Toby the tram (Trade)
From: maurice pearce
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:39:26 BST
Just had a delivery of N scale Bachmann Toby the tram engine if anyone is (a) into Thomas characters (b) doing a great Eastern branch line.
58794 Toby The Tram

www.osbornsmodels.com/58794-toby-the-tram-56461-p.asp

regards
M

Nick just to be clear this is a Bachmann (US) product and not Tomix.

Quote from: osborns on June 22, 2023, 09:41:03 AM
Nick just to be clear this is a Bachmann (US) product and not Tomix.

Oops !

has your arrived yet?

Yes,  arrived safely 48 hrs later - many thanks for prompt service.

Been busy with family problems, or I would have sent an email.

I have now had a chance to test mine and it is a great loco. 28 wagons pulled happily on the flat (wheel spins on a slope with this load.

Look at the video below for more of my views.


https://youtu.be/pM5oPiDW5GE

Toby (along with Edwards) was always one of my favourite Thomas the Tank Engine characters, so I just had to have one! Mine arrived from Rails earlier this week and I tried it out last night. It's really rather impressive.

Running around a flat oval of Kato track (R249 ~10" radius) it managed 10 Farish Mk1s. before beginning to slip - four less than the Sonic J50 (Toby is several grams lighter despite having a diecast body).

It was very smooth with no sign of the wobble you often get with 0-6-0 locos. The loco is a good height match for the Farish Mk1s - the mail vans from Tomix's Thomas range towered over Toby! (just at they do the Tomix Percy)

Whilst there are coupling rods hiding behind the side skirts, detail is course - the roof mounted bell is a crude lump for example and the cab doors are solid plastic painted black. It is aimed more at the toy end of the market though and the reduced detail keeps the price well under £100.

I'm sure many will take the face off and use it as it, but there are a few differences between the model and an actual J70. I don't know how it compares dimensionally to the J70 but if nothing else, the side windows aren't in the right place. The model does however match the loco seen in the more recent CGI version of Thomas the Tank Engine.

I've yet to take the body off, but a scratch built or 3d printed body using the Toby chassis could be an option for anyone wanting to model the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway or the docks at Great Yarmouth or Ipswich.

Steven B

Good Thomas thread here

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=46750.msg783491#msg783491

Full US models

https://www.trainworld.com/gifts/thomas-and-friends.html?scale=155

UK model,range ( check prices )

https://www.tootallythomas.co.uk/ourshop/cat_1673457-N-Scale.html