Hogwrts Express in G-Scale

[Anonymous]

Has anybody but me noticed that there in not a G- Scale Hogwarts Express in existance? I sure have. I have decided to include a Castle and viaduct in my garden railroad in progress but then I realized that there was NO manufacturer that produces a G- Scxale Hogwarts Express. I mean, there is one in HO scale but no in G-scale . Bachmann would be the best manufacturer for in because it has a g-scale 4-6-0 and builds OO scale british models in England and they produce an HO scale model of it here in America . All they have to do in get the wheels and motor for a 4-6-0. Make a G-scale shell in a GWR "Hall" shape (as thats what they used in the movie an ex- Great Western Railway Hall) paint it in the colors of the Hogwarts Express, build the matching Mk1 coaches in G-scale from the basis of their coaches produced in England or Their HO scale coaches in the set, pack the locomotive and two or three coaches in a box and sell it for the same price as their Big- Hauler Sets $350 manufacturer $139-$149 street price. Then we would have a G-Scale Hogwarts Express that we could be proud to run on our garden/indorr lines. So please Start pelting Bachmann U.S.A with e-mails to make one. It would work people, it would work.

Regards: Nicholas Parker (age 13)

[Anonymous]

I have recently after a three hour peiriod looked at this/my topic and have seen that 12 people have seen it but with no replys. I would like to know if people thing its a great idea, i'm crazy, or they aren't sure.
Fell free to reply. Even thought I am 13 I can still be taken seiriously[:)][:)][:D][:D][8)][8)][8)][8)]

[Anonymous]

Nic Mate;

I suspect that you are a pom and your ideas are just great and I wish i was 13 again not 67. I too want to make a viaduct have you seen what i had to say about that, it is on the forum under viaduct, it will be 4 metres long with 16 spans.

As far as the Hogwarts Express itself is concerned, I can think of two reasons why nothing has happened so far.

1/ Copyright and the expense involved.

2/ Time; it takes a fair while to get a new engine into production and a lot of cost. and will it just be a passing fad ? ie will they get enoughsales over along enough period to recoup the costs of set up.

I have an LGB Mallet, which will do for my Hogwarts engine and I am also going to put a Swaztika on the side of it at a later date, and use it to pull a WW2 Nazi Fieldmarshals train as well. See an engine like this costs about A$4,000 (mulitply by 0.41 for pounds sterling) to purchase and to me thats alot of money and to a 13 year old lad like yourself, it must be an incredible amount unless you are rich beyond most 13 year olds.

However feel free to ask any question you like and don't be concerned if some of the blokes take a while to answer you, after all we are in different time zones and we all sleep sometime, I am 10 hours ahead of you and the forum is 6 hours behind. There are some really good guys on this forum and between them they know a lot!

Ian the Aussie Grandad.

[Anonymous]

Hi Nic,
You'll be taken seriously mate, the railway folk on here usually let you down lightly when you make an 'oops, shouldn't have done/said that.' Ian is right about the set up costs, it costs the manufacturers a fortune for a new loco. Have you thought of going for one of the Bachmann 10 wheelers and ba***hat? The Halls where 4-6-0 so you would be halfway there. Just a thought.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Hi Nic
I must agree with you in part at least.
It struck me as a bit odd that Bachmann never made a large scale Hogwarts Express
After all they had already paid a licence fee to produce the OO scale one so I assume that would have covered the large scale one as well.
But as has been stated the costs involved in producing it would have been quite high for a limited possably disasterouse sales train set mind you I would have got one if it had been manufactured in as good a quality as the OO set and included the silly arch with platform93/4 on it.
still a child at 43
regards John

[vsmith]

Well, if you REALLY want a Hogswart Express?

If you look on ebay you might still be able to find a G gauge Thomas the Tank Engine series "James, the Red Engine" set made by Lionel a few years ago. The engine is English style of course, a 2-6-0 though, and could with some simple kitbashing be turned into a reasonable likeness to the famous Red Train. The face plate and eyeballs would need to be removed and replaces with a realistic smokebox door. Paint the smokebox Black and new lettering on the tender?

