Who else uses Ertl models for their layout?

[Trainboy and company]

I have an Ertl George the steamroller, an Ertl Sodor taxi and an Ertl Butch the breakdown vehicle in the background of my 00 gauge layout. I quite like the Ertl die-cast trains and vehicles, even if they are more considered "toys" rather than scale models. They are almost indestructible (Unless you set them on fire or smash them with a mallet) and they have a lot of detail for children's toys. 

 

[Howbi]

Peter.........this is the Hornby model railway Forum........why do you want to discuss some other make of childrens' toys???..........HB

[Trainboy and company]

@Howbiman.

Yes, I know this is the Hornby model railway forum...I can read. 

I was merely asking wether the other forum members use Ertl trains and vehicles in the background of their layouts, like I do. I put this in the Thomas the tank engine section, where anything Thomas related can be posted. 

I wasn't asking for knowledge and facts about Ertl models. I was only asking if any of you use them as background models for your layouts. 

 

[Carltonf]

Hi.  When my kids were younger, I built them a Thomas layout and we had Bertie the bus which, although quite small, didnt look too out of place, the fat controller's car, and an old car (Caroline?) which they loved to push around the roads.  They also had the Ertl driver and Fat Controller - obviously way out of scale, but hey, it's all in the child's imagination.

And you have every right to post such a question in this forum.  Shame on you Howbiman! ;-)

[Howbi]

Oh dear, I only asked why........ 😆.........HB

[NWR-Gordon-4]

Yes, I use ERTL Thomas models on my layout, but only the road vehicles, aircrafts and figures that have not been released in model railways. They are not to scale, but this expands the road vehicles, aircrafts and figures, that one cannot buy in model railways. due to Hornby and / or Bachmann Trains never releasing them!  😆

 

@Peter Machin, @howbiman and @Carltonf

 

I do believe ERTL's Thomas range can be spoken about here, plus it's in the Thomas section, which is the best place for it. Here is a copy and paste of one bullet point of the Hornby Forum Rules, which tells me that ERTL Thomas products can be discussed:

 

• Discussion of non-Hornby brands is allowed, however, active promotion or advertising of these brands is not permitted

 

@Carltonf

 

Yes, the old car is Caroline.  😉 😀

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

@Carltonf.

Yes. I think that car was called Caroline. I did have an Ertl Bertie the bus, but I think I sold it on a car boot sale a long time ago when I got rid of all of the old ones I had when I was a boy. I had quite a few of the original paper face trains, which are now quite expensive to buy on Amazon or Ebay. Most of the model shops I have been to have a box full of miscellaneous die cast cars and so on, and I have found a couple of Ertl trains for 50p each in there. 

I personally think the Ertl trains were the best Thomas the tank engine toys out there, because they were durable and were of great play value. 

[NWR-Gordon-4]

I personally think the Ertl trains were the best Thomas the tank engine toys out there, because they were durable and were of great play value. 

 

True, but I much prefer the model railway locomotives and rolling stock, from Hornby and Bachmann Trains.  😉 😀

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

GNR-Gordon-4, 

I prefer Hornby as well. In comparison to Hornby locomotives, you can't really do much with Ertl locomotives. Ertl never made any track or sets for them from what I know of. The only things you could do with them are to push them along on your floor (Unless you did what I did and created your own track for them out of pieces of cardboard.  😉), or keep them on a shelf for display purposes. 

[NWR-Gordon-4]

Actually, ERTL did release some track packs, but I tho k it was rare and hard to find, even when ERTL was producing the range. I never had any of the track. Not sure how it went together.

 

Even with decent ERTL Thomas Collection with track, this would never beat a Hornby and Bachmann Thomas Collection!  😉  😆  😀

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

GNR-Gordon-4, 

I think the track pieces just clip together? I personally haven't owned any Ertl track pieces myself, so I wouldn't know how they connect. 

But, yes, it definitely doesn't beat a Hornby or Bachmann collection of Thomas locomotives. I only have Hornby Thomas locomotives, but that won't stop me investing in Bachmann locomotives in the future. For my Hornby Thomas locomotives, I currently have an R9283 Thomas, a clockwork Thomas, an R9290 James, an R383 Gordon and an R9284 Percy. 

I hope to invest in Devious Diesel, Oliver and Bill and Ben. 

[NWR-Gordon-4]

I don’t know. Probably they did clip together.

 

I don’t have an of Hornby’s Thomas & Friends Clockwork range, but I have all electricity range locomotives (Apart from R9104 Thomas the Tank Engine - Exclusive to ModelZone, all rolling stock (Apart from R9297 Gordon’s Composite Coach and R9298 Gordon’s Brake Coach) and some buildings.

