Saving OLIVER | Cheap Knock-off to Deluxe Model | Wooden Railway Custom Restoration

[@nameless5512]

Oliver: “Why can’t I move my eyes, I’m constantly looking left! I can’t stop smiling, is this an internal Dialogue??! *HATSUNE MIKU!”*

[@Professionals-have-standards]

Nice snapcube reference

[@Enterprisingengine93]

What a terrific idea and execution. Bravo! It's nice to see something that's usually thrown to the wayside turn into something great

[@GeohToy]

Thank you so much! It’s exactly my intention as it would be much better than the alternative which would just be throwing it away (or atleast I hope!)

[@Bricky_comedian]

HOLY ITS THE LEGEND OF MY CHILDHOOD OF THOMAS AND FRIENDS CRASHES

[@Sudriantank12]

​@GeohToy, can you please do this with a bootleg wooden thomas?

[@Maidbit69]

@@GeohToyI am insanely impressed with your work, any chance you could transform a crappy knockoff james into a masterpiece? :D

[@Tobytramproductions]

​@@GeohToy you forgor the water tanks

[@the_autism_express]

8:56 As a locomotive enthusiast, I can tell you that's a top feed

[@datguymiller]

Or a feed water heater

[@datguymiller]

Or a feed water heater

[@AlfieM2010YT]

Or a feed water heater

[@cutecatfan2952]

Or a feed water heater

[@LeadPaintCrisis]

I love how you were able to breathe new life into one of those horrible little knockoffs. Adding Oliver’s name underneath was also a really nice touch. Great work!

[@123emilymason]

We need more people like you! This is beautiful!

[@BrikLikesWaffles]

Ikr

[@wesleymoore8552]

Train boy is another KZbinr if you want to see stuff like this

[@ConorDaRobin]

IS EMILY-

[@gkingGabe72]

Seriously I love how well your Custom Oliver turned out. You gave this crappy looking toy train a Great Western Glow Up!

[@GeohToy]

Thanks! I appreciate the comment!! I’ve really enjoyed your videos on your custom rolling stock so honoured to see you comment on my video :)

[@Datsun_satsuma]

​@@GeohToy bluebells forever?

[@GeohToy]

@@Datsun_satsuma Are you requesting I make stepney? Would definitely love to try him in future!

[@Datsun_satsuma]

@@GeohToy or blue bell Both work good (lol my oc /pfp is terrier)

[@GabrielzO-ke3lg]

this is amazing, i love how you turn cheap knock off to deluxe, it is great to see these.

[@kidswonderstories4144]

I can’t believe this “guy” makes better versions of knock offs also this is the best mod I ever saw

[@LarrysLego]

Great job, Geoh! You really took this model to a new level. Enjoying this new style of customs content!

[@sunwoolee2645]

OMGOMGOMGOMG

[@MatecaCorp]

That’s far and away the best wooden railway Oliver I’ve ever seen!

[@KindAdaptableKayak]

10:56 - I love how I hear Woody's crying in the background.

[@emagenevanhorn1543]

You’ve inspired me I’ve done a oliver and James but seriously we need more of these videos

[@GeohToy]

Thank you for the kind words, so honored to hear I inspired you! Would love to see your James, I'm sure he looks splendid!

[@emagenevanhorn1543]

@@GeohToyupdate i dropped him off a shelf and *crack I do not have wood filler soooo Rip James

[@JojoCat2008]

I've said it once, I'll say it again. The moment I saw this video's thumbnail, I'm like "This guy really makes cool stuff, I'll subscribe to him." This guy will be one of my favorite TTTE Custom Makers.

[@thedominionmaster]

That is SO Beautiful! There is only 2 ways about this: the wrong way or The Great Western Way; which thus is the Great Western Way!

[@TheGreenJ50Teen58]

You are an artist, you know how to make models and customs, you deserve an Oscar Fight me

[@PCMan8922]

Another Hard Modeling Journey. Your Take on Oliver's Wheels Is Absolutely Amazing.

