Best loco for Percy custom?

[Set in the West]

I may or may not make a Percy the Small Engine custom using Hornby locos/tooling. If anyone has done this, please tell me what loco/tooling you used, and how it worked out. Anything and everything will help!

LittleOldPug

[ellocoloco]

I have not done any conversions myself but after Hornby relinquished the TTTE license, the body mold from the Percy model had its face ripped off and was released as R30038. This would be an easy starting point for going back to Percy.

There are also plenty of the genuine Hornby Percys on Ebay.

[GWR LNER fan 4472]

It really depends what you want your custom to be. If it's a TV series portrayal, then a standard Hornby Percy is your best starting point. You can weather it, get faces from Shapeways, add extra details etc.

However, if you're creating a Railway Series version, or indeed your own take on the character, then there are all sorts of basis you can use. Lots of customs I've seen use the Hornby Peckett chassis. My personal preference for Percy's basis, which I would love to model one day, is a Cardiff Railways Kitson 0-4-0ST, with a larger coal bunker and different dome design, amongst other modifications. The real locomotive is preserved at Didcot Railway Centre. That being said, I don't think a model has ever been made of it, RTR or kit, so that'll be a tough one.

Cardiff Railway Kitson:

https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/58/1338-0-4-0st

Sodor Island Forums, a great place for discussing all things Thomas. This thread is about the Rev. Awdry's own models:

https://sodor.proboards.com/thread/6502/modelling-rev-awdry

[Rana Temporia]

Here is one the other way using Hornby clockwork Percy to create an industrial loco using the original modified body and a mix of the original chassis and an old Tri-ang one to crate the correct outside cylindered appearance. The face was filled with body filler, shaped and a cast smoke box dart and handles added. It still needs numbers/name. I did the same with a damaged clockwork Thomas.

If you want a Percy, as stated there are plenty available second hand in both electric and clockwork versions, if you want one closer to the original you could get one of the Bachman ‘Greg’ locos which is their de-Thomased Percy, or one of the actual Bachman Percys but I think they were not available in the UK?