dibber25 Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) I really didn't know where might be best to post this, so in the end I thought I'd trust it to the moderator. I've been researching those Christmas layouts that always appear in the kids' toy store in Christmas movies. You know, the Lionel F-unit with three freight cars on a circuit of track round a Christmas tree, with the whole lot covered in 'snow'. It's been the usual story - when you're looking for something, you can't find it but when you're not really looking.... Well, tonight I watched 'Hearts of Christmas' on Prime Video. It's a cheesy rom-com but there's a side story about a trainset. The box, I guess is a made-up studio prop, but there's one brief shot of the train....running round the Christmas tree in the shop. You'll need to hit pause at that moment. I've re-watched it several times and I'm pretty certain I'm seeing a Hornby-Dublo 'R1' 0-6-0T (in a strange grey livery) hauling three or four American freight cars. Am I correct? Was the 'R1' ever sold in a North American train set? It's two-rail track, with what looks to be brass-coloured rails. (Meccano did produce one or two products for sale in Commonwealth countries) and like so much of the Netflix catalogue, this movie was shot in British Columbia where there is a goodly amount of British-outline modelling among the ex-pats. It's only curiosity, really, but I'd love to know if I'm right and what the story is behind this unusual train set. (CJL) Edited September 26, 2020 by dibber25 Correcting error Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted September 26, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 26, 2020 I don't remember the R1 in a North American style train set. They sold a freight set with the re-painted Duchess pulling the two bogie wagons and a brake van with a cupola on it but that was 3-rail. There were a few odd 0-6-0Ts imported from Japan and I think Mantua made something (Little 6). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Wasn't there also a Colonial version of the EE Type 1? Hornby did have form for selling thinly disguised UK models to unfortunates across the former Empire who didn't have much choice in what they were allowed to buy. An approach later enthusiastically embraced by Lima, of course. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Wasn't there an R1 done in an 'industrial' livery, Shell if I recall correctly. That was a sort of silver grey, possibly done by Wrenn after they took over the former HD range. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted September 26, 2020 Author Share Posted September 26, 2020 6 hours ago, great central said: Wasn't there an R1 done in an 'industrial' livery, Shell if I recall correctly. That was a sort of silver grey, possibly done by Wrenn after they took over the former HD range. That sounds like a possibility , thanks. The movie is on Prime Video, not Netflix - a hazard of switching between the two while searching. (CJL) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) Yes. Shell. You need deep pockets for a good one. https://wrennmodelrailways.com/wrenn-locomotives/class-r1-0-6-0t/wrenn-shell-silver-class-r1-tank-0-6-0t-locomotive-model-w2203.html As for the film, is it a recent one? There is one with that title on YouTube. But looking at descriptions it seems to be a remake and a quick flick through it didn't seem to have anything model train related. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6321108/ Jason Edited September 26, 2020 by Steamport Southport Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) At 31.14 and just before? There's also a view of a train set box at 42.21........albeit I think not the same train set? labelled ''Model R36 Electric Train Set''....with a picture that depicts a US diesel? Edited September 26, 2020 by alastairq 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Poor quality screenshot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted September 26, 2020 Author Share Posted September 26, 2020 I subsequently found a slightly better sequence of the moving train and paused it. It certainly does look like that Shell-liveried R1 except that some 'artwork' a red spot and a blue/green patch have been pasted over the Shell logo. I wonder what coupling it has to attach it to American freight cars? The Hornby-Dublo R1has those distinctive 'oval' front spectacle windows, so that would seem to confirm it. What a strange choice, though. I suspect the film company enlisted the help of a local British modeller or model club and that's what they were given. (CJL) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 I would have thought that, given a bit of fiddling, the Dublo coupling could be persuaded to mate with the typical US knuckle. Maybe not perfectly, but well enough to run round a plain loop for a shot lasting a few seconds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 There was me thinking it's a bit early for Christmas. Channel 50 on Freeview has just switched to the Sony Christmas Channel and is showing wall to wall Christmas movies..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold D9020 Nimbus Posted September 27, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 27, 2020 Reminds me of an experience I had back in the 1960s. Lived in Gateshead, just across the Tyne from Newcastle — the school holidays were slightly different. I remember looking round the shops one weekend — windows full of "Back to School" displays, and the schools in Gateshead hadn't even broken up for the summer… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted September 27, 2020 Author Share Posted September 27, 2020 Yes, it's early to be looking at Christmas movies but I had an idea for a magazine feature for the Christmas issue and that means it has to be done now. The idea has a serious flaw, though. Where the heck do I find a Christmas tree now?!! (CJL) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted September 27, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 27, 2020 32 minutes ago, dibber25 said: Where the heck do I find a Christmas tree now?!! (CJL) Surely someone in the office or in your circle of friends has an artificial one you could borrow, and if you need to, quarantine before use Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 57 minutes ago, dibber25 said: Yes, it's early to be looking at Christmas movies but I had an idea for a magazine feature for the Christmas issue and that means it has to be done now. The idea has a serious flaw, though. Where the heck do I find a Christmas tree now?!! (CJL) Ask in one of your local charity shops. Particularly a bigger one that also sells furniture. If they are like mine then they keep the good quality donated ones they receive just after Christmas for the following year. I've probably got about ten or twenty in my shop. We keep them as they are a guaranteed seller. And one of the volunteers always sells the display tree for some strange reason. Happens every year. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted September 29, 2020 Author Share Posted September 29, 2020 On 28/09/2020 at 00:56, PaulRhB said: Surely someone in the office or in your circle of friends has an artificial one you could borrow, and if you need to, quarantine before use Oh, I've got an artificial one - all plastic and pretty coloured flowers - but what I visualised really needs a 'proper' tree. Still I've a week to complete another project before I start that one.(CJL) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted September 30, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 30, 2020 Amazon Prime, well there is a video on there using some of my material. Nearest I ever got to having anything broadcast. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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