Weekend Update 11/22/20

[MK]

Wonder if Thomas is just the Tomix tooling revived or all new?

They are completely different.  I checked them out in person at the last Amherst show when Bachmann had them on display.  I don't know about Percy but I found Thomas and the cast of characters looking a little larger than the Tomix versions.  Not much, my estimate is roughly 5%.  I have the Tomix version of Thomas.  I remembered reading about the slight enlargement back when they were first announced.

Oh, no plans for DCC versions.  I asked the Bachmann rep at Amherst.

[SkipGear]

From the wiki page.....

Episode 1 - The engines were portrayed by 00 gauge Hornby Dublo models and driven on authentic sets in the style of the original illustrations. The first episode, based on "The Sad Story of Henry", was broadcast live on the evening of Sunday 14 June 1953 from Lime Grove Studios.[4][5][6] The live broadcast did not fare well. Reportedly, a failure to switch the points caused the model of Henry to derail and viewers of the live broadcast witnessed a human hand, said to be one of a crew member, picking him up and placing him back on the rails. Models moved jerkily, and all effects and music had to be superimposed.[4][5][6]

Models
The original live action models were filmed on an extensive model railway layout built at the studios. The models were built to the 1:32 scale, known in model railway circles as "Gauge 1". From Series 1 to 3, the locomotives used chassis made by Märklin with specially made bodies. Along with the moving-eye and eyelid mechanisms and resin faces, these bodies also included smoke generators. Coaches and trucks were made using Tenmille kits. Later models were constructed entirely from scratch. Some of the models from the sister television series Tugs were reused in later episodes of the series.

From Series 5 to 12, some larger-scale models were used for the narrow gauge characters, to more easily fit the complex mechanisms into them while retaining a sufficient level of detail. In Series 6, the characters known as "the Pack" (construction machines) were also constructed on a large scale, and larger models of Thomas and Percy were made to interact with them. In the ninth series, another larger Thomas model was built to the same scale as the narrow gauge engines to provide greater possibilities for interaction. It was joined by a large version of James in the tenth series. In 2009, some of these models were put on display in a special exhibit at Drayton Manor Theme Park's Thomas Land.[39] Nitrogen Studios, who provided the animation for the series from series 12 to 16, also had some of the original models on display.

[peteski]

From the wiki page.....

Episode 1 - The engines were portrayed by 00 gauge Hornby Dublo models and driven on authentic sets in the style of the original illustrations. The first episode, based on "The Sad Story of Henry", was broadcast live on the evening of Sunday 14 June 1953 from Lime Grove Studios.[4][5][6] The live broadcast did not fare well. Reportedly, a failure to switch the points caused the model of Henry to derail and viewers of the live broadcast witnessed a human hand, said to be one of a crew member, picking him up and placing him back on the rails. Models moved jerkily, and all effects and music had to be superimposed.[4][5][6]

Models
The original live action models were filmed on an extensive model railway layout built at the studios. The models were built to the 1:32 scale, known in model railway circles as "Gauge 1". From Series 1 to 3, the locomotives used chassis made by Märklin with specially made bodies. Along with the moving-eye and eyelid mechanisms and resin faces, these bodies also included smoke generators. Coaches and trucks were made using Tenmille kits. Later models were constructed entirely from scratch. Some of the models from the sister television series Tugs were reused in later episodes of the series.

From Series 5 to 12, some larger-scale models were used for the narrow gauge characters, to more easily fit the complex mechanisms into them while retaining a sufficient level of detail. In Series 6, the characters known as "the Pack" (construction machines) were also constructed on a large scale, and larger models of Thomas and Percy were made to interact with them. In the ninth series, another larger Thomas model was built to the same scale as the narrow gauge engines to provide greater possibilities for interaction. It was joined by a large version of James in the tenth series. In 2009, some of these models were put on display in a special exhibit at Drayton Manor Theme Park's Thomas Land.[39] Nitrogen Studios, who provided the animation for the series from series 12 to 16, also had some of the original models on display.

