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Scale HO Model Tram Decals

Model Tram Decals

BEC-KITS supply some sets of HO-scale decals for 1:87 scale continental trams. At present, the following range is available:

Picture	Part Number	Description	Availability = Yes = No = Made to order	Price
	TH01	Hamburg 1950's (Silver crests, numbers, blinds)		£2.00
	TH02	Hamburg V6E Pop (Crests, numbers, blinds, adverts)		£2.00
	TH06	Hannover/Hawa 1928 (Üstra, numbers, destinations)		£1.70
	TH07	Hamburg P.C.C. 3060 (Crest, numbers, destination)		£1.70
	TH08	Brussels P.C.C. (Lining, numbers, blinds)		£1.70
	TH09	Den Haag Ombouwer (1930's numbers, blinds, adverts)		£2.50
	TH10	Den Haag P.C.C. (1970's HTM, numbers)		£1.70
	TH13	Paris 'L' Class (Route 1, numbers, lining)		£2.50
	TH14	Paris 'Asl' Class (Route 1, numbers, lining)		£2.50
	TH15	Chemnitz/Karl Marx Stadt - Bautzen wagen (for Einsiedler Brauhaus model conversion)		£2.50
	TH19	Hamburg Schörling Schleifwagen (Railgrinder)		£2.50
	TH20	Hamburg Hochbahn A-Wagen		£2.50

Applying decals

The decals are water-slide transfers. They are printed on gummed paper and have a layer of varnish underneath or over the printed layer. The layer of varnish may cover the complete sheet, so the decals are not separate items. If you are not used to applying these decals, you may wish to practice using one of the spare items that you do not require. In particular, you should test any varnish product you apply to the decals before using it on the finished tram model. Extra copies of most items are included to allow for mistakes. Please check all solvents and varnishes on spare decals before using them on your actual model. To apply the decals, the following steps are recommended:

1. Obtain a colour photograph of the tram you wish to model so that you can see where the transfers should be placed.
2. Cut round each decal item required, close to the edge of the piece of artwork, particularly if the decal fills the whole area of a part on the tram.
3. Using some slightly warm clean water, soak the decal. This will take about 30 seconds. At first the backing causes the decals to curl when placed in water. As the decal absorbs water, the backing paper then uncurls.
4. Now very gently test to see if the decal will slide about on the backing paper. If not, then soak it a little longer. You want the decal just to begin to slide on the backing paper. This will give the decal the maximum amount of glue on its back.
5. Slightly wet the area on the model where the decal will be going, using clean water and a paintbrush to make it easier to float the transfer into the correct position. Then slide only the edge of the decal off the backing paper onto the correct position on the model. Then, holding that edge of the decal, slide the backing paper out from under the decal, letting the decal lay down onto the model. You can use tweezers to grip the underlying paper.
6. The wet paint brush may be useful to stroke gently the wet transfer into the correct position. You may have wrinkles in the decal but they can be smoothed out since the model surface is wet. If the decal edge curls under once it is off the paper, you can flood the area with water and slide a straight pin under the decal and then slide the pin in the direction of the fold, using the side of the pin to uncurl the decals.
7. Once the decal is positioned correctly, the excess water can be soaked up with a dry paint brush, tissue paper, a Q-tip bud, etc. Then allow the decal to dry completely.
8. After the decal has been applied to the model, if desired you can use a decal setting solution such as Solvaset to help the decal conform to the surface detail of the model, following the directions that come with the decal setting solution.
9. If desired, the whole model may be varnished to seal the transfers and paint finish. Usually an acrylic varnish is better than a solvent-based varnish.