As I build my sons giant O gauge layout, he’s started getting interested in the Thomas videos and TV show.
Anybody know what type of model they use on the show? Is it “G” gauge? Is it O, is it something else? I really like the videos myself, but I’m looking at the scenery they’ve done and the real water on the layout.
Please don’t tell me it’s all CGI, or I’ll start to cry.
TPL
I think it is G gauge, but it might be larger. There may be some smaller units as well.
I think most of the stock has to be custom built, with extra features for filming.
Like most TV and movies, the shows are filmed on sets, and there is no great big model of Sodor anywhere.
They are Large Scale (G) trains, using Marklin mechanisms.
The best chances are that it’s 0 gauge. Simply because the english made it. The don’t have anything with G scale, or it must be live steam and they have a huge amount of kits for 0 gauge in their country.
I think I’ve seen the track also on other layouts and to me, the scene’s with real water are indicating in the same direction. The water is simply not to scale, which is not that obvious in G gauge.
But I can be wrong anytime…
Hi plasticlizard
The Thomas trains are a variety of scales some as big as 31/2" gauge
“G” is not one of them because “G” isn’t a constant scale[:(].making
it a pain in the [censored] for the model makers to make the models which are in fact well and truly based on English locomotives, yes
even Toby is based on a real locomotive.
However there are proper 10mm scale gauge 1 trains and “O” 7mm scale ones
There might not be a Sodor in the sense of a place but the name comes from
a church parish somewhere in the UK which is not surprising since the stories where originally written By Reverend Audrey and later corrupted by the TV show…
If there isnt a model of Sodor around its about time some one built one.
since some one has at some time done Ivor’s stamping ground in North Wales
Ivor the engine is another posably not so well know childrens story based around a railway
regards John
I think different scales are used for different scenes. I’ve seen photos of people working on the productions and some of the trains appear to be O scale-ish. Others appear to be G scale.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find out even smaller scales are used for background trains. Forced perspective to make the set look bigger than it really is.
Jim
I was looking for info and found some scattered website info indicating that the layout(s) take up a hanger sized space at shepperton studios (?) and that they run the trains by radio controls - I guess they have battery packs? I gave up after looking at about 20 pages of sites last night before bed.
Model Railroader did a story about 10 years ago on the TV show. The trains are custom built on stock Marklin/LGB chassis. There is no “layout” per se, just a series of sets that can be re-aranged/re-dressed as needed for a particular storyline. There are numerous face plates for each loco and the eyes are radio controlled. The “smoke” is generated by use of some pretty nasty chemicals and a lot of the photography is done with periscope type camera’s. I’ll see if I can find the MR issue reference.
I thought they were Number 1 gauge. The newest episodes - the ones I’ve seen locally on PBS - have a load of CGI in them now - and a fair amount of recycling of older video scenes - still, I like to get the DVDs to study the modeling… great stuff.
It would be great if anyone found a good website or magazine article on this. I agree with Doug that the DVD’s give some really good looking studio quality landscaping and scenery.
I didn’t think that there is a giant layout somewhere, and I’m glad for it. My son likes building a new one every day with his wooden track.
This is what a kid looks like when he first see Thomas the Train.
Think his Granddad [POPS] is smiling too. They are hooked. [:D][;)]
The more we can get kids early like this, the more we will see involved in our hobby.
My kids are 5 and 2. They are all train freaks. Think I started them early enough?
Jim
CheifEagles - I love the way someone popped off Claribel’s roof and put one of the engine crew in there for an open air ride!
Once the young ones see that you can put stuff in there all kinds of things will ride. If, one day, you can’t find your car keys when it’s time to go to work, be sure to check inside Annie!
I put a couple of electric tea lites in mine so I have illumniated coaches for nite running!
Model Railroader article was April 1993. “The Making of Thomas the Tank Engine”
my son is 2 and he watches those train videos over and over AND OVER. 
I just got my first lionel set running and he runs me crazy to “ride train…round and round…down the tracks” 
I would at a guess say it is ho/oo. that’s what it looks like to me
In the UK, Hornby make models of “Thomas” and the various other locos from the stories in HO/OO.
Many years ago the Rev. Awdry himself used to display a OO scale model which included Thomas’s branch line and the narrow guage SKarloey Railway (based on the Tal-y-llyn Railway in Wales) at the annual model rail exhibition in Bristol, England (near to his home). Some of these models are now on display at the Tal-y-llyn Railway’s museum at Tywyn, Wales where they’ve re-created a replica of Awdry’s office.
You used to be able to buy maps of the fictitous Isle of Sodor, which is supposedly in the Irish sea between the Isle of Man and the English Lake District. I’ve got a copy of this map somewhere.