Detailing and power upgrade of the Hornby 1985 clockwork Thomas

[The Tri-ang scale modeler]

Begging of a modeling process. 

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Well to a start this may seem like a butcher rather than a mod to some but it'll make sense, quite a while ago. I was on eBay looking to bid on something peculiar (railway related) I have heard of these before however the clockwork mechanism aspect isn't very reliable so I bid on it, won it and it arrived with another clockwork loco with No.1... so  in a chance to improve it a month ago I bought what 7 or 9 people were waiting to purchase, I snatched it up immediately on Sunday. it was an HO scale item of an American Prototype, a month, and a trip to the hospital later. I finally opened my parcel. I was slightly disappointed the main reason and so far only that I know of was the funnel was squashed, and then decided due to technical modeling judgement. Decided to omit the shell all together of the USA prototype that is. That was one to two days ago. then I have glued (successfully) the Thomas 0-4-0 body shell with two part on with *Loctite's Two Part Translucent Epoxy* which i'd recommend! (okay, I know for a fact that I should have waited till the application of paint and kit-bash plus, to the fill in of the key hole, but the temptation was a bit too strong on my end.)

 

 

NWR No.1  in early 1985 condition, modified. on the start of the Woodland Scenic's layout Super 4 upgrading project.

 

 

Plans:

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plans for the cab for the cab will be more complicated,  I will acquire some Evergreen styrene to produce a rear back plate representing a buffer beam, I will then cut pieces that i'll fit into the and back then I'll warm a piece of styrene in the microwave so it's pliable which is how i'll make the roof.  i'll glue those onto the locomotive with Epoxy (I am not sure if Hobby cement would work,)  i'll paint the two cab parts first (with Tamyia Brilliant Blue) and the cab roof a Humbrol acrylic Matt (black) Further more, when I get around to modifying the cylinder's soon. I will be using enough Milliput so I can round off the edges, then paint that scarlet and the end of the cylinders with Tamyia Brilliant Blue by detail brush.I'll also use Kadee couplers as well plus the wheels do need attention, i'll do those with a finer dealing brush.

 

Prototype:

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What I am trying to model is the Strasburg Railway's NWR No.1 which won't be modeled after the full scale "common" replica's,

but the railway built it's own Thomas after H.K. Porter locomotive that they highly modified...

 

Reasoning and logic

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The reason why I am going with an 0-4-0 chassis is because no other one's (that I know of) will fit plus it was a budget option, since a Bachmann Thomas in America might cost $50, sure the Bachmann Junior E2 "Stuart or No.2005" might cost quite a bit more of than tenner, but that's just a waist of income. And I don't think it would just be worth it, plus the older models have something too them. Especially the fun of kit-bashing together, just that re-kindling spirit of a days gone by!

 

Weathering:

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As noted British locomotive's or in this case "imitators" are prone to getting much more filthy than their sister's, or in this case brother's so what I am going to do is add some Humbrol weathering powder "Smoke" and No.49 Matt varnish  in for a work environment. Although I am aware of keeping their loco's clean when ever they received the chance before pre-grouping.

 

DCCing an 0-4-0 or Train Tech FSX?:

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To be honest I never really tried to learn DCC and I do not have the cash for such system. So I am going with the Train Tech version that I can install in a coach or truck... or if I were to go the N gauge route, I could install it in the small interior in the cab,that could in theory work! plus this is sort of a budget build, so that's applicable... if they ship to the states?

 

The look I am going for:

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I am not much of a fan of the CGI stuff, sure they did wonder's' recently in the past 2-3 years and I really enjoyed it (which is ironic I know)  Although i'll keep it as a version of the TV model series limited to seasons 1-7 or the Gullane as I remember seeing a lot more of that in the early 2000's  even as late as 2008 before the switch to computer generated images.