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?

[Sodor Engineer]

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

[Sodor Engineer]

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

[J70Toby]

I just wanted to share some new pictures. The first is my take on the what the wiki calls the "LNWR Van." There seems to be some disagreement in the fandom as to whether this van had a real prototype or was a freelance design by the show's modelling team because its wiki profile changed several times between my planning the model and making it.  There are some claims it was bought second hand for use in the show. This van was around since the first season and its main features are that it is tall, but squat horizontally, has a very slight curve to its roof, a curious lack of any undercarriage detail, and a windowpane like design for the door. It also looks like it was rebuilt/refurbished several times as the detailing changes between seasons. It would have to have been at least partially rebuilt at some point as it was the van that Percy broke in Percy, James, and the Fruitful Day.





The next is of a kit of Talyllyn coach number 4 built as Lucy. I've posted some other Talyllyn rolling stock in the narrow guage thread, but I'm waiting to buy some more parts so I can make the other coaches and still felt liky showing this one.

[Toad139]

I really like that LNWR Van. It's probably one of your best customs.

[J70Toby]

Thank you, Toad. I'm happy with the way that he came out.

[Chaz]

Well after finally receiving some N scale commissions recently done in the mail I'm happy to share them with you all. 







Two Lima vans that I had in my collection finally painted in more TV accurate colors and of course two Tomix tankers painted in the classic Tidmouth Milk tanker livery and decals!  Huge thank you to Plow Bender for painted these and getting them ready for me.

Now time for me to start thinking about my next and probably final N scale project... Gordon.

[Sodor Engineer]

WOW that looks great I can't wait to see Gordon.

[J70Toby]

I had noticed that the forum was gone for a while, and now it looks like it's back. But the pics of all my recent models are gone from this thread, so I thought I'd put them back here.



Classic Series Windmill



Caroline with a flatbed made from a Southern Railway Brake Van kit without a cab like the model series flatbeds.



Agnes, Ruth, and Jemima now join Lucy. Unlike when I first posted this, I have kit for Beatrice, but I haven't put her together yet.



Millicent, but I still need to make Gertrude.



This is a sort of silly Super Mario Bros. joke, but I call this one "Toadette".

The next few are some assorted Wagons I've made:

[J70Toby]

This isn't really a custom, but it's an easy and cheap way to add tarped loads to open wagons using foam and tissue paper.




After this point, I upped my face-making game by making a set of master copies out of higher quality clay. Then I made silicone molds so I can reproduce them out of resin.



I flipped some clearance open wagons into Ffarquahar quarry wagons as my first project with these.