 

Hornby Oliver cost you a lot of money. I suggest you should consider the Bachmann Oliver. A lot cheaper.

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

GNR-Gordon-4, 

I like the clockwork models, and I couldn't recommend them enough. I was quite lucky to get a second hand Clockwork Thomas train set from my local model shop that came with the clockwork Thomas, Annie and Clarabel, and a circle of 00 gauge track one time for just a tenner. All of the parts were there and in good working order, so it was excellent value for money if I say so myself. 

The only disadvantage I had with that set was that I couldn't add the track that came with it to my railway layout, because it seemed to be a different type of metal to that of the nickel silver track that you run the electric locomotives on, and there was no power flow from the track included in the set whatsoever.

The electric locomotives ran on the nickel silver track fine, but their power cut out as they went over the track included in the set. It couldn't have been that the said track was dirty, because I oil the track regularly and I particularly gave the track included in the set a good clean before using it. 

 

[NWR-Gordon-4]

A good bargain for just £10.00!  😉  😆  😀

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

GNR-Gordon-4, 

I know. It is a great model shop, and I am good friends with the man who owns it. He has all kinds of different models in there. There are Hornby trains, rolling stock, Corgi cars, occasionally the odd train set, diggers and much more. It is my favourite place to go to. 

[NWR-Gordon-4]

Any model shop is my favourite place to go to!  😆

 

What is the name of this model shop and where is it?

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

GNR-Gordon-4,

It is called JRS Models in a town in the North West called Ashton Under Lyne. 

[NWR-Gordon-4]

Thank you for telling me this. I will look it up on Google now.  😀

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[NWR-Gordon-4]

Just done my Google search and Google told me that it’s called JRS Collectables. Also it’s about 136 miles away from me, so I probably l won’t ever be visiting it. I don’t travel far often and usually not within more than 100 miles away!  😆

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

GNR-Gordon-4, 

I go there every Saturday. It is just five minutes from where I live. It is a shame you live too far away from it, because yourself and the other forum members would probably like it there. The man who owns it is lovely, and all of the stock is reasonably priced, hence why I got the clockwork Thomas passenger set for just a tenner!  😆

Also, if you are saving up for a certain locomotive or other model that is in there,  the man willingly keeps it at the back of the shop for you to collect when you have enough money. 

[Trainboy and company]

One thing I do with Ertl vehicles and some of the smaller Ertl trains is that I put them on a flat bed that is being pulled along by a Hornby loco with their goods train, which makes the Ertl train/vehicle seem like a non-moving locomotive that is being taken for repairs. 

[Trainboy and company]

For example, I have put my Ertl scrap Trevor on a flat bed and had the Hornby Thomas pull him along, so as to recreate the Ringo Starr episode "Saved from scrap".

[NWR-Gordon-4]

That is nice of the owner, reserving a model that you can't afford at the time, by keeping it for you in the stock room, stopping the risk of somebody else buying it.

 

Yes, I do this, but the only flatbeds Hornby released in the Thomas range, were the two Circus Flatbeds. These of course had fixed loads on them, so these are no good for this. Bachmann Trains' Thomas & Friends 77029 Flat Car with Paint Drums had a removable load, but is long discintinued and I never managed to get any.

 

The only flatbed that I can use that I have is Bachmann Trains' Thomas & Friends 77031 Well Wagon, which is not flat or tall enough, for my liking!  😆

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[Trainboy and company]

GNR-Gordon-4, 

I just use a standard 1:76 Hornby flat bed, and that can carry my Ertl scrap Trevor. I also use some of the Ertl people figurines for layout as well. 

For instance, I have Ertl figurines of The fat controller (Also known as Sir Topham Hatt in the USA for political correctness) Lady Hatt, Dowager Hatt, Mrs Kyndley and a driver. I use all of those in my layout, and they have a lot of detail and are quite robust to say they are considered toys. 

[NWR-Gordon-4]

I suppose so, but I prefer out of choice, to use Thomas & Friends branded rolling stock, with Thomas & Friends locomotives.

 

I have all of those ERTL figures too, apart from Lady Hatt. I want one, but I can't a new one on her own, on eBay. Just in a double pack, with The Fat Controller, of whom I already have. Besides, I don't even want ERTL's The Fat Controller soon, as I do at some point want to get my paws on an Bachmann Trains' Sir Topham Hatt.

 

GNR-Gordon-4