How to Renumber a Model Locomotive - Made Easy

A quick tutorial showing you how to renumber your model Locomotives, using a number of Humbrol Products and a Sharpie Permanent Marker. This interest technique provides an quick and effect way of removing factory numbers and text from models, without damaging the surrounding paintwork.
In this tutorial, we will be renumbering a Hornby R3565 LMS, 8F Class 2-8-0, from LMS Livery into a fellow British Railways Liveried Class member.
For more tips and information on this tutorial, be sure to check out the link below;
www.rmweb.co.uk/community/inde...
Hope you enjoy!
'Slow Burn' Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

[@johnsmodelrailway9448]

I Love you tube. I was about to renumber my Hornby 8F and wanted a bit of guidance and voila. Thanks for posting. Perfect!

[@SDJR7F88]

Many thanks! Glad it was of help! T-Cut original is another method which I now use. Cuts out the need for the pen and works a treat

[@darenedwards63]

so simple yet stunning!

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks ever so much! Glad its of help!

[@BritishRail60062]

This is a great tutorial. I will consider trying this when I renumber some diesel locomotives in the new year.

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks ever so much mate! Glad you found it of help. Let me know how you get on :)

[@BritishRail60062]

@@SDJR7F88 Aye I will do mate. Although I will practice on some wagons to get my skills up to par :). All the best Ash.

[@nigelcarter9503]

I did not know how to do that. Great video.

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks Nigel! Glad it was of help!

[@ChadwickModelRailway]

Great stuff Callum.

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks Charlie!

[@martinpattison4018]

Thank you for this advise. Martin (Thailand)

[@TiasVsEverything]

Handy info. Thank you!

[@the700shunter8]

Great Video, I learnt a lot

[@SDJR7F88]

Many thanks! Glad it was of interest

[@modelrailwaysandtrains7506]

Lovely video thanks for posting because I would like to change some of my locos nice video thanks for posting

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks mate! Glad it was of help :)

[@FarlandHowe]

It looks great, nice job of the tutorial. Very professional. I was wondering if it is the thinner in the pen itself that helps remove the old numbering?

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks Rob! Glad you found it of help! Maybe, really is very interesting, but works very well indeed :)

[@kingorry7223]

Thank you, I am most grateful for this advice! Although it looks quite fiddely

[@SDJR7F88]

No worries and glad you found it of help. Honestly its not as fiddly as you think (apart from getting the new numbers level) ;) Well worth a go!

[@user-xg2of8wo2p]

nice job

[@MrLosttheplot]

great video. thank you

[@SDJR7F88]

Glad it's of help

[@CalebsRailFilms]

Ah you are too clever for your own good mate 😉. Very nice indeed. Nice selection of a locomotive as well 😍.

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks ever so much! Really is a fun and interesting technique. Just got to love 8F's :)

[@user-mp2tl8zv2t]

Hi. Very good video.

[@SDJR7F88]

Many thanks

[@DomWhibley]

Hello. I was just wandering, because I've had a look on fox transfers at different "alphabets" and I don't know which one to use (for example: Franklin Heavy, 3mm) . I am renumbering a BR Bullied West Country class. Also, how would you recommend applying etched nameplates and smoke box number plates? For the nameplate would you advice removing the old plastic one first and if so how?

[@SDJR7F88]

Hi Dom, I'm sure if you get in touch with Fox they will help you out for number sizes. As for the plates, I would remove the originals, then attach the new ones with some tacky glue, so they can be moved of need be. Hope it's of help!

[@DomWhibley]

@@SDJR7F88 Thank you. I will get in contact with them.

[@melchestermodelrailway]

Interesting technique, think I will try this on some oil tankers that I want to renumber.

[@SDJR7F88]

Many thanks! I now uses T-Cut, which is a much quicker and easier process. Just written a full article on it in the next railway modeller

[@melchestermodelrailway]

@@SDJR7F88 Thanks, will look out for that - maybe you might make a new vid about the process at some point : )

[@josephsedgbeer4668]

Great vid mate. I always wondered how to do that. I don't think I would have the nerve to do that to one of my locos. Cheers Joe

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks Joe! Glad it was of help! Honest I didn't at first, just got to keep on trying, preferably on a few cheap models first :)

[@VRDenshaOtaku]

what about BR Green locos? I'm planning to renumber a Britannia class loco in the Number 70046 (which is ANZAC)

[@SDJR7F88]

Same rule, though as mentioned, maybe a Green Sharpie might not go a miss, just to be safe. :)

[@ModelRailwaysUnlimited]

Very nice mate, does the ink in the pen have any useful effect at all or is it just the fibers of the nib that do the work? LOL BR arrows look very odd on her tender

[@SDJR7F88]

Many thanks! Honestly don't know, but I think it might mostly be down to the fibers. Oh yes, just a temp fix while I wait for the proper transfers to arrive. ;) Thought I'd give it a go after seeing a number of images of Black 5's with them in the run up to the end of steam :)

