Humbrol Paint - SR Goods Equivalent?

[Retfordlad]

Anyone know of a good match for SR Goods stock Brown in Humbrol paints as thats all I can get in the USA .. thanks !

[autocoach]

I used to use Floquil Polly S acrylic Roof Brown mixed with a slight dash of raw umber/box car/mineral red with a little gloss to give it a base sheen for decaling. But, alas, Floquil is gone. If you are brush painting, then stick with Tamiya these days. If you have an air brush you might look at the Vallejo or True Color ranges.

 

I have to solve this problem too as I have some SR/ex LSWR Cambrian kits still to build. And hopefully they will get the LSWR 1410 van and brake van tooled before the next decade.

 

I actually saw some tins of Humbrol in a hobby shop that caters to Radio Control cars and planes. Military colors. mostly. But don't overlook the military colors as they are more readily available than railroad paints. There is probably some WW2 German camouflage brown that may be an exact match. 

 

best

Edited August 23, 2016 by autocoach

[bigherb]

According the the old Humbrol Authentic colours cross reference HR142 Stock Brown use 110 Natural wood.

[jwealleans]

That's nowhere near the colour. I don't know what you would use, other than what's been recommended already.

[57xx]

According the the old Humbrol Authentic colours cross reference HR142 Stock Brown use 110 Natural wood.

 

SR brown was a lot darker than that. doing a very quick search, you would be a lot closer with Humbrol Pullman Umber, although could go darker still.

[SRman]

Humbrol #10, Service Brown is not too far off, if a little dark. Far too glossy but that is easily fixed afterwards with a matt varnish, which will also make it appear a little lighter.

I used the same colour with tints from other colours (red and orange, from memory) to get an approximation for LSWR wagon brown.




 

[57xx]

That #10 Service Brown is a lot closer than the one I mentioned, good shout.

[autocoach]

Thinking about the OP's original question of an equivalent for SR Goods Brown in the US more and more. The color Roof Brown comes closest in model paints.  A close color in artists supplies is Raw Umber which is a very dark brown little red tint. It is readily available in craft hobby stores throughout the US. Craft paint is usually a thick pigment not too well suited to model work if you brush paint. If you can airbrush then thin it with reducer medium and use IPA for cleanup. If you want an enamel based paint then look at the Scalecoat line which has a roof brown. Scalecoat went through a change of ownership recently but appears to be available again. 

 

If you subscribe to the free internet US model railroad magazine Model Railroad Hobbyist, there is available an excellent guide to acrylic paints   http://mrhmag.com/subscribers-only/painting/acrylics     This is available only to subscribers but then the subscription is free. It would be too big to attach here. 

 

I just bought a bottle of Tamiya Flat Dark Brown but again it has just a bit too much of a red tint. It would be an excellent replacement color for the LSWR brown in post #6 above. 

 

I checked some of the goods equipment in color pictures on the Bluebell that is painted Southern brown and it is all over the map. I suspect the dark brown faded very quickly after painting in real life. It would have become chalky and lighter in appearance in daylight as it weathered.

 

And then I just did the obvious google search and guess what http://www.humbrol.com/us-en/10-service-brown-gloss-14ml-enamel-paint.html is available by mail order in the US from this site. Big letters:

Please note that this item can only be delivered to US addresses

to ward any UK residents tempted by the low price. Hornby is attempting to gain a foothold in the US model hobby (ships, planes, etc, and trains) paint market with Humbrol through the link to Airfix kits which are readily available here.

Edited August 24, 2016 by autocoach

[autocoach]

My two little tins of Humbrol #10 Service Brown Acrylic arrived yesterday. The color is a very dark purple brown and high gloss. I tried brush on a sample and it didn' brush well. Went on thick and has a high gloss finish. It is way away from what I want.  However, what would one use to thin this acrylic for air brushing. It is way too think for an acrylic as it comes from the tin. I have both Tamiya thinner and Liquitex Art Acrylic Medium available. 

