May 31, 2011

The British Railway Series - Playlist Page"

In working on the separate blog for the Thomas Model Reviews, I've come across an upgrade to the normal blog design that works really rather well. So well, I am going to be incorporating a British Railway Series Playlist page to this blog.

More on it as I work on it!

EDIT: Here's a link: The Playlist Page - will make more edits to the page in due course.

Until next time!

May 30, 2011

"All change!"


If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll notice all the Hornby VS Bachmann posts have gone!

This is because they now have their own dedicated blog, named "Hero of the Scales" (groan!) found here.

Go over and check it out - and for the fans of the videos, posting on the individual blog entries is enabled to allow you to vote and give me valuable feedback.

Until next time!

May 25, 2011

"Flying Scotsman: The People's Engine Restored"

The above image is linked from the National Preservation Website. It's not my copyright, but a photograph taken by Ian Riley, the man in charge of overhauling her boiler, and many other components besides.

It's been a long time, getting from there to here...but her time is finally near.

4472, Flying Scotsman, albeit, in wartime black livery for her running in trials, and the nunbers 502/103 on different sides of the engine. She looks utterly amazing.

Well done to the NRM, Ian Riley et al, for what is simply a top notch restoration. I am sure this is going to be a spectacular year, with one of each of the four Class "A" machines lining up some day soon...

Until next time!

May 15, 2011

"Dark Green Beauty - 60163 Tornado"



I had a great day out meeting two very important people at the National Railway Museum, York.

And lo and behold - look who else was there!





60163 Tornado, looking particularly stunning in her freshly applied dark green paint.

Enjoy - until next time!

May 10, 2011

"The British Railway Series - Update"


Portrait of 60114, W.P. Allen, by Dean Walker

Recently I asked a chap by the name of Dean Walker if I could commission a few pictures from him, towards making some charity prints later in the year. He agreed, and the above is a small section of a larger painting. His work is absolutely phenomenal - please look out for it on Deviantart.

So many people have asked me about Episode 18, the book, the website, and general ambitions for the series, that I felt it prudent to give an update of some form!

Episode 18 is still on the cards, but is a highly ambitious - and to date, incomplete script, that I would like to produce as the next The British Railway Series short film, by the end of 2011. With any luck, I should be able to divulge a few more details on the special, by the end of July, which is my self-imposed deadline for scripting and story-boarding.

The one thing I can make clear about the short film, is that we're looking to change the look of the characters significantly, as a result of remodelling the faces.


These faces are still very much in the early stages of development, and are being created by Richard and Sean, the admins of Sodor Island 3D. The above photograph shows one of the prototype Stephen faces, being tested.

The faces will remain static, but there will be a greater range of expressions for all the characters, new and old. Please feel free to write in and tell me what you think of the above face, at the copleyhill@live.co.uk blog.

On the series' Facebook Group, I posed a question: What type of locomotive would you like to see in The British Railway Series?

The response was sterling, a total of fifty six of the members of the Facebook Group responding, the top three locomotive classes coming from three different regions. The first placed locomotive type was the Great Western Railway Castle Class, the second was the Southern Region Bulleid Pacific, and the third was the Eastern Region, Thompson A2/3 Pacific.

It was all done for fun, of course, but you never know...perhaps Pendennis Castle, 249 Squadron and Edward Thompson will make an appearance one day!

Lastly, there's been a few rumours going around that I am writing a book, and even more rumours as to who I've employed as artist. I won't confirm or deny the rumours, but it has been hilarious to read the emails sent to the copleyhill@live.co.uk address. Some have been so wildly off the mark, it's unreal.

One email, however, summed up the situation perfectly: "Of course, you won't tell us if something is happening until it's actually happening".

Yes indeed! And on that bombshell, I'll bring this blog post to a close. Thanks very much for those of you keeping tabs on The British Railway Series, and sending in all your lovely emails and Youtube mail.

Until next time!