[@frankforttheorangee2produc110]

One word. FAN-FLIPPIN-TASTIC!!!!!!!!!

[@GeohToy]

Thank you!

[@everythingproductions2004]

I agree

[@believeinthelostengine3326]

You know, this is probably the one time a knock off is more accurate than a wooden railway model.

[@Plutothedwarfplanet2639]

Thomas: lady! What are u watching? And why does Oliver have no dome!!!! “He’s got no dome!” 9:40

[@Elguille098]

Thomas: cuz it’s the only good ones

[@HiroTheJapaneseTrain]

This was an awesome journey to walk us through. I have recently discovered your channel and really appreciate the crispness to each of your customs. The time you put in makes them super impressive. Awesome work!

[@Sir2Edward]

Excellent Custom! I do suggest to add cleartape over the decals. It serves as a slight protection incase you spill something on it. In this case, I add my decals on my customs after they're all painted and clearcoated. Anyways, seeing Cosplayers with Oliver was super unreal, I hope you had fun!

[@GeohToy]

Thanks so much! That’s a good idea for the decals, I might consider doing that in future! The clear coat from the spray paint does a good job covering the decals atm. And yes I had a ton of fun :)

[@amitysluzara2022]

I am in absolute awe with this! This is unrecognisable I can't believe that terrible knock off became this beautiful model! You truly knocked it out of the park!

[@spongerav7452]

I love how you turn this knock off toy into something else special

[@TankEngine97]

An amazing custom. I definitely would like to see your process on making decals.

[@LucasTheSleepyFool]

oh this is amazing, i cant wait for future models you make, stepney would be awesome to see!

[@TidmouthYardStudios]

this looks absolutely phenomenal! love all the new horizons music you chose! it fits perfectly!

[@GeohToy]

Thanks! I honestly LOVE your customs so I appreciate the comment!! And test NH has an amazing soundtrack :)

[@ojbid]

I think us in the Thomas fandom should start using knock offs for customs more often and keep up the good work man you got talent

[@CornyVR.]

fyi these bootleg wooden railway engines are painted and riddled with lead paint. Do be careful when working with these bootlegs!

[@TrainsCatsOtherStories]

Oh shit... Well thank God he completely repainted it.

[@zig_222]

looks like I have lead poisoning then

[@LongShotBandWork]

well I'm dead

[@DEVIOUSDUCK5741]

I actually had the led paint wooden railway knock off Rheneas. In my opinion the worst part was the white wheels and the Sir Handel’s face instead of Rheneas’ face! I never paid the price with the lead paint

[@TrainsCatsOtherStories]

@@zig_222 As long as you didn't breath it in you should be ok. The problem with that though is lead paint doesn't have a smell to it. If you have any feelings of fatigue, abdominal pain, or hyperactivity *GO TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY*

[@ethanrocket430]

This is why knock offs were made, customs

[@ethanrocket430]

Also I want a part 2 dedicated to the face

[@GeohToy]

Hopefully will make that one day!

[@conductorjereocheerio]

Love it! Hope to see you do more characters. I'm enjoying watching these very much.

[@Splendid_Studios]

My goodness Geoh you’re definitely one of the best custom makers I’ve seen good job on Oliver and I wish the toy companies hired you to make good products like this and do you think you will restore more wooden knockoffs? edit: YES I’D LOVE TO SEE A DECAL TUTORIAL

[@DemolitionDerbyChaosShorts]

I agree

[@GeohToy]

Thank you so much! Hopefully more will come if life allows me to make more videos! :)

[@JaxonOsterhout]

That engine looked so perfect nonetheless 😊

[@smashkiller64]

Just a tip. If your not going to use a air brush, I recommend dry brushing. It may take a little longer but, it saves paint, gives you more control, and makes the end product look smoother _WITHOUT_ having to sand it! Also next time add the primer to the parts before gluing them together(obviously don't paint the sections of wood that are going to touch and be glued) I find that doing this helps me find mistakes faster earlier on. GREAT VIDEO!!!

