EdwardKing02

@edwardking02.bsky.social

346 Followers 51 Following

“Thomas faces guy” | 🇨🇦 | 24 | Collector | Modeller | Gordon enthusiast

Once again went with the SCC shells (E2X V02-F and E2X V2 respectively to be specific) as I liked the look of them the best, and I went with the full size E2s instead of Gavin’s shrunk down versions, as I decided to be consistent with the rest of the fleet being proportionally accurate to their basis’. Plus it’s consistent with Awdry’s own model of Thomas MK3, as well as differentiating him from my TVS Thomas. The Bachmann Jinty chassis was the natural choice for this, as it’s been used by many before me, and its wheelbase and wheel size were near-identical to an E2’s. Ik in-universe, Thomas allegedly was given larger driving wheels circa-1920(?), thus explaining his front splashers, but like with my James, I’m okay with overlooking this for the sake of a model haha.
His builder’s plates read: “Avonside Engine Co. Limited ‘6’ ‘1922’ Bristol”. Ik a lot of people tend to put Percy’s presumed build date closer to Trojan’s around the late-1890s - early-1900s, but that more than anyone else’s build date has NEVER sat right with me whatsoever. I like to think he was one of Avonside’s last in-house designed industrial shunters in the 1920s, hence why he has a fully enclosed cab unlike most of them, and he was built more or less right as the Railway Grouping Act was occurring, and with him being a one-off non-standard design, is hence why he never really had a home before Sodor. The date of 1922 also gives him *just* enough time to have been unloaded to Hunslet Engine Company at some point (hence note that he has some parts from them), and making him younger then the Sodor engines before him, and better matching his younger demeanor and inexperience; *just* enough time for his official arrival of 1926. Plates as always from Light Railway Stores.
Bodyshell is the SCC “Green Goblin V4” shell. I liked the look and proportions of the V4 one the best, had the best balance of a slightly heightened smokebox like Kenney’s version of Percy, while maintaining the proportions and likeness to Trojan of the Edwards’ Percy. The fact these shells as basically designed RTR for the Hornby Peckett W4 chassis was another big plus for me. The specific Hornby Peckett chassis I used was from ‘R3428 Manchester Ship Canal No. 654’, though it really doesn’t matter which Peckett you use since their chassis are all the exact same. I would recommend getting a Peckett that has green wheels though, if not just so that it would potentially hide inevitable paint chips on the wheels better.