Wilbert Awdry’s Model Trains

[@joshuaW5621]

Wilbert Awdry was a true railfan who inspired us all.

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

I had the great delight of seeing the Ffarquar Branch working at Statfold Barn in 2023, and couldn't help but notice how many people were crowded round it throughout the show! To give you a bit more info - There were at least two Ffarquars, the one now preserved, and another on a square or rectangular baseboard, which featured the pub 'The Three Beetles'. Prior to Ffarquar there was a larger layout, the North Western Railway, which was written up in Model Railway News, back in the early 1950s. Henry, as shown in the film, is a Graham Farish 'Black Five', or what's left of one after a serious dose of mazak fatigue. Farish were probably the first firm offering rtr two rail OO trains after the war; unfortunately their motor was a most peculiar contraption, with some very bad habits, as you mentioned. 'Toby' as Awdry modelled him is a GER class G15/LNER Y6 0-4-0; as depicted in the Dalby pictures (and on the original book cover's silouhette) he's the slightly larger class C53/J70 0-6-0. Keysers labelled their model a J70, but it only had four wheels.... (My own Keysers model runs with a cut down 'toy Thomas' 0-4-0 inside it.) 'Elsie' is actually the unique Wisbech & Upwell luggage van, an odd little vehicle, which was transferred to the Kelvedon & Tollesbury Light Railway (think that's right!) along with a couple of Wisbech coaches in the 1950's. Audrey was vicar of a parish in the area, with Teddy Boston as his curate, which has a lot to do with Toby's appearances (together, in later books, with 'the Fat Clergyman') in the stories. Gaiety Pannier models, incidentally, are now highly collectable, and cost accordingly! I've got a Stuart Reidpath 0-6-0 (the actual design was available pre-war) and also their 'Gnat'' 0-4-0 saddleback (sold through Hamblings) whose early 50's mechanisms still run beautifully. Most of his wagons are early Trackmaster / Triang, now suffering badly from 'banana fatigue' and the one observation car is built from another Airfix kit, the diesel railcar. Similarly the second 'brown job' with end platforms probably began life as a German 'thunderbox' - Liliput, early Fleischmann or Trix, perhaps, which has been shortened - look closely at the roof, and you can see the join. Thanks for the programme, and reviving happy memories. Loved it.

[@amitysluzara2022]

Its truly amazing seeing Awdrys models I'm so glad some of these are still around nowadays

[@StoneTankEngine]

Awdrys models were so cool and unique i wish i had that time & dedication to do all this.. makes me wanna start modeling even more!!!

[@DianaSttar]

You should start modeling. That’s if you have the money because oh my gosh is it expensive. But it is pretty cool

[@DillianTrainzStudios]

It’s kinda awesome how much work Wilbert put into building these models as well the inspirations he got from them. It’s also great that the Talyllyn Railway/The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum still has these models!

[@DianaSttar]

It really is awesome! It’s neat to see that Wilbert Awdry had a lot of passion for railways and his model layouts and trains just show that passion

[@DillianTrainzStudios]

@@DianaSttar He was more than just a railway enthusiast, he was a gigachad.

[@Jediah-s6p]

@@DillianTrainzStudiosawdry is the train GOD

[@TheGreenJ50Teen58]

10 True Words: *Wilbert Awdry’s Models Will Always be The True Thomas Models.*

[@happymark1668]

Yes

[@AlcoLoco251]

*couch* Mid Sodor Roster *cough*

[@bitshox1215]

10 True Words: *People of African Descent Should Not be Allowed to Vote.*

[@larrygriffin4343]

technically, yes. definitively, no.

[@eljugasodemanzana8390]

No offense, but I would preffer a bachmann Henry over Awdry's Henry

[@karenfan010]

13:12 this is just a theory but maybe this diesel model inspired arry and bert from season 5 because there class 08 diesel with no lasers on front and yellow and stripy like this diesel.

[@southsidediy]

I have only seen one low quality photo of the Stepney model. Its interesting that the model is of Stepney before the A1x rebuild as an A1

[@CZ350tuner]

The Henry model is based on a Graham Farish 4-6-0 Black 5 locomotive. These had a tender mounted motor providing power to the loco's driving wheels via a flexible Carden shaft. I've had to repair one once, many years ago.

[@TaG.189]

I like to think the main reasons awdry made these models Are to depict acuratly the model layot for artistic purposes and to see the caracters in a new light for me i always tought thomas was an E2 untill i saw awdry's model of thomas and made me realise how liberty you have to call a 0-6-0 with sidetanks "thomas"

[@darthknuxward3220]

Warrington is an actual real life preserved engine, so probably not the austerity engine Chris mentioned

[@jonathanperez2320]

The first percy model was made from the larcko dockside saddle tank with the jinty snokebox, and a piston and spare coupling rods

[@lostonessoul5154]

OK can we all take a moment to let it sink in that Edward was made from a KIT!? Like..dude. If we had metal kits that let us make working model trains today, not only do I think that would be awesome for those of us who like to get a bit more hands on, but it would be a GREAT way to get into the hobby without spending a gigantic chunk of cash.

[@CZ350tuner]

The 3rd Thomas is made from a 1980's Hornby LBSC class E2.

[@DianaSttar]

Thanks for all your comments letting me know about the stuff I didn’t point out/know about.

[@HauntedHenry]

I hope this covers all of them, like the narrow gauge ones.

