Tornado 60163 Unleashed

Great train pic - just the right balance between detail and a loose style. Lovely shadows on the carriages.

Oh, I love this Andrew. Although the detail is there on the train, you have a lovely loose style, which makes it look as though it WAS effortless for you to paint it. I have tried to achieve this on my train but the style is not as loose (portfolio could be reached through 'Cottage in Pyrannees' posted 31 Jan, if you want to see what I mean). I am trying to achieve this looser style of watercolour, which you seem to have masterd already.

Just realised yours is oil! I still love it! Jx

I think you've hit the right note here, with the relatively soft focus, to which oil lends itself so well. I do miss these smokey trains!

Just love this preservation of the old puffers....cough, cough, love it, cough, cough...oh the thrill of seeing them puffing round the curve into the station......and the hiss of steam......Ohhhhhhhh! Sparks flying...the lot! Very scary during the wartime blackouts, though...I used to grab and hold on to my mum's coat as we approached the platform edge in utter blackness, toward this monster hissing out steam...and that little step up into the carriage...lord, i must be getting old.....

Bloody brilliant. you got this one 99% right, the other 1% (i had to try and find something wrong) is the curve on the carriages, the roof lines go just a bit too straight for the radius of the curve but this is more to do with amusing myself than any criticism. The painting is really very good. I have a photo of the Evening Star (last BR steamer built) emerging from a tunnel on the Settle to Carlisle line and when I paint it , i'll let you know so you can have a laugh. If you ever decide to do a detailed Tornado painting, let me know as I have about 10 pictures I took when it was parked in the NRM at York when they first built it.

I have put the 9F and all my Tornado museum shots on a disc. if you can let me have an address to post it to i will send it off. My e-mail is john.davies1073@ virgin.net

As an afterthought, I was talking to the chap who built it and he tells me it is in the old LNER colour Apple Green, quite light, it will be re-painted in three years to another livery (blue) then after that probably British Rail Green.

Excellent work on this Andrew! sorry I missed this before as I feel slightly responsible for its creation. Great ellipses, I don't think anyone who has ever drawn a loco. realise how difficult it is to get these just right, a make or break situation. Well done again!

Excellent work on this Andrew! sorry I missed this before as I feel slightly responsible for its creation. Great ellipses, I don't think anyone who has ever drawn a loco. realise how difficult it is to get these just right, a make or break situation. Well done again!

Hi Andrew, a lovely painting and good perspective of what can be a difficult subject. I have a Battle of Britain loco in my portfolio, but I found the smoke the difficult part to paint, silly really. Well done again.

super