What did you do to your trains today?

Yes, I was aiming for a dull blue, and I wasn't expecting to get as nice a blue as I did to be honest.

I have a coach top replacement for a standard troublesome truck chassis printing overnight

Contrary to what Leyland had said, I really haven't "mastered the art" of hot melt glue faces. After about three attempts to make one for the TM Edward, it doesn't look anything like him. I literally traced over his likeness from the filmed series like I did with George and it's still very far off. Good thing I don't care too much since I intend to restore the TOMY one anyway. Because I never had a 3D printer, I'm undecided between finding a better way to trace over paper cut outs, duplicating existing faces and altering them for other characters or both (though I do want to find a better material to use). This time, I might try and clone his TOMY or Mega Bloks face by creating a mould for it and see if it would help.

The good news: Gordon's face was even slightly easier to revert than James' (which was partially blacked out), and I've been interested in the idea to follow Gordon's proportions for my first scratch built engine: a provisional Henry designed to fit around Spencer's chassis (with green stickers on the wheels). He wouldn't have an oversized tender and his coupling rods would have to be the regular type (so as not to change the front axle), but at least I could finally have him. I shall see if he'll turn out good enough.

[Super]

Hi Da-lag

What about using clay to sculpt a face and then let it harden. I am not a crafter but there must be some cheap modeling clay that is easily sculpted and that hardens....or am I a dreamer?

There's Milliput if you can get a hold of it. That's what I used when I tried to sculpt a face.

[Super]

Can Milliput be easily sculpted like clay without the need for sanding after it hardens?

That's not the problem; I already have air drying clay and even the "white" variant is actually a light grey, but what I want to do is produce faces that look very much like their counterparts from the filmed and CGI seasons (especially when I have no suitable source face). I used to use paper cut outs by themselves, which obviously doesn't sit well with the plastic faces on unchanged models. When I made new customs after the collection reunion, I decided to try and trace with hot melt glue to make the faces stand out. It worked alright for four characters but became frustrating when I tried my first one for an engine, so it might just be the methods I'm using.

Either way, I've started trying to build the first version of my improvised Henry, which is also proving quite difficult and not very robust at the moment. It might be better to bring the Spencer chassis inside and test fit while building instead of strictly relying on Gordon. He will naturally have the same design flaw as the 2012 version where the firebox is too wide and blocks out the cab, though I hope to get around it in some way.

So, I've brought Spencer in and adapted the Henry top to fit over the chassis. While he might look well constructed and still rolls well, he's actually flimsy and lopsided (particularly at the front). Even though I did get the firebox to look more proportionate, there might be a problem with the exact shape of his boiler when I'll add it. The firebox has since been shortened to resemble the TOMY and early TrackMaster size. I'll use thin strips of double sided tape to follow the shape of Gordon's boiler, to which a thin layer of cardboard will be applied so I could form it accurately. After the boiler, smokebox, the other four wheel arches and cab roof, I'll try to strengthen the running board, straighten it as much as possible and add the detail before painting. The shape of the running board turned out correct on one side but wrong on the other. If this provisional Henry would fail, he'd be repurposed as a new scrap engine. If only I didn't refuse to build my own versions of engines back then (produced or not). It's only my first real attempt to see if I can do it, so it's not really meant to perfectly mimic the official counterparts. I think he's going to look good.

[Super]

Very imaginative use of cardboard Da-lag. Do you think adding glue to those thin strips on the sides would stiffen up the cardboard at all?

I'm not sure about glue on its own, but I cut the same skewer used to strengthen Toby's new sideplates and glued two strips on the running board (on the inside).

Unfortunately, I didn't bother to check if Spencer still worked until now and it turned out he doesn't (not even the usual tricks helped). That's right - what I thought was going to be a fun idea essentially went to waste for me. My only other two TOMY flat drives are Ben's and Emily's, and that makes me doubt even they still run. I guess even the old flat drives don't last as long as the "Thomas type".

[Super]

Thats a shame. Are you not willing to take it apart to see if you can't get it to work? Have you tried the 9 volt battery trick?