D53-*     FALCON CAST PLATE & ELEPHANT TRANSFERS £7.99 / £9.99 Heljan have produced 4mm OO scale and now 7mm O-gauge models of the Brush Falcon engine. When the cast plates were removed, Elephant stickers believed to be of Alexander from the Babar stories, were placed over the rusty dirt marks left behind, and then the cast plates were later put back on over those stickers. For 4mm the Lime Green models have the ex-works larger pale blue painted style of bird, while the BR Green and Blue models are supplied with matte white printing and a brass etch, and a monochrome attempt at Elephant stickers over the marks of the removed plates done as plain grey patches. The wrong colours and just not right on shading - as for example shown in the top half of the model photo opposite. To meet popular demand there have been separately available silver etchings from other manufacturers, but they all only have the two flat levels like the Heljan ones, and need to be glued in place. However proficient the etching, that approach is just not appopriate for a 3-D angle faceted subject, etchings plainly and obviously do not look like the real thing! For a real picture of the nameplate, try this link: flic.kr/p/2iC8ta9 Our decals of the cast plates resemble the holograms found on modern bank cards, a mirror finish silver with 3-D shaded printing matched directly with the prototype photos. Fitting precisely over the white Heljan printing on the BR green or blue models, and they look exactly like the real thing - see the bottom half of the photo opposite, and click on it to enlarge and see it up close. We've made decals of the original cast plates as filmless no-carrier waterslide transfers: A set of 3 (1 spare) mirror-finish metallic silver cast falcon bird & name plates, Ideal to improve on the printed Heljan Falcons on their special limited editions, No glue or painting required if you want to preserve a valuable collectible. No cutting out, no need for messy glue and they can be easily removed if desired. Nothing to damage your precious collectors item. We recommend adding some PVA Wood Glue to the soaking water, soak for up to a minute, just long enough to free from the backing, so that you can slide in to place. Be careful, as these are thinner than other transfers you may have used. As usual, if there are any problems just get in touch for replacements. Now we've also added the Elephant sticker decals, with and without the cast plates, as clear carrier decals too. For a real picture of the Elephant sticker, although in black and white glory, try this link: www.flickr.com/photos/johngreyturner/5459247865/sizes/o/in/photostream/ If you want to make the improvements of our decals permanent and guard against scratching, you can seal over the printing to help protect it. They are best coated with "Johnson's Klear" ("Future") floor-polish/acrylic-varnish and/or a fine air-brushing of traditional varnish. See K4-* items in the Marketplace section of our site. It was while in the original lime green livery that the cast plates were first added. That was the condition in which it hauled the Master Cutler Pullman train. To model that, you would need to remove the larger printed blue bird to fit any representation of the cast birds - a complete varnishing would disguise the removal mark as well as seal on the decal.   D53-A Falcon Original Cast Plates - 4mm Filmless No Carrier £7.99 D53-B Falcon Original Cast Plates - 7mm Filmless No Carrier £9.99 D53-C Falcon Elephant Stickers - 4mm Clear Carrier Decals £7.99 D53-D Falcon Elephant Stickers - 7mm Clear Carrier Decals £9.99 Below the 7mm decals for the Elephant stickers - the sticker is white backed and edged, the rusty dirt marks are not undercoated with white ink so they look like the real dirt against the engine body colour. Above the 7mm decals for the Elephant stickers with the Cast Plates fitted over them. D53-E Falcon Cast Plates Fitted Over Elephant Stickers - 4mm Clear Carrier Decals £7.99 D53-F Falcon Plates Fitted Over Elephant Stickers - 7mm Clear Carrier Decals £9.99