[@GeohToy]

Thanks for the comment, and for the advice, greatly appreciated! I have done a bit of dry-brushing in the past for painting detail on some dioramas, quite a handy technique!

[@JosephRailwayStudios2000]

From a nasty knock off to a perfectly good replica you sir really have talent.

[@UsefulEngine11]

This is a great custom man for my favorite character you definitely did him Justice. I thought the 2014 2015 model was perfect but then I realized it doesn't have a firebox. Like your City of Truro custom you knocked this one out of the park. Personally I think Duck should be next so that you can round out the the Great Western engines. Keep up the good work man.

[@Sudriantank12]

There is no knockoff wooden railway duck though

[@UsefulEngine11]

@@Sudriantank12 Maybe so but he even said it himself that he thought that Duck should be next.

[@railwayhistorian2778]

Pure beauty and from a knockoff no less

[@TracksideStudios06]

I absolutely love this channel. Very inspirational and very well through out. The way you edit your videos makes it very easy to follow along. Good stuff, looking forward for more vids

[@gatesfam5468]

Can you show tips on custom wooden train making?

[@ReeceWilliams-vu8sn]

I don't know what to say! This is too astonishing for words! Will you be doing similar processes to other wooden Thomas engines too? I'd love to see more!

[@GeohToy]

Thank you so much!! More will come soon! Make sure you sub so you don't miss it ;)

[@ReeceWilliams-vu8sn]

@@GeohToy I've already subscribed if that's what you mean?

[@trtf2]

a beautiful watch, honestly this is the best wooden railway oliver i've ever seen i always was intrigued by the idea of using these knockoffs as bases for customs, but i never bothered to try it cus i think i heard somewhere they had lead paint? and i just didnt wanna risk it. but with how nicely this turned out, maybe theyre more capable than i woulda thought.

[@GeohToy]

Thanks! As for the lead I honestly have no idea as I haven’t tested them but I just sand them while wearing a mask

[@CaledonianEngine]

"Mr Olivah, you look magnificent!" "Thank you Toad! I certainly feel it too!"

[@MilkDrinker218]

That little rectangular thing in front of his dome is a feed pipe, if I remember correctly. It’s also noticeable on the LMS Black 5.

[@GeohToy]

Thanks for letting me know! Appreciate it!

[@MilkDrinker218]

@@GeohToy 👍

[@clockwork3494]

"I thought if I had his eyes looking forward it'd look a little odd and creepy" _The forever cursed Tomy Oliver flashbacks_

[@Bento_AUS_3059]

Wow, that is insane! This is a level of quality custom that I could never hope to match. Although I did manage to make a pretty good custom Mavis using a knockoff, however it's nowhere near the level of effort as this.

[@GeohToy]

Thanks for the comment! I'd love to see your Mavis!

[@ThatIsMyUser]

Now I know this normally doesn't fit well with wooden railway, but if you really wanted to, add some custom windows like on the Tomy 1998 Oliver but this is just a suggestion!

[@Koko_Chan]

4:41 the crossover we never needed... I guess Oliver knows two birds now. Duck and Honk. _I wish I wasn't such a nerd and realized that was Mari's voice clip_ the closest thing i'll get to doing love live cosplay atm is Dia... and that's cause she's the closest character I look like lmao. (Umi, Yohane, Maki and Mari are on my bucket list for ones I wanna truly do) REAL TALK THOUGH SUPERB MODEL, I love this so so much. I wish more people would do this... I'd have no idea it was a knock off from the first glance. better than my Oliver restoration I did.

[@Plutothedwarfplanet2639]

He’s got no dome!! 9:40

[@MaxTheKiller1915]

Time 8:57 That my good sir is called a top feed, it encourages rapid mixing of the cold feedwater with the hot steam, reducing the risk of thermal shock to the heated parts of the boiler. So hmm yeah that's what the locomotive part is called. You're Welcome.... PS: I Love your model of Oliver.

