How to make a Tarpaulin for your model railway wagons - cheap and easy method

[@silkytrack8091]

I will be definitely trying this! Thanks for a great "how to" - all the best, Ian

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Great, glad you liked it!

[@martinhall60]

What a great idea for making railway wagon sheets. When I started work on British Rail in 1970 I worked in a railway goods yard and lots of the open plank wagons had wagon sheets tied over them. Ive even seen the van wagons with wagon sheets tied over the top of them if the van roof was leaking. Also containers on conflats had sheets tied over them if needed be. I took some photos of the wagons at the time but i wish i had taken more. But your wagon sheet is very realistic. Well done.

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Thanks, thats good to hear!

[@danielwalker2613]

A nice simple way of making a tarp covering ..... It just looked way oversize for the tiny wagon in question !!

[@josefbuckland]

Informative video would have loved to have seen more of the finished product on the layout like the display picture.

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Thanks!

[@w.rustylane5650]

I usually paint my tarps an olive green color. Cheers from eastern TN

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Tarps have come in all sorts of colours! I'd always recommend looking at pictures of the thing you're trying to model, and copy that.

[@paulmacey9084]

really brilliant idea

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Thanks!

[@TallboyDave]

Add a bit of string at each corner, and cross-wrap them under the framed and around the buffers too, for added realism.

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

A good idea!

[@TallboyDave]

@@MessingaboutwithModels Got that tip from PECO's channel.

[@martinhall60]

Very interesting video.well done and thank you.

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Thanks!

[@dannyvanstraelen3273]

Your idea is good, but instead of using diluted PVA first and than paint after, use an acrylic ink, mixed with your PVA and water in one. This has the advantage of working in one go, and if your black is diluted with water and glue, it becomes a more very dark grey, sun bleached black effect. That looks much more realistic… An other method similar, is to mix in a bit of sculpting plaster under your mix, and instead of structured kitchen towel paper, use simple Kleenex tissue, you'll get the effect of heavy cloth used to make the cover, And with some finesse you can paint lettering on after like GWR, NE or what ever, looks super realistic…

[@fircombehallrailwayoogauge1430]

That looks amazing! Thank you for sharing.

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Thanks for watching!

[@dibley1973]

Great tip. Thank you for sharing

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Glad it helps!

[@ricardoroberto7054]

Superb thank you.

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Thanks!

[@fordhillbranchline33]

Ah! I have to try this one yet, i am currently using some chocolate paper that has that certain texture on it

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

The texture just adds to the effect I think.

[@fordhillbranchline33]

@@MessingaboutwithModels absolutely! I've tried even with paper for the printer but there is no texture and it looses the realism. Good job again! 👍

[@charlie1872]

Love these tips and tricks. Have thought about trying to take it one step further and use it as.a mould to make multiple copies. Don’t know if that would work👍

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

That's a great idea!

[@chrisgassor7962]

I use Bacofoil for my wagon sheets , no glueing required just cut a oblong of tin foil , lightly screw it up then flatten out to give the foil a creased look , lay foil over the load and fold down against the wagon /load it will stay in shape then paint it a matt colour dark green or black , looks even better if you lightly weather it

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Never thought of trying that. I'll have a go at that next time.

[@christtking894]

Have you tried using crepe paper, and spray paint then 3M spray adhesive?

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

Not tried that, but might do next time I need some more tarps. The Kitchen towel gave a textured effect, though, that I dont think you'd get with crepe paper.

[@johnthewlis8524]

I was a little nervous watching you remove the elastic band. I worried that it might rip your kitchen towel after all that hard work. I think I'll probably just snip the elastic band with some scissors when I try this for myself. Many many thanks for a very clear and concise "How To"

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

I admit I was very nervous too! I had never done this before so wasn't sure how much it would stick to the tissue - more than I would have liked.

[@johnthewlis8524]

You mentioned that the wet paper was mopping up your paint. Do you think it would be better to leave the painting until the glue has set and the tarpaulin is dry? In extremis, just paint either side of the elastic band then paint the rest the following day when the tarpaulin has hardened and been removed from the wagon?

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

I had left it overnight, but you're right it might have needed a bit longer. Something to try next time!

[@daveturner2977]

Good top tip for tarpaulins. I've been looking make some for my layout. What ratio of pva to water mix did you use?

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

It was a 50:50 mix, but the PVA was a weak one to start with. If you were using something thicker (eg Gorilla glue wood glue) then you might want to dilute it a bit more.

[@MessingaboutwithModels]

If you want to watch my video on scratch building your own timber wagon load, here is the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHrTp6Cti9CsfdU