I'm a 'Mature' modeler from Scotland (UK) I'm of the age that I can remember watching Thomas season 1/2/3 when they 1st came out, and since I was a child I always wanted to do a Thomas layout, but at the time only the Hornby range was available and I didn't like that they were not screen accurate so time passed and I forgot all about it.
But last year I just happen to come across the Bachmann models on eBay and when I seen you could get a Thomas with snowplow I was sold, being in the UK Bachmann Thomas stuff is hard to come by but I managed to get a brand new Thomas with snowplow and hat split from a set and that was the start of my new hobby
about a year as passed and now I have a growing collection with some of my own projects in there too
Thomas
The Bachmann models are fantastic but in some areas not perfect I also only really want to model Season 1/2/3 as that's what I watched growing up, I've made alterations to a few to make them more screen accurate 1st one I done was Thomas
I'm a mature modeler so not fussed about the moving eyes so I replaced this face with a more screen accurate face
painted the area between his tanks and wheel arch black
the grey area under the cab door painted black
and put the season 1/2 red pin striping on the back of his bunker
and of course you cant have Thomas without Annie and Clarabel
their chassis were painted black
and Clarabel got a guards section
Edward
Edward s pretty much perfect, Bought off ebay as a non runner replaced the motor (great parts service bachmann have!) now runs perfect
the tender steps has there centers panted black
the cab was painted black
cab controls were added
As of yet I don't have anything for Edward to pull
I did make some old branch line coaches
But I wasn't happy with there finish so I have started again, so far I have just remade the brake coach
Henry
Henry again excellent model
I got Henry along with Edward as a non runner again replaced the motor works perfect,
painted the grey bits black
painted his cab black
added cab detailing
cut out the sloping section on the cab side of the tender and replaced with a right angle section
painted his steps centers black
by the time I got into buying the bachmann models Gordons and the red express coaches had been discontinued, but they weren't screen accurate anyway so I made my own
Painted in season 2 red and white, currently only got a red brake coach finished but 2 composites are getting painted as I type
Gordon
Again Gordon spot on out the box but as always it's the small details...
grey bits painted black
cab painted black
cab details added
rear of the tenders black sloping section cut out and replaced with a right angled curved section just behind the coal
as stated before I had to make my own express coaches
detailed to season 1 style coach, currently have 2 composites and a brake finished but a 3rd composite is getting painted soon
James
We all know James isn't perfect, but its got great potential! this was a big project
face changed
smoke box painted black
wheels painted black
grey bits painted black
front coupler added
cab cut open and painted black
cab detail added
random bit of black paint on the back of the tender removed
of course wouldn't be a season 1 James without his coaches
bought 11 annie and clarabels 2 for thomas the other 9 got there bodies removed
chassis painted black
names removed
faces removed by cutting the face end off of 1 end and replacing it with the blank end of another coach
1 coach was left with the Clarable face and guards section added
so what happened to the other 4 that got cut up? keep reading....
Percy
again Percy isnt perfect, but everything is there to make it so this was my 1st big project
face changed
front coupler hoop added (cant add the hook as the spring got in the way of the chassis)
leaf spring detail added under his boiler
steps moved to under the running board
louvers cut into the back of his bunker
coal cut down
rear window painted on to the back of the cab
brake pipe and hook detail added to the rear buffer bar
excess metal cut from the piston rods
grey bits painted black
maybe becuase the amount of work i put into it but has to be my favour model, and of course he needs to pull the mail
I've only got 1 Sodor Mail car, I would like 3 more but I really cant find the 'Sodor Mail' ones any where if anyone's got some for sale?
Toby
Toby is spot on, as is Henrietta, and of course Tidmouth Milk tanker
nothing needed done! just painted his front and rear hooks black
Tidmouth Milk tank straps painted black
the camera hasn't picked it up but i have added wire from the ends down to the chassis
Duck
perfect out the box, pulling all the trucks I have I'm waiting for the red coached for duck!
just painted his black buffers red
the oil tanker has been weathered
and like the milk the wires been added
Donald and Douglas
both fantastic models, so good i still haven't got round to modding them
I did make them snowplows i also have cab details waiting to be added to them, i would also like to move there name plates forward at some point
also made a works unit for them
not happy with it so i have started making a new one but only got the chassis made so far
Bill and Ben
brilliant models as well, nothing needed done
once I'm finished with the coaches I will start collecting more trucks, they will get a long line a china clay trucks for the 2 of them to pull together
I just bought a Diesel few days ago so should be delivered soon, after that I will be getting a Mavis and that's me done till Oliver and Toad come out will get a S.C.Ruffy with them, and fingers crossed there is a daisy and Boco in the future
so remeber the 4 other annie/clarable chassis? they were reused in my new very large project, which is slowing up all my other projects....
Brake down train
very long project, not alot getting done to it as i dont have much free time at the minute but i am striving to get it finished , icant wait to see it all done!
that's all for now, more updates as an when they happen!