[@GeohToy]

Thanks for the tips!

[@jamesthomas5109]

@GeohToy Loving these customs, best wishes mate. 😊

[@newobanproductions]

8:58 That's the cover for the top feed and it's pretty common on both GWR locomotives and those on the LMS from Stanier onwards. Henry and Duck also have top feed covers.

[@StumpyFunnel]

4:36 never thought I’d see the day where a thomas character would be seen next to an aquabat

[@Jakethetrainguy]

4:45 aw man i bet bubbles would have loved to see him

[@GordonSnowMachine]

Amazing work, he looks amazing!

[@GordonSnowMachine]

Really like the part between 4:26 to 4:48

[@GeohToy]

Thank you Gordon’s Snow Machine! You’ll be a custom in future

[@reconwarroirthetrue1685]

YES !!! show the sticker decals tutorial!!! A+++++++++++++++++++ incurable video by the way !!! nicely DONE!!!!!

[@EH-hq4vp]

The thing in between the funnel and dome is a sand box for wet tracks

[@zacharyspinks6207]

This is Incredible!, Looks Amazing too.😃👍

[@GeohToy]

Thanks so much Zachary!

[@JaxonOsterhout]

You should do a video about making a wooden railway Whiff look 100% accurate just like in the show

[@Chancherpancher]

*Duck:* Now that's the Great Western Way!

[@blueythomas1268]

“What an adventure THAT was!” - Oliver, from Toad’s Adventure.

[@KilldaneW]

Great model! The he proportions are really good!

[@LegoMiester14]

That bit on Oliver's boiler is his sand box.

[@luckyfanisaac2638]

13:45 Is that coach supposed to be the coach from the breakdown train?

[@GeohToy]

Yes indeed! The works coach!

[@WoodenRailwayWonderland]

I’ll be honest it looks to wrong. I’m really sorry to be negative but I don’t know in the show was maybe a little longer than Thomas. But it was much smaller than the express coaches. And it has to many wheels and bogies. As I said I hate to criticize someone’s hard work I really hope you understand.

[@MaxwellTheTrainFan]

Personally for my own needs . Sand down the eyebrows and fix them eyebrows . Then heighten the funnel a tad then turn round the chassis to fix the swapped magnets . Then remove that safety valve and replace it with a wooden dowel being painted gold then add a black ring oh the back wheels and done Oh and red front buffer-beam at the front with 2 black dots as buffers drawn on There’s my plan for an oliver but yours is great . Good job on the westerner who escaped scrap and killed a truck

[@BrentSudric]

The thing between Oliver's Chimney and dome is a topfeed, a device that helps mix the cold water going into the hot boiler. Henry has one too (after his rebuild).

[@Tophams_No.6]

This is amazing! Would buy TWR products if they looked as good as this. Impressive work!

[@davidsvideos1767]

I like it. A 10/10 for me.

[@thenumber1engine955]

maybe in the future, a brio face could works! but it's just a suggestion

[@IWasHereSometimeOrOther]

if you ever come back to this model try to add his splashers and sandboxes

[@FunnyTVstudios2025]

THAT KNOCK-OFF WOODEN OILVER LOOKS OFF BUT THE CUSTOM FIXED VERSION LOOKS MUCH BETTER. IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE SHOW

[@tylerfish2701]

10:58 Hearing Woody's voice just makes this funnier.

[@IDK-nk9pj]

Very nice model and Yea I would be interested to see a video on how the decals were made

[@PrussiaYT]

The Thing Between The Funnel And Dome Is Called A Top Feed

[@GeohToy]

Thank you!

[@PrussiaYT]

@@GeohToy no problem!

[@Joeythetrainguy]

This model is beautiful :D

[@keshiaskye]

I think you need to produce toys like these. Their just perfect.