[@DianaSttar]

I don’t cover the mid-sodor characters because explosive cookie already did a video about them and let us know about the characters so it would be weird for me to just talk about them again but I’m pretty sure besides the mid-sodor characters I covered all of them

[@HauntedHenry]

@@DianaSttar Oh yeah, I forgot! Will you be covering the SKR engines?

[@DianaSttar]

@@HauntedHenry I will. There isn’t many of them though

[@HauntedHenry]

@@DianaSttar oh okay, thanks for the heads up!

[@davidsheriff8989]

The history of these ios fascinating...

[@locohauledforum]

The black diesel shunter is the Triang / Hornby Class 08 model.

[@steveatstaffordroadmodelwo8316]

Correct, but just to add a bit more info it is the version used was the one made from around 1956 to around the mid 1970s. This used the original Jinty type chassis and is recognizable by the Horizontal ribs across the radiator at the frony (incorrect for a real 08), while later modes had the more prototypical vertical louvers

[@mikafu]

I always wondered how Awdry did the linings for the engines, were waterslide red linings and numbers a thing back then? If not, how did Awdry do the numbers and linings for his models?

[@CZ350tuner]

The observation coaches are made from Airfix kits of the Park Royal railbus.

[@TheCheekyBlueE2TankEngine927]

When Sir Topham Hat told Henry That he was gonna stay in the tunnel, he took it too far…

[@parker-boy98]

So the models don't have faces?

[@Jediah-s6p]

No 💀

[@SamLikesEditing]

Bro I haven’t been credited for being the most epic person ever!! 😂

[@DianaSttar]

Dude your so epic I don’t even have to credit you people just already know

[@CZ350tuner]

Oddly enough, Hornby also used the old Triang R.251 Deeley 3F, with an extended front deck, to make their James model.

[@johnylitalo4163]

I want to build the Awdry layout, two spare Edwards, a spare Gordon, a spare James, Douglas, Bill, Ben, Sir Handel and Rusty for the Awdry layout.

[@StepneyStudios2011]

I actually saw Thomas mk 3 at Statfold barn

[@blob5880]

Here is a question nobody asked. But how in the world do the couplings on those models work?

[@MrNoUsername]

He used Sprat & Winkle couplings As seen on Wilbert’s models, there is a bar/wire attached to the buffers and there will be a hook on the wagon. There is a chain hanging down from the hook. Under the track, you place a magnet on the place you want to uncouple. When the coupling is over the magnet, the chain will be attracted, pulling down the hook and that uncouples the wagon from the loco. To couple back again, you just back the loco down onto the wagon past the magnet. It will automatically be coupled That’s the best I can explain it, but it’s easier to understand once you see it in operation

[@crimson_roblox9437]

wilbert awdry is the goat

[@Carboi0528]

Having this play after watching a video about a ten year old charged of first degree murd3r is insane 😦

[@Danny_Ninjago_28]

Is that Skylanders music in the background? Or am I just loosing it?

[@DianaSttar]

Nah it's Skylanders. I love the games and the soundtrack for the games are just so freaking GOOD!!!

[@JimmyProductions]

Just wanted to say that the Mid Sodor’s engines could probably have their own video

[@PopCorn-pv8qq]

11:37 wait its 1875 i think

[@DianaSttar]

Nope. It’s 1975. That is what my source says and if you want to double check it you can look in the description. It is pretty crazy though

[@PopCorn-pv8qq]

It said he work on sodor on 1975 i dont get it

[@StanBlankPlushelodeon]

Awdry’s model railway is the real Sodor.

[@theholygamer969]

I always found Thomas as an E2 to be so unfitting. The funnel and body shape isn't even close. A Jinty is way closer.

[@scifiguy9000]

What year were Jinty's built?

[@RPRGstudiooficiall]

It’s looks mk1 that like nature or something This video looks good Thomas looks idk what I mean This F.R or something else lol but well done edit Prototype of henry rws? Thomas is not and e

[@merlinandmurdoch7837]

I remember the older video

[@DianaSttar]

Oh that’s cool

[@PopCorn-pv8qq]

23 hours till this is 24 hours or 1 day old

[@harrisonallen651]

Too bad he never made Douglas to go with Donald

[@DianaSttar]

Fr. But to be fair would you rather buy another of the same model or buy a different model that could be new and unique. Instead of getting another model that is basically identical besides the name and number

[@rafiqulhaque2725]

I'm sure it is a

[@LewisPassos-gq9yn]

Fun fact: Annie and Clarabelle are twins.

[@Jediah-s6p]

Everyone knows that lol

[@Oswald150]

Why didn’t he just buy the Bachmann engines?!?!?!?!?! This is a joke don’t harass me please :(

[@steveatstaffordroadmodelwo8316]

I believe it was because Rev. Awdry had sadly died (in 1997) some time before Bachmann started making the models around 2002.

[@adriansworkshop-z7n]

ok cool

[@marceloazzirabelo]

hey stopping

[@Pinkiepie-2022]

Ok

[@MaxwellTheTrainFan]

I live tram engines . And always have . Toby is one of the greats (dr nafario2024) And Mavis is the best of the best . And is one of the models that can be still made today

[@scottwins9108]

more like.... sparecy.

[@numtraingames5713]

Well did you know that before it became the model of Duck, it was actually the bases for the 43rd story of the railway series…Duck takes charge. So I think Wilbert Awdry got it as a Christmas present for his son, Christopher Awdry. And then I think when they tested it, one of the things it was waddle, and then it started the second story of a book about Percy, which he almost didn’t get.🚂🚞🚃🚋🚟🚠🚡🚝🚄🚅🚈🚆🚇🚊🚉