Custom Models

[J70Toby]

I spent the weekend working on my first scratch built model. It's the oversized van from A Close Shave. Many will know that the model from the show was a modified large scale narrow gauge kit, which is why it towered over the other trucks. This is also why I really had no hope of finding an HO kit to build the van from, which is why I decided to scratch build him. He's built from plastic card and some parts from an underframe kit. I based the dimensions off of Bachmann's cattle truck because that is what is coupled directly to it during A Close Shave, so it was the easiest to work with when reviewing footage and pictures when planning the model. You will probably notice that the ends aren't as low as on the original, but that was to avoid having to cut a hole for the coupling like Toby, Mavis, Bill, and Ben. The only thing that I think it really loses because of this is that the face looks larger than the TV model. The TV model made the large van faces look small even though they took up nearly the entire end of other van types.  For reference, the size of the face is based on how that type of face looked on a cattle truck (not Bachmann's Troublesome Truck 3, which has a smaller square face which were used on both vans and open trucks in the show).

When reviewing the footage, I noticed that A Close Shave seemed to be filmed with two different models of the van. The beginning has a black van with a raised bufferbeam, but after crossing the viaduct, it is replaced with a brown van with a bufferbeam that nearly touches the rails.  I wonder if the black van had extra weight or something to help film the chase.






Under Construction

[Rodimus Supreme]

I spent the weekend working on my first scratch built model. It's the oversized van from A Close Shave. Many will know that the model from the show was a modified large scale narrow gauge kit, which is why it towered over the other trucks. This is also why I really had no hope of finding an HO kit to build the van from, which is why I decided to scratch build him. He's built from plastic card and some parts from an underframe kit. I based the dimensions off of Bachmann's cattle truck because that is what is coupled directly to it during A Close Shave, so it was the easiest to work with when reviewing footage and pictures when planning the model. You will probably notice that the ends aren't as low as on the original, but that was to avoid having to cut a hole for the coupling like Toby, Mavis, Bill, and Ben. The only thing that I think it really loses because of this is that the face looks larger than the TV model. The TV model made the large van faces look small even though they took up nearly the entire end of other van types.  For reference, the size of the face is based on how that type of face looked on a cattle truck (not Bachmann's Troublesome Truck 3, which has a smaller square face which were used on both vans and open trucks in the show).

When reviewing the footage, I noticed that A Close Shave seemed to be filmed with two different models of the van. The beginning has a black van with a raised bufferbeam, but after crossing the viaduct, it is replaced with a brown van with a bufferbeam that nearly touches the rails.  I wonder if the black van had extra weight or something to help film the chase.






Under Construction

Pretty nice. If you ever want to make more vans like this, or continue practicing and upgrade existing vans, then I’d suggest checking out Sudrian Railway Modeller on Twitter. He’s constantly making rolling stock and modifications to existing Bachmann Thomas and Friends locomotives that look like they came right out of the show. Here is a tweet showing off his custom of that same van, and the thread tells what model kit he used to make it and where you can get it too.
https://mobile.twitter.com/SodorRyModeler/status/1044982243637235712

[JLK2707]

Have you ever wanted to buy a Lionel troublesome truck 1 in o scale and just use the face off of that? Not trying to be mean, but I am just saying that it is easier than making your own faces. Well, at least for me, anyway.

[Rodimus Supreme]

Have you ever wanted to buy a Lionel troublesome truck 1 in o scale and just use the face off of that? Not trying to be mean, but I am just saying that it is easier than making your own faces. Well, at least for me, anyway.

Or just use @Seth24dav’s Troublesome Truck faces.

[JLK2707]

Great idea!

[JLK2707]

I am just wondering how the Bachmann Thomas and Percy can be modified to look like their rws counterparts in book 26. How can this be done?

[thomas fan]

Im planing to make a Stanley this summer and i've started with Thomas' chassis[with moving eyes ].

[thomas fan]

Progress on Stanley:
     I painted the wheels red last night and they look ok.