[@Thehalfpariah]

I love it!

[@kidswonderstories4144]

I still don’t get how u paint wood when it’s glued I always mess up and get paint every where

[@illtellmum]

Love the video! Like how you turned something shit into something great:D

[@Mr.Conductor13]

This guy polished a turd-of-an-engine and made a masterpiece If I would make one change, though, I personally think the back wheel should’ve been a trackmaster pull a long wheel. If you’re unfamiliar, they’re kind of like take-n-play wheels, but designed to be slightly bigger and fit on trackmaster track. As such, they are noticeably smaller in size than wooden railway wheels, but close enough, that the perfectly represent bogey wheels in wooden railway scale.

[@clayv5422]

looks amazing! how do you even find these knockoffs though?

[@GeohToy]

Thanks!! Most from EBay/aliexpress, some given to me by people, I wouldn’t recommend seeking them out though.

[@clayv5422]

Good point, are they homemade or manafauctered?

[@zedstrains3460]

Awesome my dude

[@FlyingDuckMan360]

Once again, it's fans like you I can count on to make high-quality Thomas Wooden Railway models, which is more than can be said for the official company. Heck, if I were in charge of Thomas Wooden Railway, I would have had an Oliver model like this available for commercial sale in Early 2023, most likely bundled with Toad.

[@GeohToy]

Thank you! That pack would have been incredible, heck to add onto it they should throw Duck in too!

[@Jude-72]

Your oliver is quite smart, aslo the bit in front of the dome is a top feed henry has one and so does a realistic duck.

[@GeohToy]

Thanks for the comment! And info on the top feed, I'm surprised they didn't give Duck one in the TVS, interesting note.

[@yeenwithgoggles]

ALRIGHT I SEE YOU I SEE YOU!! 😍😍

[@briandesens144]

Awesome video geoh

[@WitchWerewolfEdd]

I’d be proud to see a tutorial on decals, and maybe a custom of Dudley made from Gordon (engine) and Emily (tender)

[@BluebellProductions-m6k]

Honestly i would want to see how you would make the marklin engine, also geoh i believe you should keep the stickers as is as it gives off a nice two-tone livery vibe

[@GeohToy]

Thanks! Marklin would be a fun project, I’ll take a stab at that next!

[@Professionals-have-standards]

4:28 OH YEEEEEEAH

[@0clectmovie781]

I would definitely like to see how you’re going to tackle Duck, considering that he doesn’t have any knockoff in wooden railway that comes to mind. My best guess is to use another knockoff Oliver and possibly an Edward for the face? (IDK, I just want to see the original face design again.)

[@GeohToy]

I don’t want to spoil much, but I’m hoping to use an official model for him, but not 100% sure yet

[@abbeyroadfan94-J.P]

amazing oliver

[@douglas10th]

Nice custom! I wanted to ask if you checked the paint on the knockoff for lead before customizing?

[@GeohToy]

Thank you! I did not, just sanded with a mask on.

[@douglas10th]

@@GeohToy Luckily you had your mask on because lead paint is dangerous if inhaled. Knock off toys are made using cheap paint which most likely contains lead. If you ever want to still customize knock off wooden railway, just check the paint with a lead detector.

[@Mr.toasterandclay]

Amazing job man

[@JaxonOsterhout]

11:46 Is that an empty drink holder from McDonald’s?

[@henriquefernandesbreves6003]

8:59 That's his sand dome, it holds sand for grip on wet rails

[@biglad1703]

Maybe duck could be fixed next, to go along with his Great western companion

[@HenrysHelpful]

Did you survive the lead paint?

[@GeohToy]

I think so.

[@sunwoolee2645]

14:36 foreshadow

[@JojoCat2008]

8:56. That's a Topfeed/Feedpipe

[@mary.of.mares.1470]

It looks very good and you got a Perfect Volks vagen Willow Green like What they have used on the model series

[@GeohToy]

Thanks! Yes so glad how close it was!

