[cudak888]

Hello all,

First of all...I admit it. Never scratchbuilt an entire locomotive before. I've fiddled with styrene before, chopped and modified a number of HO equipment with the stuff, but I've yet to master the tips and tricks of the medium.

This said, I have the idea of building a 1/29th scale F40PH-2C shell and chassis embedded firmly in mind - and I dare say I'm not going to stop myself - but sensibility IS telling me to try fiddling around with an easier subject first.

Call it silly, but I've got it in mind to copy one of the Shepperton Studio's own scratchbuilt machines:

EDIT: Picture reduced to 640 pixel width - paragraphs restored to message. -Kurt

Growing up as a child with it, it is hard to resist, and I've always thought the design - especially the squared-off tanks - to be a good starting point for the styrene newbie. (Whether I'll still say that when I'm fitting the splashers...yet to be seen) For that matter, I always did curse Lionel's model as being proportionally incorrect, even as a kid. Rivet-counter's disease, I guess. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif" border=0>

Now, all this aside, I've been toying with the various possibilities for drivetrains to start with. Aristo's Pacific drivers have the right "look", but are too large, Bachmann's Annie is out of the question, and besides being impossible to find, the original Marklin drives - as used on the actual Gauge 1 TV equipment - are overpriced.
Being that I'm not too familiar with availability of G-gauge parts, are aftermarket drivers available for custom jobs such as this? Who would carry them?

The other question I had in mind is whether it would be feasible to cut apart a small electrical project box to utilize as a drivetrain; personally, I still have trouble with the idea of a chassis scratchbuilt from styrene - I keep envisioning too much potential lateral flex without it being entirely rigid. Am I just imagining things here? I've seen a few examples on this forum already, but I'm still a skeptic...

Take care,

-Kurt

 

[ralphbrades]

Could I suggest an easy route? I make all my own stuff (not because I am a cheapskate -despite my wife's claims) but because I enjoy it. Have a look at the home page and examine the section "Kitchen Sink Engineering".

Other places to look are:

GRS http://www.grsuk.com/index.asp?info/welcome.htm
IP Engineering http://www.ipengineering.co.uk/
Brandbright http://www.brandbright.co.uk/catindex.htm

regards

ralph

 

[chuckger]

Hi Kurt,

Check out Hartland's web site, they have 3 different driver sizes, gearbox and motors as well as motor bricks. These parts where used in some of the master class engine builds. The larger wheels should be close to what your looking for.

chuckger

 

[Torby]

I've wondered about building a Thomas as the Lionell ones are really old and getting hard to repair.

I think the Aristo gear boxes would be great for scratchbuilding and bashing, but I haven't tried them.

 

[Pete Thornton]

Kurt,
Besides Ralph's links, the GIMRA has a page of links ( www.gaugeone.org links page) and many of them sell wheels.
GRS UK have a range of chassis and motor/gearbox parts that might help. Cumberland Model Engineering (Dave Queener) have some nice wheels.

But it does occur to me that you've got a slight scale problem. The original locos (both the ones that the stories were based on and the stories themselves,) were standard gauge. Are you planning to go to 1:32nd scale? Or 1/29th, or some vague scale like the Lionel ones that are falling apart - and proportionally incorrect because of the scale problem?
I couldn't find a decent prototype photo, but here's the Hornby model that was repainted to make their 'Thomas"

 

[cudak888]

Thanks all for the links. Didn't find many who detailed their lineup of wheels

But it does occur to me that you've got a slight scale problem. The original locos (both the ones that the stories were based on and the stories themselves,) were standard gauge. Are you planning to go to 1:32nd scale? Or 1/29th, or some vague scale like the Lionel ones that are falling apart - and proportionally incorrect because of the scale problem?

I intend to build them to match their original scale - indeed, Gauge 1/standard gauge. No sense in ruining the proportions, for that is exactly what I intend to avoid with the build.

No sense in overlooking parts from 1/32nd or 1:29th if they can be adapted though, I say - hence the idea of possibly using the Aristo Pacific brick with Mikado drivers.
Posted By chuckger on 04/02/2008 5:06 AM
Hi Kurt,
Check out Hartland's web site, they have 3 different driver sizes, gearbox and motors as well as motor bricks. These parts where used in some of the master class engine builds. The larger wheels should be close to what your looking for.
chuckger


Would that be http://www.h-l-w.com/? Just curious, because it doesn't look it.
-Kurt

 

[cudak888]

...but here's the Hornby model that was repainted to make their 'Thomas"

Sorry to say, that isn't the case. All the original models were styrene on a modified Marklin chassis. (That said, there is a photo from the same Model Railroad Constructor article that the Thomas photos came from that show the staging of a scene with a stock Marklin DR tank unit.

P.S.: Isn't that an OO model? Looks it.

-Kurt

 

[chuckger]

Hi Kurt,

I copied this from HLW site

Motor Blocks and Wheels.

Economy Motor Block A great 12VDC block with light/pole. $30.00

Motor & Gear Box Want to Kit Bash a rail car? $25.00

Short Block A lot of power in a little package $35.00

Large Block This is our big hauler. Used on our 4-4-0's and Big John's $65.00

Comes with choice of wheels. 3 different sizes.

