My Sodor-based home layout

Z

ZeldaTheSwordsman

Thomas Modeler
Sep 30, 2008
172
3
16
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Currently a roughly 4'x6' layout on the floor, but I will be building a proper tabletob layout in the near future(I am currently saving up for fresh track).
Engines(in order of acquisition):
*Thomas(down for repairs, will be for the foreseeable future)
*James(down for repair, but expected to be repaired by 10-5-08)
*Henry
*Gordon
Rolling stock:
*Annie(currently being converted to book version)
*Clarabel(currently being converted to book version)
*Red-striped composite coach for the Express
*Express brake coach
*1 open truck
*1 demi-anglicised bogied refrigerated van
*2 demi-anglicised bogied flat-trucks(one 40', one 50')
*1 closed 4-wheel van
*1 work-in-progress 4-wheel dairy van with working doors
Buildings and stations:
*1 work-in-progress signal box
*Crovan's Gate station(bashed from the LifeLike Pikesville Junction and a Tomy Wellsworth)
*Fish warehouse
Pictures:
Bachmann_Henry_in_Henrys_Old_Sha-7.png

My_Home_Layout_top-down_02.png

Bachmann_Henry_in_Henrys_Old_Sha-10.png

HO_Princess_Zelda.png

Model_signal_box_01.png

The track plan:
trackplan.jpg

An idea of what it looks like right now: an oval run between the Big Station at Tidmouth and the one at Crovan's Gate. Three external sidings form a harbour. Tidmouth station is currently just two strips of cardboard. Crovan's Gate is more developed. Henry currently waits as his passengers board. On the platform are: three unnamed people, my maternal grandmother, and Princess Zelda.sign1 Gordon sits at the harbour, the truck coupled behind. It is loaded with unshaped stones.
 
I love the idea behind this layout! I was such a big fan of Thomas The Tank Engine when I was a kid. I'm going to keep tabs on this layout because this is going to be a neat layout!
 
Cool. I'm going to be starting a Thomas themed layout in the next couple of years. My kid has a pair of Gordon's cars already...and my kid is still making my wife look fat ;-)

I'm going to make a lightweight 4'x8' layout with a flat oval coming into the station where there is a junction with Thomas's branch which climbs a 4% grade through the scenic divider to a town based on Rev Awdry's original layout. I probably won't use DCC since it will be for a little kid.

My old 1:87.1 locomotives will occasionally venture into this 1:76 world...especially my beloved hudsons and my 1:76 GWR 2251.

Between now and then, I'm hoping to finish a number of projects for my On3. I can't decide if I'll scratch all the structures for the Thomas layout (I scratch build everything for my on3 to save money). I'll also probably re-gauge a Thomas to run on my On3 layout for the kid (On3 track is the correct gauge for finescale OO trains...P4).
 
ZeldaTheSwordsman said:
Bachmann's are HO.
Click to expand...

I just put an unopened composite coach up to a scale...it is spot on for a 57' composite coach...in length and height...in OO scale. I haven't been able to find anywhere on the internet a reference to the actual scale of these (I don't regard a store calling them HO as being a reference). The only reference to scale I found was for 1:76 scale.

This coach also looks OO scale when compared to my only OO scale locomotive. The prototype appears to be LMS's 57' cars.

I'm thereby led to believe that the HO/OO on the package means exactly what I thought...it is OO operating on HO track...just like all of Bachmann's UK offerings (and they offer the LMS 57' carriages). If you check out Mantua's old rogers 4-6-0 and IHC's 4-4-0, you'll see the same thing...OO models masquarading as HO models.
 
Not really. I've seen pictures of Bachmann's Thomas stock next to Hornby's range, and next to HO locos. The Hornby OO locos are bigger the Bachmann HO ones, which match quite well with other HO stock. Plus, I actually think the composite coaches are 65' coaches(That's what my scale ruler showed).
 
ZeldaTheSwordsman said:
Not really. I've seen pictures of Bachmann's Thomas stock next to Hornby's range, and next to HO locos. The Hornby OO locos are bigger the Bachmann HO ones, which match quite well with other HO stock. Plus, I actually think the composite coaches are 65' coaches(That's what my scale ruler showed).
Click to expand...

I've looked up or measured a few dimensions. First is the real world measurement, then the OO and HO scale equivalents for these dimensions. The width is going to be bit inherintly hairy due to not being finescale models. The height and length are better indicators.