 

I am researching other colors. My ex LSWR diagram 1410 vans are at least 40 years old in 1947 and have just survived WW 2 so the color will be somewhat dulled and washed out. Any acrylic suggestions?  The best color if I could find it is the SR Brown Hornby has just used on their Bulleid SR Cattle Vans. 

Edited December 5, 2016 by autocoach

[brossard]

Does the paint say "Made in China" Ken.  I got some Chinese Humbrol from a source here.  Surely it's been made in England for quite some time after the debacle.  I wonder if distributors are fobbing off the Chinese stuff to the colonies.

 

John

[autocoach]

Does the paint say "Made in China" Ken.  I got some Chinese Humbrol from a source here.  Surely it's been made in England for quite some time after the debacle.  I wonder if distributors are fobbing off the Chinese stuff to the colonies.

 

John

Alas they are. It does read made in china. Not very good stuff from my first impression. Probably imported direct to these colonies rather than touching British soil. 

Edited December 5, 2016 by autocoach

[SRman]

When I used the Humbrol #10, mine was an enamel (oil-based) version. I used a red-brown undercoat and thinned the Service Brown with turps to allow some of the underlying colour to show through. For the acrylic version, you can thin with water, but not too much or it will not adhere properly.

[colin penfold]

Hi all. I found this thread when I googled looking for a suggestion for a humbrol colour to use for my two SR Vans. I know it's probably way too late for the OP but just in case others come here in future I have a suggestion. Humbrol 173 

 

It's hard to get reference points given that rtr manufacturers and preserved railways seem to differ quite widely on the shade, but I am happy enough with this. Photo includes the Dapol o gauge open for comparison with their interpretation.

 

Hope this helps someone

[colin penfold]

I'm happy with that then. I want faded. Great info for future visitors though, cheers. Bet the OP wishes you were around in 2016  

[Nearholmer]

I've been wandering around in the foothills of the same question, in preparation for several SR wagon kits, and at the same time trying "nail" GWR brown as used on milk vans.

 

Humbrol recommend RC415 Pullman Umber for the GWR brown, but to me it seems to lack the warmth of the GWR colour, and for reference it doesn't look purple enough for the SR colour in good condition.

 

Revell 361-84 Lederbraun is possibly a useful one for slightly faded SR brown, and Tamiya XF-10 likewise, but neither is right for original condition.

 

I'm very sceptical of the Humbrol 98, unless it is meant to be faded.

 

The colour that I've got that I think is nearest is a Windsor & Newton artists acrylic, Burnt Umber, but I have yet to find a way of painting with artists acrylic on anything non-absorbent ....... it works brilliantly on wood, if heavily thinned with alcohol, then used like a stain, and built-up using many coats.

 

What is frustrating is that I've got some old wagons, one from the 1930s, others probably from the 1940/50s, and these have the colour just as it should be (in my mind) ....... the right shade of brown must have been freely available then.

 

Of course, it is all rather subjective, given the variability resulting from a million factors ...... anything roughly dark brown, fading to either an olive or dark pink tinge would probably do!

 

Here is some naturally aged 1930s paint, although it looks as if there is a bit of re-touching of lettering.

Edited April 5, 2019 by Nearholmer

[Il Grifone]

I usually add a dash of black to GW coach brown.

 

The contemporary references of Dublo and Trix tinplate  wagons (for what they are worth) agree on a dark brown similar to the above. I am never too worried about wagon colours. The railways themselves weren't. It's job was to protect the wagon and the actual shade was secondary. Weathering would cause it to fade or darken depending on the conditions.

 

The Chinese Humbrol paint is merely toxic waste!

Edited April 6, 2019 by Il Grifone

[Krusty]

Quote

The Chinese Humbrol paint is merely toxic waste!

 

How many years ago did Humbrol production return to England?

[Il Grifone]

Unfortunately it's still around.

I still have a jar of Humbrol SR EMU green. It was OK when I last opened it a year or two back (to restore a Dinky Toy bus), but it seems to have now gone hard.

Edited April 7, 2019 by Il Grifone