristine locos. Personally I'm with you Sam, it feels like a crime to cover a beautiful livery in grime. Another thing to consider is that if you should ever wish to sell the model in the future weathering will reduce it's value. I don't mind some weathering on scenery like buildings, track, etc which looks more realistic. And a black goods loco and wagons that are weathered is okay. I think you've also got a point that weathering can improve cheap, old tooled models, but doing it to a new £200+ loco makes me wince!😧

[@briandesens144]

Awesome video Sam

[@RyanHellyer]

I'm not surprised you prefer non weathered trains. Modelling doesn't seem to be your thing, but most of us want to create a miniature representation of the real world and weathering adds enormously to that.

[@davidstrains4910]

Decent video overall Sam, when it comes to weathering it will always be a very subjective matter and it will always come down to people’s preferences, me personally I do think weathering adds another level to locomotives and rolling stock but I currently don’t have the confidence to take one of my locos and weather it myself, it is something I would like to try at a later date though when I feel a bit more confident, when it comes to my own collection I do have a few weathered locomotives but they are mainly manufacturer weathering, my Heljan Class 128 DPU and Heljan Falcon are both weathered and another loco that I have weathered is my bachmann Prototype Deltic, not sure whether mine is a manufacturer weathered job though as when I bought that it had been modified by the previous owner so the weathering job could possibly have been done by someone else.

[@tcm_tatra]

In a way I can that I don't have any weathered models (no paint applied to give weathered effect). On the other hand , I have some "naturally" weathered models , usually the old ones that were bought second hand. Naturally weathered in the sense that due to age they are full of sticky dust that won't come off easy , paint chips/scratches/decolourisation , oil marks etc. I would say that I prefer clean models , as the weathering doesn't always match the reality. In reality the train gets dirty depending on it's speed , number of wagons , track surroundings , season , load , etc. In model form , at least from what I've seen , everything has pretty much the same pattern , especially if it's made by the manufacturer.

[@Sunglobe6029]

5:13 The tender is like that because when you coal the locomotive dust goes everywhere

[@Jam-Jar1]

The weathered models I have are what I like to call "Accidentally Weathered." Last year, I was given two engines and some wagons apparently from the 60s, weathered by years of dust. No idea if any of it even works, but it all looks like scrap so it should be fun to use. If I don't use it as scrap, I'll probably paint the engines blue or pink just because I can.

[@ashlybrown5341]

Hi Sam the last Hornby I remember model being weathered was the railroad 9f and needless to I sent it back it was like a 2 year old had played with it .

[@lonerangermotoring]

In my opinion, the Q1 is the best-looking steam engine that has been built

[@tobythehairlessdog8876]

The steam engines in the Edwardian age were kept immaculately clean and polished every day before they went out to work... Woof!

[@nathanbowers6364]

I don't just weather my locos and stock by hand, I hand paint some of my locos and stock too, even brand new items. I Matt varnish the paint finishes on most of my Isle Of Wight locos to replicate the sea air and salt water effects on seaside rolling stock.

[@petergladman3054]

The end of steam on The Isle of Wight really showed what an old weathered locomotive should look like, The old 02's were absolutely filthy. But I wish they were still here.

[@nathanbowers6364]

@petergladman3054 I've read that they weren't as immaculate as has been said. Even pre war you can see they've had an oily rag quickly rubbed over the tank sides. I've copied this by painting on dirt shades, rubbing them off with cotton buds and to get the oily rag swirls, rub a small amount of t cut around the weathering on a cotton bud.

[@SamsTrains]

Amazing level of effort there - would love to see some of it! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@jamescapon6607]

My dad recently cleared his loft and gave me my old Hornby and his old Tri-Ang set. The Tri-Ang had 60 years of grime and I cleaned it up with car detailing cleaner. It came up like new, but I do feel it’s lost its character and had that weathered effect look.

[@dakshanbalaramesh]

I agree with you Sam; I also prefer my models in pristine condition. I always say weathering is for reality but models are my reality.

[@WendyFunnell]

I had the base board since 2022, but the railway, I'm not quite sure 😕 so on the railway it just now says 2022-2025.

[@andrewshearsby8125]

I'm into "mild weathering" using Thomas as an example I weather his coal bunker and funnel.

[@gleggett3817]

To me, weathering includes techniques such as panel lining, and oil dot filters. The latter adds subtle variations in large expanses of colour and is good for recreating paint fade.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Brush a light covering of light grey gives a nice dusting effect, You dont need an airbrush, See Mc Kinley Railways.

[@WendyFunnell]

They're cool!😎

[@georgethomas7814]

I think you covered the theory of weathered trains..... Thinking about it I believe that era of modelling does require different levels of weathering.... Heritage Railways may keep their engines clean but the rolling stock is often shockingly neglected.. Over time there would of been a mix of effort put into keeping engines a coaches clean. Period special services like the Flying Scotsman with coaches, The Southern Express services and maybe the ferry services could be seen leaving London clean from Engine to Guards Van.

[@davidballoid2118]

I prefer dirt and soot all over freight diesels and rolling stock. Heavier dirt weathering on the rolling stock depending on the kind of service duty it dose. Passenger Trains, I'll go with light to medium weathering around the base and clean and maintained polished look on the sides of the body, the roofs a can have UV ray sun damaged paint and depending on the proximity of the coach to the engine a light soot on the roof as well. "Out of Sight, Out of Mind!" Cheers! 😁

[@DennisLora2001]

Amazing video Sam ❤❤❤❤❤❤ 20:03

[@NWRJ_WStudios]

I think Dapol should do some weathing on their GWR 2-6-0, that might be something to see in the future. Cheers Jasper & Willow

[@_Zekken]

Im definitely one for preferring my locos pristine, but when it comes to weathering I havent seen any manufacturer applied weathering that actually looks good. They all just look like they have been loosly spray painted in brown/grey along the bottom half. If I was going to do weathering, a third party experienced weathering service, or learning to do it myself would be the only way to go in my opinion.

[@busterdragon1]

Personally not a fan of weathered loco's (some rolling I'm not bothered about), Yes very realistic and they do look great on people's layouts but on their own though not so much. I mainly don't like the way weathering is applied as on the real thing you can easily wash your car or loco and its clean again where with model trains you have to paint it on often permanently and that's the part I don't like. I'm not sure if this is accurate or not but to remove weathering from your loco you either don't or you have to repaint the entire loco as the original factory finish is spoilt but quote me on that, So for someone who is not very good at modelling Talking about myself here) Weathered loco's aren't appealing as they can't be easily returned to pristine. I do understand why people do like though and I'm happy with that each to their own and all that.

[@williamtown4058]

Pristine conditions are nice but if someone is looking for or modelling something realistic, that weathering adds to the immersion, steam, diesel and or electric alike.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks William that's absolutely true! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@williamtown4058]

@ No problem at all.

[@-FreeMiner-]

I love weathered models