Anyone Seen Winston?

Chris,

Not a scale modeller myself, but I freely admit to liking 'toys' with chraracter. This series of Thomas items seems to have bags of that to me, unlike the rather nasty Lionel versions of some years ago.

I agree that sometimes I am shocked by the prices asked: for example how can Toby have a suggested retail price that is far higher than Thomas? It is just a solid moulded box with no openings at all (as supplied), and Thomas has a body that is made up of many interlocking parts?

The lack of a consistent scale accross the series is one of my biggest grumbles - The Goods Brake Van is lovely to look at but looks ridiculously small alongside the seemingly overscale open wagons.

The other drawback from me is that lack of thought put into the running qualities, and couplings - long wheelbases with widely spaced rigid axles and rigidly mounted couplings! None of this makes this an easy range for children to play with without lots of helpful adult intervention. (When the Xmas coach was derailed whilst going around our Christmas Tree, as happened several times, I was the only one that could put it back on the track!)

That all said, I am still a fan, with reservations and regularly run my (modified running gear) TTE stock with my Playmobil, LGB and Scale models, without feeling the least bit guilty!

James
 
chris m01 said:
I think Bachmann made a big mistake in making the Thomas stuff way too big. If they had made all of the wagons to around 1:32 scale they would have sold to adults as well. I don't think the youngsters would have noticed them being a little smaller. As it is they are just too big. Likewise the Stirling single - there have been some great conversions but it is still nowhere near scale and for me just looks so wrong on 45mm track.

The whole Thomas range does seem somewhat expensive for what it is. They are very simple, low detail models and the tooling for the early models must have been paid for ages ago.
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This could all be true, but the Gauge 3 guys love them. Regauged to 63mm they are pretty well perfect. I have also seen a superb G3 Stirling converted from a Thomas one. So some people are happy.
JonD
 
chris m01 said:
I think Bachmann made a big mistake in making the Thomas stuff way too big. If they had made all of the wagons to around 1:32 scale they would have sold to adults as well. I don't think the youngsters would have noticed them being a little smaller. As it is they are just too big. Likewise the Stirling single - there have been some great conversions but it is still nowhere near scale and for me just looks so wrong on 45mm track.
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Chris,

I have been thinking some more about what you said. I guess the reason Bachmann chose to make the range the size that they did was to fit in with everything else that they make.

I am no expert on Bachmann, but I don't think that they do a regular Gauge 1 series, so if the large scale Thomas had been pure scale Gauge 1 instead, it could well have been the odd one out.

As it is customers can mix Thomas in with their other Bachmann stuff and other makes of G scale too.

To be fair the compromise is arguably no worse than LGB with their legendary rubber ruler and mixture of narrow and standard gauge prototypes, all running together on the same track!

That said I am no scale modeller! Now I am off to run my Brassworks Double Fairlie alongside my Toy Train ICE!

James
 
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In relation to the ongoing issue of the non-appearance of Winston - Please Take a look at the thread:

Bachmann G Scale On TrainWorldTV

Forward to 8 1/2 mins and there he is!

The Bachmann Web sites are both suggesting it is coming soon, the UK one helpfully mentions Dec/Jan, but no price as yet and dates do tend to slip with Large Scale TTE!

There is another speeder shown at the start of the above video and I am wndering if the Winston mech is common to both models? Obviously the real Winston will have the moving eye take off from the drive.

Next step - (after he arrives) working out how to power up those delicate looking headlamps!

JAmes
 
Handsomerob said:
Here's Winston!

Winston

Winston

G-Scale Winston
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Awsome,

Thanks for the posting.

Still not seen mine yet, but time is a good cure.

In the meantime I have the link for the Bachmann 2017 Catalogue here:
http://resources.bachmanntrains.com/bachmann2017/

Turn to page 225 and you see what is going to be the next new item in the Large Scale TTE series.

It is not a wagon, or a coach........ It is a Loco - a class 08 Diesel!

Wow!

I hadn't expected that!

James
 
Garden Railway Centres lists 5 in stock for 95pounds each.
 
James Day said:
Awsome,

Thanks for the posting.

Still not seen mine yet, but time is a good cure.

In the meantime I have the link for the Bachmann 2017 Catalogue here:
http://resources.bachmanntrains.com/bachmann2017/

Turn to page 225 and you see what is going to be the next new item in the Large Scale TTE series.

It is not a wagon, or a coach........ It is a Loco - a class 08 Diesel!

Wow!

I hadn't expected that!

James
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So should we rename this thread "Anyone seen Diesel?".
JonD
 
dunnyrail said:
So should we rename this thread "Anyone seen Diesel?".
JonD
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Jon,

Good point!

Given the timescales that Bachmann appear to work to with the Large Scale TTE items the answer is yes, but the subject needs to be deferred until January 2018!

I am hoping to secure a Winston of my own today. It will be interesting to see how light it is and how well it runs, but maybe that will need to be covered by the thread Anyone Run Winston?

James
 
a98087 said:
A video from Stevan's gartenbahn of winston has appeared on YouTube,



Look is like a nice model with a lot of Potential

Dan
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Not sure that this is entirely Winston, very similar but note the Pick Up Shoes. This appears to be a very nice Craft Manufacturers jobby (possibly Kres Modelle Gleiskraftred). Tried searching their Webb Site but only showing small scale stuff. Could be their first hit at G and Webb not updated yet. Interesting though.
JonD
 
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No, as Jon said, its made by one of the smaller German manufacturers -Kres. I think they make two or three variants.

http://www.kres.de/produkte.html

I will have to add that to the 'links' page.
 
Very clever the way the model uses the turntable bar as pick up shoes.
 
playmofire said:
Looking at the Kres website, the vehicle is described as a "Schienentrabi", which I would guess as "track running Trabant".

Here's a link to some photos of, real life and otherwise:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=S...0ahUKEwja_c_Ci73SAhWmIMAKHYNQAbUQsAQIKg&dpr=1

and a drive in one:

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Very interesting video - and quite a civilised way to traverse the line! Seemed very fit for purpose too. Liked the turning of the draisine too!

I was intrigued by the counterbalanced structures (in sets of four) seen at two locations along the line - wonder what they are?
 
They are tensioners and/or counter balancers for point or signal cable/rodding. Or possibly for cable operated crossing barriers (manually wound down by station staff!)
DSC04232 (Small).JPG
 
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We where in Glasgow for the model railway show last weekend. On Sunday at the show I managed to get Winston for my wife for her birthday.
 
I want a full-size one! ;):rolleyes:
I wonder if they come in standard gauge?? :giggle::giggle:
 
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