Hi I came across this thread by accident today and while these comments are very late the following may be of interest.
I'm not knowledgeable on the Bachmann Thomas the Tank range but I suspect that since this is based on British locomotives and rolling stock, the range of British models offered by Bachmann in Britain is easily adaptable by them to Thomas the Tank items. That being the case these items are modelled in OO scale (4mm = 1ft) and not HO scale. Note that traditionally British OO is designed to run on HO track a compromise most modelers there live with.
In the late '90s Bachmann produced a model of the British Southern Railway "N Class locomotive" The Irish connection arises because circa 1924 the Midland Great Western Railway in Ireland purchased kits of the actual locomotive from the Southern Railway for assembly in Dublin and accordingly the Bachmann model is a good representation of a locomotive that ran on Irish rails until the late '50s/ early '60s, in Ireland it was the "K class"
Taking advantage of this an Irish company "Murphy Models" commissioned Bachman to produce this model in three Irish liveries. To accompany this they also commissioned Bachmann to produce matching coaches. These coaches are close to but not quite accurate models of coaches used on the Irish railways. They are in fact Bachmann models of British LMS coaches in an Irish livery.
Subsequently it seems that Bachmann offered these items as an Irish train set on the US market (maybe 4000 sets). Note they were labeled HO whereas they are in fact OO. A set is very good value at $80.
All manufacturers of RTR British models provide tension lock couplings and with finer models these have been reduced in size but large and small should work together. It should also be relatively simple to convert to Kadee.
As regards red and cream coaches, this was an old livery in Britain (early British Railways "blood & custard") and there should be plenty regular (other than Thomas the Tank specific) compatible models available. Probably the best online retailer in the UK is Hattons, see https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/SiteResults.aspx?searchfield=Blood%20&%20Custard
Note their quoted prices in sterling include UK sales tax (VAT) of approx. 20% which is not applicable on sales to the US and there is no import tax on models/toys in the US. I've also found Hattons to be very reasonable with delivery charges.
Hope this helps
I'm not knowledgeable on the Bachmann Thomas the Tank range but I suspect that since this is based on British locomotives and rolling stock, the range of British models offered by Bachmann in Britain is easily adaptable by them to Thomas the Tank items. That being the case these items are modelled in OO scale (4mm = 1ft) and not HO scale. Note that traditionally British OO is designed to run on HO track a compromise most modelers there live with.
In the late '90s Bachmann produced a model of the British Southern Railway "N Class locomotive" The Irish connection arises because circa 1924 the Midland Great Western Railway in Ireland purchased kits of the actual locomotive from the Southern Railway for assembly in Dublin and accordingly the Bachmann model is a good representation of a locomotive that ran on Irish rails until the late '50s/ early '60s, in Ireland it was the "K class"
Taking advantage of this an Irish company "Murphy Models" commissioned Bachman to produce this model in three Irish liveries. To accompany this they also commissioned Bachmann to produce matching coaches. These coaches are close to but not quite accurate models of coaches used on the Irish railways. They are in fact Bachmann models of British LMS coaches in an Irish livery.
Subsequently it seems that Bachmann offered these items as an Irish train set on the US market (maybe 4000 sets). Note they were labeled HO whereas they are in fact OO. A set is very good value at $80.
All manufacturers of RTR British models provide tension lock couplings and with finer models these have been reduced in size but large and small should work together. It should also be relatively simple to convert to Kadee.
As regards red and cream coaches, this was an old livery in Britain (early British Railways "blood & custard") and there should be plenty regular (other than Thomas the Tank specific) compatible models available. Probably the best online retailer in the UK is Hattons, see https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/SiteResults.aspx?searchfield=Blood%20&%20Custard
Note their quoted prices in sterling include UK sales tax (VAT) of approx. 20% which is not applicable on sales to the US and there is no import tax on models/toys in the US. I've also found Hattons to be very reasonable with delivery charges.
Hope this helps