Commissioning a Model
Please note that all the prices given in this section are a guide only, every model and class of locomotive is different and quotes are given on that basis. Prices do not include the cost of the base model which can either be customer supplied or bought on their behalf by Mercig Studios. All the locos in the ‘Buy it Now’ section include the base model and are priced approx 10-20% cheaper than the equivalent commission cost.
Before any work is taken on, the customer must either supply the base model or pay for the cost of the base model as this is then used as a deposit for the work. Final balance is required once the customer receives a digital photograph of the completed model. Turn around time for most work is between 3-8 weeks.
Weathering Package
This is the basic cost of a Mercig Model with all subsequent prices of Detailing, Renumbering, Conversion and Respray should be added on to this initial cost. As can be seen on the various pages of this website, the weathering of a Mercig Model is not a simple spray of dirt with an airbrush but is the result of many many hours of diligent work to match the prototype.
Please visit the About My Work section of the website to see what goes into a Mercig Model. Included in the below price is return special delivery postage and presentation box for all locomotives.
| Diesel shunters: | £100 |
| Diesel: | £120 |
| Steam Tank: | £130 |
| Steam Tender: | £160 |
Also included in the above prices is basic detailing. There are many small details that are covered by the weathering cost; a small selection can be seen below:
- Replacing plastic buffer beams with brass
- Etched air horn covers
- Etched metal catches for class 47/57
- Etched nose catches
- High intensity headlights
- Etched headcode surrounds for some classes.
- Fitting of headcode discs. For the Farish class 24 the supplied headcode discs are sanded down to a prototypical thickness
- Adding of real coal to steam locomotive tenders
- Fitting of any detail parts made by the model manufacturer that come with the locomotive
- Fading of paintwork
- Buffer beam grease
Detailing
The amount of detailing is normally down to the base model and how good it is. The most recent Dapol and Farish releases need very little in the way of detailing as opposed to some of the older models such as the class 50 which has a great deal of extra detail that can be applied.
Most of the cosmetic detailing is included in the initial weathering cost. When requesting a commission the customer will receive a list of optional detailing that can be done to their specified loco. Please see below for a list of some of the most common detailing that can be applied to locomotives.
| Buffer Beam detail: | £10-£20 per end |
| Driver: | £10 |
| Snowploughs: | £10 |
| Nameplates: | £10 (free if customer supplied) |
| Change of headcode: | £15 |
| Re-livery: | £15 |
Double buffer beam detailing is optional for various classes (such as class 24/37) where an extra bar needs to be put underneath the buffer beam to accommodate prototypical pipe work costs £30 per end (Price is for the whole buffer beam and is not an add on to the buffer beam detail cost shown above.)
| Moulded jumper cables replaced with wire: | Dependent on class |
| Printed on headcodes can be replaced with solid plastic: | £25 |
| Replacing moulded handrails with wire: | Dependent on class |
Renumbering
Where possible all renumbering is carried out with dry transfers so as to give a print quality to the work.
| Basic renumbering: | £10 |
| Renumbering of Dapol EWS class 66s and 67s: | £25 |
| Metal numbers for Class 35 Hymek: | £40 |
Transfers
Application of logos and other transfers are generally covered in the re-livery cost. If the customer wishes to have dry transfer logos that are not commercially available then they can be commissioned but at a cost to the customer.
Conversions
There is a whole wealth of different conversions that can be taken out. Listed below are some of the most common.
| Class 45/46 converted to plated over version: | £50 |
| Class 37 converted to later refurbished styles: | Price dependent on prototype |
| Farish class 44/45/46 bogies, slimmed down to a more prototypical appearance: | £20 |
| Farish class 37 bogie modification to reduce gap between body and bogies: | £15 |
| Body lowered on various locos such as the Farish 47: | £10 |
Resprays
Resprays are only taken out as part of the weathering package, and are priced as follows. I do not take on work that is purely a respray.
The first colour, which includes the time it takes to prep a model and the cost of applying appropriate transfers, costs £50. Each subsequent colour is £10. The cantrail stripe, if required, costs £10.
For example:
| Respray into BR blue, 2 colours: | £60 |
| Respray into Advenza livery, 2 colours plus cantrail: | £70 |
| Respray into BR large logo blue, 4 colours: | £80 |
Wagons
All prices below are based on an order of 8 or more wagons, orders below 8 are charged at a higher rate. It is impossible to give precise prices for wagons as every different type of wagon employs different techniques that take different amounts of time to complete.
| Basic wagon weathering: | £15-20 per wagon |
| Old wagons where weathering includes rust and flaking paint: | £30 per wagon |
| Large tankers and more complicated wagons such as autoballasters: | £30-£40 per wagon |
| Wagon presentation box with de-embossed Mercig Studios logo (only available for orders of 8 or more wagons): | £10 |
Coaches
All prices below are based on an order of 8 or more coaches, orders below 8 are charged at a higher rate.
| Basic coach weathering: | £40 per coach |
| Coach presentation box with de-embossed Mercig Studios logo (only available for orders of 5 or more coaches): | £10 |