Thomas The Tank Engine

Sad to say I still have numbers 1, to I think 29. The trouble is from about 17 onwards they are all first editions. I even have the original canvas map of The Isle of Sodor

Regards

The Hornby catalogue shows how simple it would be to reproduce almost any situation from the tv series. All the main locos, coaches and wagons are available rtr along with Bertie the bus, the fair ground, Waterton, Dryan and Maithwaite stations ect. Harold the helicopter, which I once called Charlie the Chopper and got corrected by a five year old (very embarrasing) is available, the "Westland Whirlwind" Airfix kit (you'll have to add your own face) or (out of scale) from other manufacturers as "Harold".
In short, given enough room (always a major problem with any model railway) I foresee no major problems to your plan.
Good luck, and a Happy New Year.
Greg H.

Why not my 3 year old grandson started me back to OO models so we have to run Thomas and Percy on my DCC layout so who knows where it will lead best of luck
noel

Agreeing with the others here: you could set up a series of little cameos scenically, taking bits from the books as inspiration. Because of space limitations, you may have to consider combining some bits from the books into one scenic setting, just to fit in a little more of what you want.

It is a hobby, so, most of all, have some fun with this.

If I remember it correctly, the trains are Sodor are rather short and there's a lot of light engine running, (especially if Percy runs away on your layout too , so you could plan to make scenes a standard length of say 3' or 4' and then if you always arrange for a single track to leave each end of the baseboard at same 2/3 of the width, you could ultimately join them altogether to make one big layout some time in the future or maybe in the garden if the weather is fine....

The 3 or 4 foot length should accommodate most of the trains on Sodor without looking ridiculous. Of course if you start with the engine shed you can get a lot of locos into a small space and isn't the locos we all really love?

David

QUOTE (BRITHO @ 30 Dec 2008, 23:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Are the Bachmann versions available in Australia?

Regards

I don't know, I don't take a lot of notice what happens in the West Island of New Zealand

My Father in law has one with moveable eyes, my one doesn't have the movable eyes!

Ultimately the kids don't care (I think!!!!!)

QUOTE (john woodall @ 30 Dec 2008, 18:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I don't know, I don't take a lot of notice what happens in the West Island of New Zealand

Wot!!

Stirrings of cheek from the Would be Island State (Currently a tranquil theme park often accessed by holidaying Australians wanting a nostalgic trip back to a rural past). Currently denied statehood because AU doesn't acknowledge marriage to sheep.

--------------------------------

Dignified but despondent NZ Maori Elder walking along the beach aimlessly... Kicks a bottle.
Out pops a Genie and says "You freed me after a thousand years stuck in that thing - ask for anything you want".

Elder thinks for a minute and says... Well, I really miss my family who are growing rich on Australian welfare payments and I hate flying so how about a bridge to Australia so I can drive over and see my Bro in Bondi whenever I like.

Bloomin heck says the Genie... thats The entire Tasman sea you want a Bridge across - don't you have anything else you wish for?

Well says the Elder, We were once a proud and strong people... More than anything I'd love to see my people working alongside our European friends and forming a hard working government, working tirelessly for the good of the nation instead of trying to get yet more compensation payments for the Treaty of Waitangi and then lying around doing not much at all.....

Suspension or Arch Bridge? says the Genie

Regards and Happy New Year John

Richard (Who is allowed to take the P out of John & NZ as he lived there for a very long time... and liked the lifestyle a lot)