Large Scale Thomas

[thomasgleek444]

my most recent picture, all equipped with bachmann sound

[Caver Keith]

This video was a COVID-19 lockdown project. The people who contributed and helped make this film never met. It was mostly filmed at Pine Tree Junction by the crew there who also acted as critical friends. It's based on a story by Christopher Awdry. I wrote the screenplay, directed it, narrated it, starred in it and edited it. The characters are voiced by the children of friends and family. Great fun!

https://youtu.be/TZgn9cwJ-HA

Has anyone had a go at converting James to Donald or Douglas? I'm mulling over the idea of removing the pony truck to create a 0-6-0 and then making new bodies for loco and tender. I think it would be possible to recycle a number of parts from James' body. Before destroying a James I though it would be worth asking if anyone else has done anything like this.

PS I can't wait to get my hands on Diesel.

[Rodimus Supreme]

This video was a COVID-19 lockdown project. The people who contributed and helped make this film never met. It was mostly filmed at Pine Tree Junction by the crew there who also acted as critical friends. It's based on a story by Christopher Awdry. I wrote the screenplay, directed it, narrated it, starred in it and edited it. The characters are voiced by the children of friends and family. Great fun!

https://youtu.be/TZgn9cwJ-HA

Has anyone had a go at converting James to Donald or Douglas? I'm mulling over the idea of removing the pony truck to create a 0-6-0 and then making new bodies for loco and tender. I think it would be possible to recycle a number of parts from James' body. Before destroying a James I though it would be worth asking if anyone else has done anything like this.

PS I can't wait to get my hands on Diesel.

That was a cute video. Donald and Douglas actually share a chassis with Duck, and it's noticeably different, design-wise, than James'/Thomas' chassis.

[Caver Keith]

Thanks very much for pointing this out. It's back to the drawing board then.  Just desperate for more large scale locos.

[Large Scale Champion]

Keith,

I sympathise, we'd love more loco's in large scale, its a desperate plight...
i just wish bachmann would grasp the fact that if they picked the right loco's, sales for british outline engines such as duck, oliver for kit bashing would be massive! especially paired with toad. that kind of logic would even make the large engines close to viable £200-£250 for an express coach would be a bargain!

[Caver Keith]

i just wish bachmann would grasp the fact that if they picked the right loco's, sales for british outline engines such as duck, oliver for kit bashing would be massive! especially paired with toad.

I would happily accept any offering from Bachmann but I agree that Duck and Oliver could sell in large quantities in the UK for the reason you state. On the back of producing these 2 locos I'm sure they would sell loads more trucks too. Agree also with the production of a Mk 1 coach both for Thomas fans and British outline railway modellers.

[Large Scale Champion]

Totally agree with you we'd love any further offerings but on average a loco every other year for 12 years isn't enough 😢. We have the whole collection and multiples of various currently creating the "ghost" from the ghost train with a spare Percy. We would love Red Coaches or Mail Train, but Edward would be great! Diesel is very exciting addition!

[jbray]

With Bachmann appearing to discontinue the Thomas DCC model, what would be the speculative future on the rest of the current locomotives getting DCC? As someone who is just getting to the stage in life where they have the extra motivation (kids!) and the funds, it is really disappointing to watch them abandon that product line. I know I have gone out of my way to purchase Percy's DCC model in addition to Thomas' because the writing appears to be on the wall. Is there any hope left for Toby, James, and Emily (let alone Winston or Diesel)?

In an additional tangent, it does seem like model trains without DCC are losing traction because of how much less engaging they are when you have more than one locomotive running. Purchasing the dual DC/DCC model allows me to run DC now while I'm getting started and have limited track/locomotives/rolling stock and then upgrade just my track power later to DCC. If my kids should find themselves enjoying them, I have no doubt that the individual train control and sound will add to that enjoyment tenfold.

[Large Scale Champion]

It's unfortunate that Diesel isn't included in the engine sounds available on the chip, the same with Winston, short sighted for justification of the switch to DCC

[Large Scale Champion]

Ok how about a Monday Morning Game:
Ultimate Large Scale wish list
2 Loco's
2 Coaches
and 3 Others
If finance and radius curves were no justification.

So mine would be:

Locos: Gordon & Duck
Coaches: Express Coaches Comp & Brake
Others: Breakdown Train (cranes and coach)
Flat Wagon (different variations that come with Bertie, Terence, Trevor etc)
Toad

Like i said something different as we all accept limitations.... but what if it was a perfect world???

[ShadowMonk]

Locomotives
- Edward
- Duck

Coaches
- Henrietta (Without a face)
- Season 1 Troublesome Truck (I know it's not a coach!)

Others
- Bertie
- Terence
- Trevor

[Large Scale Champion]

Good choices,

But they practically mirror our wants list that i feel is achievable. Its such a shame we can't expand this range faster. I think that also there is buyer reluctance as they feel its always for the chop... if we at Ruby's Railway feel that as owners of the entire range, some in multiples.., then the average joe doesn't stand a chance.

I think hands down the rarest item of rolling stock is the Oil tanker and the Conductor that came in Salty's Dockside Delivery. We have 6 Coal Wagons and i wish they'd do more loads.. and 5 Tar wagons. The only item we didn't invest in was Winston but we fixed that during lockdown. My favourite custom has got to be our 3rd Brakevan in BR Colours.

[prr22]

I'm not extremely familiar with the whole Thomas character "cast", but I'm familiar with the politics of how these models tend to get made.  The consensus seems to be that two different locomotives are wanted.  I do not think that two different complex locomotives would be released close to each other, for example Gordon and Edward.  However, two locomotives where perhaps at least some of the tooling and molds could be reused would be a better argument.  For example, Bill and Ben, Arry and Bert (for which the mold exist already for "Diesel")...

[ShadowMonk]

I was about to suggest Bill and Ben. Popular and classic characters and the fact that people (Mostly) will buy both characters.

I doubt Arry and Bert will get made after their HO history, but I am 100% certain that Paxton will be announced for 2021.

[Falcon the 2nd]

Mavis remains my first choice of a new engine for a couple of reasons:

• Despite her longtime shortcomings of show appearances and Mattel-made merchandise, she's still relevant as a beloved classic character. She's recently become a staple engine of Strasburg's DOWT events and in general, I feel that fans are likely to buy her.
  
• As said in the past, she'd be one of the less expensive engines to make. Toby could share his chassis with her as a cost-effective move and the most that would have to be handled thereafter is her body shell.
  
• We currently only have both one female engine (Emily) and one diesel engine (Diesel) in Large Scale, so I think it'd be smart to introduce Mavis since she fulfills both criterias and adds some variety to the line.

Knowing that Mattel's next directions with the show will not have any effect on Bachmann, I have at least some hope that Mavis can be made at some point. Though I would personally prefer it if she wasn't made with the distracting headlamp she had in her last appearances.

Bill & Ben would be my next choice. They feel ideal since they're the smaller and less complex options among other engines and two characters can be made with one tooling, which would be financially beneficial. They have potential to be profitable among fans, similarly to Mavis, and I think they'd be worthwhile additions.

Paxton's the only frequent suggestion I'm not completely familiar with, but I'm leaning toward expecting him as the next engine going by the rapid progress that has been made with Diesel. Hopefully, they'll have an easier time with his face on a Large Scale model than they did in HO. It's safe to not expect Arry & Bert in any other scales since they sold poorly in HO alone.