Hogswart Express!

I would even suggest repainting the "Annie" and "Clarabell" carraiges red for english style express passenger cars, though you'll have to get a "Thomas" set for that.

Hey, you guys across the pond there? what do you do for English engines in Garden scale?

[Anonymous]

Over here in England we're taxed so much we can only dream about English engines.My Dad did have a Welsh double ended made for him but I'm too scared to ask how much it cost.
Still if I did have a G scale Hogwarts I could crash it into good old Thomas.It would wipe the smile off his face for once (only kidding!)Troy

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by troybetts

Over here in England we're taxed so much we can only dream about English engines.My Dad did have a Welsh double ended made for him but I'm too scared to ask how much it cost.
Still if I did have a G scale Hogwarts I could crash it into good old Thomas.It would wipe the smile off his face for once (only kidding!)Troy

Is it true that under the Briti***ax system it is possible for a person to have 99% of their income taxed? I heard this once on AM talk radio. If so all I can say is...

WILKES and LIBERTY! NO Taxation without Representaton! [:D]

Really, the Empire needs to rethink that. That's how ya'll lost the Colonies! How else might the LargeScalers of the world get anything significant?

[Anonymous]

I undestand that Bachman has relinquished their rights to manufacture Harry Potter trains. I also understand that Marklin has picked it up.

In order to do Harry's Hogwarts express in Large Scale would take a very high dollar investment for mold work with very little expected return. To my understanding the HO version was not that hot an item either.

Kind of sad, I'd like one too! My wife has read all the J.K. Rowlings books and waits for each. We have both seen the movies and love the stories.

Ron

[Anonymous]

Attention Mates,


Thank You all so much for your support in my topic. It makes me feel as if I am much older and people can take me seiriously. I have decided to take all of your suggestions into consideration and try to make one on my own. I need some more info despite the very usefull info put on my topic which I am very grate full for mates. Does anybody in the England-Scotland Crowd know any one who makes g-scale hall class engine and tender shells. This would work wounderfully with bachmann 4-6-0. I will take a tenwheeler and take the engine and tender shells off and place the painted hall shells on the wheels. Also does any body know where I can get g-sclae Mk1 's. I am shooting for fie coaches so I will only get the shells and use bachmann trucks.

Thank You, Thank You all so much mates!!![:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D] Nicholas Parker

[vsmith]

All I know is that I'm going to keep my eyes open for any G guage "Thomas" trains I can find, might just give my own advise a go.

[s51flyer]

Better hurry Vic on that Thomas engine. Just bought one a month ago from Walthers (probably paid too much) because I understood that Lionel is no longer going to stock them...

Bob...

[Anonymous]

Hi Vic,
British outline is normally 'O' guage on this side of the pond. Standard guage works out at 32mm and there is a lot of trade support - Bachmann being a big manufacturer of brass models. Our local model shop is a big stockist of G and O, here's their site.
http://www.tower-models.com/
Another strong modelling lobby is of British narrow guage lines, Lynton to Barnstable (Devon), Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway (Wales). Very little trade support here but there are some magnificent scratch built loco's around and I suspect that 1:20.3 gear has been used to represent around 2'6" guage.
I got into American outline via N guage and I love the variety you guys have in G, so that's my reason for living.

Troy,
Sounds like your dad has a Fairlie made by Garden Railway Specialists in Princes Risborough, yep, it was dear.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

I find I have no desire to have a “Harry Potter” train and I find that a “Thomas the Tank Engine” might not have a place in the regular running of my line (albeit I may get one for my daughter Micaela when she advances in age).

I, however, would suggest that if you do desire one, that you scratch-build and kit-bash and share the knowledge with others of like minds.

Many people have a point, copyrights and other issues of that nature may make having such a line “counterproductive” to profit margins. And so, once again, contentment of the hobbyist falls second to profit margins.