Small (Red or Black), Medium (Red or Black) and Large (Red or Black)
Last I bought parts Wheels where $5 each, contact Phil Jensen in parts Tues or Thursday PN 402-571-2933. The large block with the 2inch wheels plus an extra set of wheels should give you what you need.

chuckger

 

[Pete Thornton]

Posted By cudak888 on 04/02/2008 8:18 AM
...but here's the Hornby model that was repainted to make their 'Thomas"

Sorry to say, that isn't the case. All the original models were styrene on a modified Marklin chassis. (That said, there is a photo from the same Model Railroad Constructor article that the Thomas photos came from that show the staging of a scene with a stock Marklin DR tank unit.
P.S.: Isn't that an OO model? Looks it.
-Kurt




Kurt,

That is indeed the OO model - that Hornby repainted to make their OO "Thomas"./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/cry.gif

Sorry - I didn't realise you were set on making a model like the one used by the TV series. I thought any old "Thomas" would do! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif

 

[Pete Thornton]

Kurt,
I was poking around some of the UK sites and noticed this little loco:

Although the bodywork isn't any use, the chassis might be pretty close to a 1/32 or 1/29th version of your 'Thomas'. It's available from Accucraft: http://www.accucraft.com/index.php?show_aux_page=125

Another loco that has a possbly-useful chassis is the LMS 3F from Prestige on their website
http://www.prestige10.webeden.co.uk/#/rtrlocos/4520332230

 

[cudak888]

Sorry - I didn't realise you were set on making a model like the one used by the TV series. I thought any old "Thomas" would do! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif" border=0>




That's all right - not many people are fishing about to do the "unthinkable" - build a prototypical replica of an entirely fictional locomotive from a child's TV series.

Posted By Pete Thornton on 04/02/2008 12:01 PM
Kurt,
I was poking around some of the UK sites and noticed this little loco...





Sharp looking little critters there, if a bit long in the wheelspacing. Expensive little buggers there too - a little bit out of price range considering that I'm trying to cook up a reasonably easy first-time bash. I'll keep it in mind, nevertheless.

-Kurt

 

[Terl]

Well I put the drive wheels from a Bachman 4-6-0 under a Thomas toy engine and thought that it turned out alright. I wouldn't spring for the drive from their premium engine the Annnie, not needed.

I think that the proportions are good. Now I don't have a scale drawing of the prototype British engine, but I would suspect that the above model is probably oversized by quite a bit.

Terl

 

[tacfoley]

Please note that the Accucraft IoM 'Caledonia' is in 16mm to the foot scale - that is to say, 1/19th.

Over here it's around $700 or so.

The other site noted is a builder of very high quality Gauge 1 [1/32nd scale] models. If Kurt thinks that Maerklin bits are over-priced, he might just be loathe to fork out the £1200 [$2376.00] cost of the little 3F.

Mind you, you CAN take our 17.5% tax off that.

tac the griper
www.ovgrs.org

 

[ralphbrades]

I actually HAVE 1:32 scale drawings of Thomas and Toby -but Matthews' versions run on 32mm track. I have never seen the reason for buying a loco to throw away the bits that are not required -I would simply buy a chassis and graft the plasticard body work to it. The chassis that I used is the one from IP Engineering -the 6wd one. If I thought it was worth the effort (and was as durable!!!) then I would have looked at modding the GRS G126 chassis for him. The IP Engineering chassis has the advantage that the axles are simple lengths of 1/8th steel rod -and are easy to replace...

regards

ralph

 

[cudak888]

Quite amusing, and I must say, the Bachmann Big Hauler chassis seems as if it would fit quite well regardless of whether it was built to Gauge 1 or otherwise. Had considered it earlier, but I thought the drivers would be undersized - looks as if I was wrong. Fewer spokes in the wheels never hurt anything either.

Could also bash the Big Hauler boiler into an early Pacific too.

I'll probably go this route - inexpensive enough, even though I don't care for the Big Hauler drive. I dare say I can do something with the Big Hauler shell as well - nice little bonus.

Posted By ralphbrades on 04/03/2008 8:45 AM
I actually HAVE 1:32 scale drawings of Thomas and Toby




Might you be willing to share them? I can always scale them down if necessary.

-Kurt

 

[ralphbrades]

OK -I have them scanned at 300dpi and 8 bit grey scale and uploaded them. You will find them here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/sheila.capella/mls/

The home page is here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/sheila.capella/cabbage/default.html

regards

ralph

 

[Jerry Barnes]

Over on the Aristo site, someone did a Thomas with some Aristo drivers, as I recall. Jerry

 

[cudak888]

Posted By ralphbrades on 04/03/2008 1:01 PM
OK -I have them scanned at 300dpi and 8 bit grey scale and uploaded them. You will find them here:




Thanks, Ralph. I'll scale and print them out this weekend.

Posted By Jerry Barnes on 04/03/2008 2:03 PM
Over on the Aristo site, someone did a Thomas with some Aristo drivers, as I recall. Jerry




Indeed:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/N1CW/JimH/DSCF0008.jpg

Says he used Mikado drivers in the SD45 gearbox - didn't know the SD45 gearbox would accommodate the Mikado drivers - and the chassis looks about right (even though that particular model shell does rides high). Pretty much what I had in mind, except for the donor gearbox. Cheap and effective - and I dare say I'll be going that route.

Thanks to all for their help.

Take care,

-Kurt

 

[lownote]

Terl that's a GREAT idea--my three year old daughter loves Thomas, and I've been looking for a way to put one on our layout without spending a lot of money. I even have an old big hauler around. Now I need to find a big enough toy...

 

[cudak888]

Hello all,
Do forgive me for bumping this up, but I thought it would be a tad better then starting up an existing thread. I decided against Thomas - don't know why - and I went for James. Finally located a local source of Plastistruct - this is what I have so far.

For better or worse, the only thing that will fit under him that is to scale and won't break the bank is a shortened Bachmann Big Hauler drivetrain - I cannot find a source for proper drivers except for an outfit in England that sells rough-cast wheels in need of drilling and machining. In the meantime, I've been watching the track-powered Big Haulers on eBay until something comes up that has an intact motor and wheelset.

Unfortunately, the firebox came out just a tad wider then the model on the show - same for the cab. Can't be helped, looks fine though.

-Kurt