Thanks for that Tony. While it is quite interesting , it doesn't give any reference dimensions of the actual models (plus as we now know, those models were made in multiple scales, so the N scale models could be  based on any of them, or just freelanced).  I was really kidding when talking about the scale of the N scale Thomas and Friends models.

I believe that the later series no longer use models, but it is all done with CGI.  Nice, but not quite the same.

[Tallmatt]

Another weekly update on the Skytop Models Thrall conversion for the FVM rib side caboose.

Everything is painted but not yet glued together, I like to weather it as separate parts and then glue the glazing in before sticking it together.

Loving that mate, looks miles better on a big screen than a phone.

[Chris333]

Percy:

Here are some photos of the new Bachmann chassis:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/009RailwayModellers/permalink/3430909503682823/

If you can't see that, here is the video:

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https://awdrysrailwayseries.fandom.com/wiki/Percy

I'm told Percy is mostly a Avonside 0-4-0ST. A lot of the other characters do have a prototype.

Here is the size of the Tomix chassis:
https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=35967

The new Bachmann chassis drivers are .291" dia and .601" WB.

[peteski]

Percy:

Here are some photos of the new Bachmann chassis:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/009RailwayModellers/permalink/3430909503682823/

https://awdrysrailwayseries.fandom.com/wiki/Percy

I'm told Percy is mostly a Avonside 0-4-0ST. A lot of the other characters do have a prototype.

Here is the size of the Tomix chassis:
https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=35967

The new Bachmann chassis drivers are .291" dia and .601" WB.

Thanks Chris.  So Bachmann (like the new Tomix models) uses a coreless motor to power those locos.  Looks like Bachmann's standard N scale coreless motor with flywheel they use in other locos.

[Chris333]

Since it's right here next to the calipers 

The motor is 7x17mm. And also the gear ratio is 52:1.

[peteski]

Since it's right here next to the calipers 

The motor is 7x17mm. And also the gear ratio is 52:1.

That is unbelievable!  How did they achieve such low-gearing?  Multiple double gears between the worm and wheelsets?  Extra large wheelset gears?

[Chris333]

Only the front driver is geared (brass gear) and between that gear and the worm (brass) are 2 (plastic) compound gears.

[randgust]

Wow.... OK, so that's probably the best stock 0-4-0 drive I've seen.   Is the Thomas Bachmann 0-6-0 built the same way with the same drive reduction?

[CRL]

Started painting valance and the ceiling, satin black.

Two coats on the valance:


Tried a bit of ceiling in the alcove, just one coat. Some spots don't accept paint well, probably because of the drywall compound patches.
I fear 2 gallons of paint might not be enough for the layout room. 

Personally, I wouldn’t paint the ceiling black. It won’t typically be in your line of sight when viewing the railroad. I would install some trim where the valance meets the ceiling to address the light leakage, but that’s about it.

[Cajonpassfan]

This small tender arrived today, absolutely blown away by it. Well done Dirk!!!

Nice! All you need now is a 900/1600 class 2-10-2 to go with it. Or a 3000 class 2-10-10-2
And yes, Dirk’s work is superb (ATSFnscalemodels.com). I have a bunch of his stuff.
Otto K.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

All sorts of O scale fun in the Kapuscinski house lately!







Check out my "O what am I doing?" thread for the play by play of me becoming a man: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=50643.msg688490#msg688490

[JMaurer1]

wm3798:

Am I the only one to notice in your post that you are building a cat house?

[kiwi_al]

Nice! All you need now is a 900/1600 class 2-10-2 to go with it. Or a 3000 class 2-10-10-2
And yes, Dirk’s work is superb (ATSFnscalemodels.com). I have a bunch of his stuff.
Otto K.

It's going behind a 3000 class 2-10-10-2 that I'm currently building