[Anonymous]

Hi Nic
Have a word with Garden Railway Specialists they may be able to assist you for parts
they do G scale standard gauge 63mm gauge I think at horrendouse prices
I have no idea where you would get a drawing of a hall class one of the preservation sociaties could help there Severn Valley comes to mind or perhaps North Yorkshire Moors.
Plumbing pipe will do the boiler 1mm plasticard for the cab and tender shell
buffers from Gauge One society and some other fittings maybe if there is a model railway club in your area might be some one there who would assist and teach you what you need to know to make a go of it.
regards John

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kimbrit

Hi Vic,
British outline is normally 'O' guage on this side of the pond. Standard guage works out at 32mm and there is a lot of trade support - Bachmann being a big manufacturer of brass models. Our local model shop is a big stockist of G and O, here's their site.
http://www.tower-models.com/
Another strong modelling lobby is of British narrow guage lines, Lynton to Barnstable (Devon), Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway (Wales). Very little trade support here but there are some magnificent scratch built loco's around and I suspect that 1:20.3 gear has been used to represent around 2'6" guage.
I got into American outline via N guage and I love the variety you guys have in G, so that's my reason for living.

Troy,
Sounds like your dad has a Fairlie made by Garden Railway Specialists in Princes Risborough, yep, it was dear.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

Dang! how come Bachmann doesnt sell brass like that here? thats some interesting stuff.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by s51flyer

Better hurry Vic on that Thomas engine. Just bought one a month ago from Walthers (probably paid too much) because I understood that Lionel is no longer going to stock them...

Bob...

They havent made them for quite a while now, The Irony is that 6 years ago I HAD this same "James" set from Pic-n-Save for $49! But we were living in a tiny apartment with no storage space, so it sold it off. Now I'm kicking myself, even though I know at the time, I had no room for it. But they crop up on ebay fairly regularly. I think I'm going to pick up both and convert them to more "Scale" English loco's, I'd like to have a couple for the planned outdoor line.

[Anonymous]

I had no idea they made a "James" as well.Now my Son has seen the post there will be no peace! With a Thomas and James running together I will have to wear earplugs to cut out the noise of those wonderfully engineered plastic gears.
To Kimbrit-Yes it is a brown coloured Fairlie.I would like to go to this shop as he buys most of his stuff from them.Unfortunately we have slightly different budgets so my wife keeps me chained up.
The problem with scratchbuilding a loco in England,and I think Kimbrit will agree with me,is that the donor vehicle will cost so much it will be a shame to canabalise it.
When I made a G scale tram for my Dad the 2 motors came to about £120.00
I thoroughly enjoyed the scratchbuilding part,but did'nt enjoy the ripoff bit.
Troy

[Anonymous]

Gemtlemen;

I know a man here in Australia called John Beaumont that has the best G scale set up I have ever seen for running trains and he has a house that is virtually a storehouse for his trains. He is an ex pat Pom from Chelsea in London and he actually worked for Brit Rail before her migrated to Sydney. He has admitted that you can't get worthwhile G scale trains of British persuasion, so he has gone to European trains, which are similar to some extent.

I would say that if John can't get Briti***rains they are just about impossible to come by.

In any case I can ow only run LGB, as I now work on 20 V AC and I really don't think they will do it. I might do better with my Nazi Field Marshals train, complete with German soldiers and a gondola with an anti aircraft gun.

Regards


Ian; Kawana Island Tropical Railway.

[Anonymous]

Hi Vic,
Yep, that brass work is nice isn't it. I talk to the guys who own the shop and they tell me that the construction of the kits is a work of art and not for the inexperienced. They build a lot themselves and ship them ready built.
Hi Troy,
You are right about the cost of gear and bashing it. Time passes though and some LGB gear I bought years ago for my first set up got well and truly bashed to make it look better alongside its American cousins. GRS used to have a very good second hand section when I shopped there, in fact he bought my first lot of gear off me, worth a visit to the shop though.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Good News

