Over the past 15 months, we’ve been restoring the 5987 LMS 3rd Class Corridor Brake.
Our original plans for a Period III livery scheme (1940-49) were changed when Adrian Ashby, painter and leader of the Duchess support crew, had the idea of recreating the Coronation Scot livery to match the Streamlined 6229. This is what we did – and the carriage will now be coupled behind Duchess of Hamilton for the LMS Shuttle Weekend this weekend. The carriage will then be on display in Great Hall.
The repainting of the 5987 gave us the opportunity for an application of varnish fix transfers: it was and still is common practice to apply the Company Crest, and frequently numbers and letters, using special transfers. If you’re familiar with railway or airfix models, the method has similarities with the application of water-based transfers, only in full scale rather than on a 00-gauge model.
The transfers are produced using screen-printing methods from companies specialised in railway transfer insignia. Although transfers come with instructions, the LMS Carriage Association has produced a technical sheet with a detailed description of the method.
The application of the transfers took place in two stages. We used a test panel to try different mixes of varnish and drying times. Once we found the ideal formula, we applied two LMS crests to the centre of the vehicle’s sides.
Instead of boring you with how we did it, we shot a quick video that we hope will be self-explanatory.
A future post will be dedicated to the conservation work carried out on the LMS 3rd Brake.
I have been studying the NRM for my business AS level coursework and this has been a fab example to use in my coursework!
Wonderful! always wondered how large transfers were fitted! Many thanks Stathis and Adrian. Well filmed too!
I have suitable artwork for the numbering of a 1924 teak carriage and would like to try varnish transfers. Who makes the transfers from the artwork?