removing decals?

Hi All True, modern brake fluids are a long way from the basic glycols that used to be used a couple of decades ago. You are far better off buying a commercial model paint stripper like ELO (Easy Lift Off) that is safe for plastics. The original question referred to Hornby locos; in the Triang-Hornby era they used an alcohol-based lacquer that just washed off with metho (95% ethyl alcohol), so try that first as it is the cheapest, safest option if it works. In the same vein, using "rubbing alcohol" (isopropyl alcohol) with a cotton bud ("Q-tip") is likely to remove the background paint before it softens the stamped-on lettering. If you get the lettering off with an abrasive eraser, chances are you would mess up the paint anyway using an alcohol-based decal setting solution or, from the UK, "Meth-fix" alcohol-set decals, to replace the lettering. The best option would seem to be to strip the whole model and start again. Alan Mac :o)