I Have Recently found that my nearest Aster live Steam Stockist (Southern Stean Engines in Travelers Rest South Carolina) has a large amuont of no longer produced Aster GWR/BR Live Steam Kings. It is simmilar to the Hall and I can not find one ( a Hall) in G Scale. I am gratefull for the scratchbuilding suggestions, but I can not and will not scratchbuild. I plan to set up an instalment payment for the engine along with many other steam engines ( not all at once, as they have alot of nolonger produced Aster models as well as current production products), However, I am in Hot pursuit for a Hall for I have seen many pictures of live steam and eleectric models, as well Im have recently hit the Jackpot of Great Western Railway ( my favourite railway, but I like the others alot too) 4-4-0's. Thy have models of almost every GWR 4-4-0, including the City of Truro ( COOOOOOOOOl, OOOOOOH, AAAAAAH. ).


Thank you all, Nicholas Parker (age 13)

[Anonymous]

Hi locomotive10
"Cannot and will not scaratch build " I said that for years it was all to hard.
I am now waiting for the roof sheet for a platform shelter 1/2 way through building a shop and just about ready to take a scratch built log car to Perth WA.
So a friend of mine can show me how to make some detail bits and get all the dummy bolts machiened bolsters made so I can fit the lot and get the wagon rolling and get jigs made.
So when it all arrives back home I can nock out the next 17 of the things I have ore cars that have to ne made as well in similar quantity I refuse to shell out that kind of money
its too damned expensive added to which in the end I chose a railway theme where i have to make a lot or I don't get it.
regards John

[Anonymous]

Thanks John,
I have recently found the joys of scratchbuilding. I have purchased an HO scale Bcahmann Hogwarts Express and I wanted it to look like it was going some where.
As I was on a limited budget then, I made one end of the Quidditch Pitch (and I am currently working on the castle, out of styfofoam) with thich parchment like paper from a drawing pad. I have seen many suggestions on complex scratchbuilding so thats what drove me away in the first place. But after seeing yours (boiler from pluming pide, cab and tender shell from plastikard, and buffers from the Gauge One society and other fittings from them) I have deciced to give it a try. I will e-mail the Severn Valley Railway today and ask politly if I could please have a copy of a hall engine blueprints and drawings. I have tried to sratch build the Qudditch Pitch during the 180 days we had to attend school (I did this at home, not at school) but it was to stressfull and I counldn't. But know school is out and I have freeded myself from all the tyranyy on torture of school and I can make one as my Quidditch pitch dosent look half bad and whats finished of the castle dosen't either, so know I can focus soley on this project. I have gone to Lowes, a home improvment store in my town and I have taken the engine and a coach adn he found a can of card freindly paint that was easy to use, that was a perfect match. I will use the "Make Your Own Decal" sheets that I have bought from Walthers for large Scale Trains and I will make the tender emblem and the button like emblem that goes on the coaches. I will use bachmann chassis or what ever you call the wheels.

Cheerio,
Nicholas Parker (Age 13)

[Anonymous]

Hi locomotive 10
Good for you
The key things to remember first the hard one take your time don't rush it
if you do get in to trouble throw the question on the scratch building forum we have one now.
Some one will be able to point you in the right direction.
Even the most complicated scratch build you can think of is a series of simple steps.
I would like to see a picture or two when you have finished
You will have to have a good look round the net to see what is avalable in detail parts
once you have found those the job will be a lot easier mums sewing box will yield a few press studs that can be used for valve wheels ecf in the cab.
god alone knows what you will use for a driver and fireman on the Hogwarts Express who knows what is driving the train you can have a bit of fun there
I had beiter watch my money I want to see the new movie.
regards John

[Anonymous]

The Hogwarts Express is going to take a back seat in my modeling car for I recently have gotten the taste for live steam. As the prices for them are atrocitous, I will sratchbuild an 0-4-0 side tank painted blue. After that is complete I will fini***he Hogwarts Express (engine is almost done). But, keep answering my topic please I need all the help I can get. Thanks. By the way John Busby, I really enjoyed your sratchbuilding advice. Especiall that math class thing. [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:)][:D]