Thomas By Backmann

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Robbie12

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Hi Robbie from Rickmansworth , l am new to this gauge , is it ok to run Thomas made by backmann on Lgb 1st radius curves . Thanks
 
As far as I know the track supplied by Bachmann in their Thomas sets is the same radius as LGB R1.
 
In theory they are fine on radius 1 track but the Bachmann thomas range can be a bit picky and different people have had different experiences.

I find that my Locos (Thomas, Percy and James) are fine. Also no problem with the wagons.

But my Annie and Clarabel coaches and the guards wagon do not run well on my railway (with r1 curves). Maybe because my track work is not the flattest and they have long wheel bases.

I am currently moving to R2 on my mainline and will try them again then...
 
Robert Howard said:
In theory they are fine on radius 1 track but the Bachmann thomas range can be a bit picky and different people have had different experiences.

I find that my Locos (Thomas, Percy and James) are fine. Also no problem with the wagons.

But my Annie and Clarabel coaches and the guards wagon do not run well on my railway (with r1 curves). Maybe because my track work is not the flattest and they have long wheel bases.

I am currently moving to R2 on my mainline and will try them again then...
Click to expand...
Hi Robert thanks for this info regarding curves and possible problems with coaches .
 
It has been my observation that if the track is fastened to a level platform, Thomas and his friends will be much more friendly to their owner.....;)
 
I use a chain coupling as an extra for the coaches. They will run OK but don't like reverse curves in R1 . All my layout in the trailer set-up comprises many R1 curves and points. I tend to operate Thomas stuff in a continuous loop because of the afore mentioned problems.
 
Being a toy, you would think Bachmann would have made it simple!
 
trammayo said:
I use a chain coupling as an extra for the coaches. They will run OK but don't like reverse curves in R1 . All my layout in the trailer set-up comprises many R1 curves and points. I tend to operate Thomas stuff in a continuous loop because of the afore mentioned problems.
Click to expand...
in
My Annie and Clarabel coaches did"nt like R1 reverse curves either - so I chopped off the axle boxes/springs etc and fitted a pair of LGB boggies to them both. Problem sorted.
 
Dear All,

I use swivelling couplings on all the Thomas Long Wheelbase stock. I make these but cutting down Playmobil single axle coupling sets (which can be bought as spares from Playmobil Direct) and mounting them where the original couplers were. They work well, even on R1 reverse curves and remove the locking and throwing effect that the Bachmann end mounted couplers cause.

James
 
Madman said:
It has been my observation that if the track is fastened to a level platform, Thomas and his friends will be much more friendly to their owner.....;)
Click to expand...

Correct answer. Although, if you regularly maintain your track to the correct tolerances, there will be no problem also.
 
I banished them.....:mad:
 
Madman said:
I banished them.....:mad:
Click to expand...

Dan.

The only places they exist on my outdoor layout is on some loops/sidings on two shuttle type branches, where Thomas never goes. The mainline is mostly LGB R3 with one bit of R2 where space dicated nothing else would do.....

However when a chum and I do temporary layouts at shows we sometimes include them. Most basic RTR stock will cope with them well and without issue, except Thomas and co. That said with the modifications to the couplings I mentioned Annie and Claribelle and other TTE LWB stock will, but the short wheelbase stock is still not happy....

Pity, as I have said many times - TTE is supposed to be a toy and surely if it was really a toy a child of a suitable age should be able to set it up how they want and play with it, unsupervised, like I did with my Hornby '0' gauge.

You should not need to be a mini Brunel or Einstein to work out what will work and what won't. It is a toy!

My final whinge on this is that Bachmann sell something very similar to LGB R1 in all their TTE train sets, including the Xmas one, but you should hear that Xmas coach squeal as poor Thomas tries to drag it around those R1 type curves!
 
Agree. As I have mentioned in the past, Bachmann has some beautiful models, but their engineering is lacking at times.
 
Wistow vale rlwy said:
in
My Annie and Clarabel coaches did"nt like R1 reverse curves either - so I chopped off the axle boxes/springs etc and fitted a pair of LGB boggies to them both. Problem sorted.
Click to expand...

I'm going to do the same thing after testing the TT stuff in my trailer yesterday. I think I will make completely brand new underframes so that the originals can be re-instated if I dispose of them. I should then be able to use all the layout (I hope)!

I was hoping there might be a pic or two of such work - I need to get the work done by bedtime tomorrow night!
 
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