[@jenniferwilliams2077]

10:56 from Toy Story

[@JomasterTheSecond]

G'day! Overall some nice work, but I've got a few minor tips I'd like to give (I know almost zero about neither trains nor Thomas the Tank Engine since the last time I watched it willingly was like, age 2, but I know a decent amount about painting, sculpting and modelling due to my experience painting Gundam model kits and custom Transformers). Apologies in advance for the wall of text! You've done a pretty good job all things considered, but here's some things I'd suggest: rather than putting paint directly on all the parts, priming them first then painting them would give a much nicer result. The paint you're using seems like you're laying it on very thick, as well - watering them down with either water or thinner seems like a better move alongside giving _multiple thin coats_ in perpendicular directions (so if you painted from top-to-bottom on one coat, go from left-to-right on the next) that way you can minimise brush strokes and will leave a very smooth surface finish. For water-based paints, I'd suggest using something like Vallejo's Model Colour line. Masking off the pieces with some modeller's masking tape (like Tamiya's) would be good too, as some of the lines are a touch shaky. For putting lighter colours (such as red or yellow) over dark colours (like black), a couple thin coats of white or very light grey beneath the colour you want to lay over it is recommended, as it will make the colour much more vibrant. Trust me on that one, it gives a brilliant result. Instead of using Crayola's air-dry clay for the top dome hump thing (told you I know nothing about railways and railway related things), something with a bit more sturdiness would be a much better move, such as Milliput or another brand of epoxy putty like Apoxie Sculpt. Milliput is very cheap and easy to find (at least here in Australia, not too sure about Canada or other parts of North America), and comes in a variety of colours and finishes for different use cases. Finally, for spray painting - the way you're laying it on is a bit heavy. Spraying light coats in a large sweeping motion over the piece from much further away instead of giving it a big ol' up close ass blast will give a nice clean, smooth final result. That way you wouldn't have lost so much definition in the face sculpt. I wish you luck on your next go around!

[@GeohToy]

First off, I just want to say I'm glad this video made its way to you. My hope is when I make videos in this style, they wont appeal to a more "broad" audience and will be stuck in the Thomas realm, so I'm genuinely glad to see it made it out! As for your points, thank you so much, I really appreciate them, and I will absolutely apply them to future projects. It's funny you bring up watering down the paints, which is something I have been actively experimenting with and been very pleased with the results. And Miliput is something I definitely have been meaning to invest in, unfortunately no-where local seems to stock it, so I might have to resort to the 3rd party sellers on amazon. But I'd agree its a much better solution to the Air Dry clay. In similar to your Gundam work as you mentioned, my next project required me to build some 1:12 scale model kits. For these kits they were entirely painted with Tamiya spray (grey primer, and silver paint), to a very pleasing effect. It was my first time ever doing a kit like that, and I was so happy with the painting process (I actually did it in waves similar to how you suggested). But again, thank you so much for your comment. I really appreciate you taking the time to get all that information to me. If its not too much to ask, do you have twitter or discord? I'd love to learn more, and more importantly I'd really like to see some of your work too!

[@JomasterTheSecond]

​@@GeohToy Pardon me for not noticing the reply until now - I have a Twitter but don't use it at all, and my Discord is mostly for friends I know personally, though I could add you as a friend just to show off some of my stuff! I do sometimes post my custom figures on forums more often though, like TFW2005 for my Transformers customs. Good to hear about getting the painting right on the 1/12 scale kits, by the way! Anyway, I digress, best of luck for your next custom! ^-^

[@GeohToy]

Discord it is then! My tag is gio_vigilant :)

[@JomasterTheSecond]

​@@GeohToy Gotcha, friend request sent! ^-^

[@borisG9835]

If possible you could do old and new Henry the green engine By the way, it turned out beautiful Oliver keep it up ❤❤❤

[@GeohToy]

Thank you! Henry is definitely one I’ve considered doing, he’ll come eventually hopefully :)