I'll pull a few dimensions from online to examine...
a Troublesome Truck:
3-1/8" long...20' in OO, 23' in HO
1-3/8" wide...8'8" OO, 10' in HO

My 5 plank OO wagon (measured):
3.07" long...20'
1.3" wide...8'2"

Spencer:
11" long...70' in OO, 80' in HO
1.25" wide...8' in OO, 9' in HO
2.125" tall...13'5" in OO, 15'5" in HO

Real A4s:
Length: 70'

Express coach:
9" long...57' in OO, 65' in HO
1.452" wide...9'2" in OO, 10'6" in HO
1.985" tall...12'6" in OO, 14'4" (above rail head)
bogie wheelbase: 1.396"...8'11" in OO, 10' in HO
I measured these...the last three with digital calipers.

BR Mark 1 coaches, the 65' versions:
Length: 65'
width: 9'3"
height: 12'9.5"
bogie wheelbase: 9'

LMS operated 57' cars which varied in width from 8'11" to 9'3"

Here's the only
1
picture of Bachmann's LMS 57' composite coach I could find. It is a dead ringer for Gordon's Composite Coach.


To seal the deal: The British loading gauge is 13'6" (vertically). If the Bachmann cars were HO, they'd be too tall for Britain. The American loading gauge is apprx 15% taller (varies from 15'-21') than the British gauge...the same as the difference between HO and OO scales. This is not a coincidence. OO scale was created to allow British prototypes to be able to fit the then new motors which made HO possible (the motors were too large for British HO).

If Bachmann's stuff was HO, it should actually look distinctly undersized when viewed alongside American HO stuff. I also found on the Hornby forum that at least some of the Hornby stuff is oversized...

The Bachmann absolutely without a doubt British OO scale.
 
They work as HO well enough. Anyway, I know I've been silent here for while due to focusing more on my other obsessions. But I'm getting ready to resume train modeling, especially since my allowance is closing in on my save-up mark and the garage is nearly ready for layout construction to begin.
 
I would imagine the creators of Thomas wanted a replica train setup to fit on the most popular size track (HO) not really interested on making it a complete to scale train where it could be grouped in a size category, but to have fun with them


but anyway cheers on your Thomas layout Zelda, my nephew would like to see your progress since he's a huge fan :thumb:
 
Well, currently the floor layout is disassembled. Until I get the additional track and start building the tabletop layout it won't be put back together. In the meantime I'll get buildings ready. The next step is to stain the wood floor for the signal box. That'll be a nice touch. Then I have to finish extending Clarabel, complete the water crane...You get the idea.
 
tomustang said:
I would imagine the creators of Thomas wanted a replica train setup to fit on the most popular size track (HO) not really interested on making it a complete to scale train where it could be grouped in a size category, but to have fun with them


but anyway cheers on your Thomas layout Zelda, my nephew would like to see your progress since he's a huge fan :thumb:
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what scale is used in the train on the tv shows. Thomas is available in ho/oo, o, and large scale that I know of. I'm not sure about n-scale or s-scale.
 
Russ Bellinis said:
I'm not sure what scale is used in the train on the tv shows. Thomas is available in ho/oo, o, and large scale that I know of. I'm not sure about n-scale or s-scale.
Click to expand...

I mean for the models you can buy in the store. On their site the Features include:

  • Dimensions: 4.5 x 1.2 x 2 inches
    [*]Ages 8 and up

    [*]For use on HO Scale track systems
Click to expand...
 
The other weekend at the train show I asked one dealer to let me compare the Bachmann Thomas A4 with an OO scale A4. The sizes were pretty well the same; the major visible difference was that the front of the nose was more vertical to accommodate the face, and the front bogie looked a little squished.
 
Well, the TV show uses Gauge 1. But that's impractical for home layouts, and is more expensive. Fresh pics coming soon, I swear.
 
Excellent topic. Looking forward to your new pictures!

I have looked at doing a Sodor layout some years ago but I had been an O gauge person and with limited space. Just couldn't do what I wanted. I have collected screen captures from the TV show and other tidbits from the web in order to find a few scenes that may be possible for my limited skills an area. I have since started selling my O and buying HO and have been looking at other layout ideas. I'm starting to get the Thomas bug again and may see what I can do now with HO.

I have also just run across this fantastic Island of Sodor layout that is in a photoalbum on the Bachmann site that includes photos during the construction. I don't see any info about it but would love to be able to build something like that, all in a 4x8 space!!
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/gallery/album14

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