[@mickausten8409]

Done exactly as you demonstrated, used the same varnish and thinners along with the sharpie even used Fox transfers. Everything went well till I sprayed the varnish. The transfer pickled, wondered if it was the propellant so brushed the varnish on the other side, pickled. Then to add insult to injury I got a bit of overspray on side window, the varnish ate into that, all in all a bit of a disaster

[@SDJR7F88]

Varnishing is always the hardest part. How far did you spray from the model? Only needs a very, very light misting, to tend to do mine from at least 2 - 3ft away, at room temp or on a warm day outside. I always mask of the windows on any model to avoid overspill

[@mickausten8409]

@@SDJR7F88 well that’s solved that, I was much too close, thanks for extra the lessons.

[@SDJR7F88]

@@mickausten8409 I'm sure you can fix it :) Let us know how you get on

[@derf9465]

Would this be similar on a Bachmann locomotive? I would like to rename a GWR loco.

[@SDJR7F88]

Yes, it would. Find that the numbers and text often come off easier on Bachmann models, sometimes only thinners are needed :)

[@DomWhibley]

Does anyone know whether this will work on a non-black livery.

[@SDJR7F88]

Yes, it should do. I've seen a few try it on be green, however, to be safe I would us a sharpie marker colour, that is closer to the livery of the model you which to renumber.

[@wartrain_29]

Wat about renumbering no nblack locos? Does the black not come off?

[@SDJR7F88]

Hi there, I've seen people use Sharpies closest the locos livery before and it seems to work. However, I now use a different method to remove my numbers with is much quicker and safer and works on all liveries. T-Cut and a cotton bud

[@Bahamas-rd8le]

What about the smoke box numbers? Do I just smother them in sharpie?

[@SDJR7F88]

I did the same as the cabside and removed them, was awaiting the etch plates to replace them at the time :)

[@Bahamas-rd8le]

Thanks! As I am renumbering and naming my Hornby black 5 to be 5428 ‘Eric Treacy’

[@SDJR7F88]

Ah nice! Let me know how you get on :)

[@Bahamas-rd8le]

Ok 👌

[@liamastill6733]

Could you find a method to add a number to the smokebox door please

[@SDJR7F88]

Same method or etched plates

[@rmarsh401]

I might be completely wrong here but don't you think the British railways Arrow logo looks a bit out of place on an 8F. The model I have got is 48309 and it has got the Lion and Wheel logo. The Arrows did not come out 'til later on.

[@SDJR7F88]

Correct, the arrow was put on the model for a special reason, as it featured on are alternet history Great Model Railway Challenge layout back last year for the grand final. I got the idea from a few last days of steam pictures documenting a few of the last black 5's in action, and one had been marked with a arrows logo :)

[@rmarsh401]

@@SDJR7F88 Fair enough, thanks for replying.Keep up with the videos, very good.

[@britanniaolivercromwell5006]

Where can I get the numbers for the model

[@SDJR7F88]

Foxtransfers for these :)

[@ryanstephenkristoferkearns1319]

I wonder if that is the same if your wanna replace the lettering on coaches?

[@SDJR7F88]

Yes, should work on wagons and other items of rolling stock too.

[@ryanstephenkristoferkearns1319]

@@SDJR7F88 That's great to hear about.

[@peterheath9002]

the front number can be achieved on a computer (white on black) print on thick paper cut out and apply with glue

[@SDJR7F88]

Indeed! Recently used this method on a Hornby T9 which has a much finer smokebox number plate. Works a treat

[@nicolekirsch4544]

Can you please Do a lining video

[@SDJR7F88]

Have yet to have a go at lining a locomotive myself yet, so will have to give it a go one day

[@johnpapworth433]

Why has it got the Double Arrow?

[@SDJR7F88]

Was applied d for its appearance on the Great Model Railway Challenge

[@WDG13031]

Just wanted to point out that Hornby doesn't use transfers to apply their numbers and letters. Hornby uses tampo printing. I've always found renumbering Hornby models easy. Takes a few seconds to come off.

[@SDJR7F88]

Thanks for the info. Very interesting, always found it quite hard to remove them without damaging the paintwork below. I tried a few other techniques before hand on another engine and ended up removing more then expected.

[@robhindley3366]

Why not use a glass fibre pen and thinners?

[@SDJR7F88]

As a glass fibre pen will damaged / scratch the paintwork under the numbers

[@ks_56]

now i can actually get a 5322 for a decent price

[@SDJR7F88]

Hope it goes well!

[@richierex]

It’s a shame it’s not level

[@SDJR7F88]

Trick of the camera ;)

[@malcolmeccles3783]

Ooh argh,it's definitely not level.

[@SDJR7F88]

Was corrected after filming, as I had to work around the camera, proper job now ;)