Red Express Coaches (T&F)/Behind the Scenes

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Behind the Scenes

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This is a behind the scenes subpage for Red Express Coaches (T&F). This subpage contains all behind the scenes material relating to said article.

Background Information

The Red Express Coaches are fictional standard gauge coaches created by the Rev. W. Awdry. In 1986, the coaches were introduced in the second series of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and were primarily used for the express up until the twelfth series where the Green Express Coaches would take over full time. They would however return in the The Great Race. These coaches were sentient despite not having faces.

The models of the coaches were based upon SR Maunsell Coaches without corridors. They have broad windows on one side and narrow windows on the other.

Shorter variants of these coaches were introduced in the third series, which completely replaced the long coaches from the second series.

Throughout the CGI Series, the coach designs were altered to be much taller and thinner compared to the previous ones. Unlike the prior models, the CGI designs have broad windows on both sides.

Types of designs in the Model era:

Composite coaches (longer variants; broad windows 1 side only)

Brake coaches (longer variants; broad windows 1 side only)

Composite coaches (longer variants; narrow windows 1 side only)

Brake coaches (longer variants; narrow windows 1 side only)

Brake coaches (shorter variants; broad windows 1 side only)

Composite coaches (shorter variants; narrow windows 1 side only)

(shorter variants; broad windows 1 side only)

Brake coaches (shorter variants; narrow windows 1 side only)

Types of designs in the CGI era:

Composite coaches (shorter variants; broad windows both sides)

Brake coaches (shorter variants; broad windows both sides)

Behind the Scenes

Gauge 1 models

The express coaches' original models were custom built from Tenmille kits for Gauge 1 SR Maunsell Coaches. The bogie came from Tenmille parts. The models were used only used in the second series. During the production of the third series, a new resin copy mould for the coaches were made, replacing the previous version. However the coaches from the second series did get used in a few episodes between the third and fifth series. A second resin copy mould of the coaches were made for Thomas and the Magic Railroad, which replaced the previous versions and would be used for the rest of the model series.

In the third series episodes, All at Sea and Heroes, the fourth series episode, Thomas and Stepney, and the film, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, the coaches had interior lighting. These were powered by a series of hidden battery packs.

In the third series episodes, Buzz, Buzz and Bulgy, two coaches were seen with open doors. This was reproduced by bonding door parts to the side. It is likely that these doors were sourced from some of the Tenmille coaches, as they lack the yellow stripe seen on the resin copy coaches.

In the third series episode Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party, the "Garden Party" posters were pasted on a coach.

In the fourth series episode Paint Pots and Queens, the coaches were used as The Royal Train, painted with light grey rooftops, whitewall wheels and white buffers. One of the doors was cut out to recreate the open door.

Their models have had modifications throughout the model era. These include:

• Series 2:
  • The longer coaches introduced had white window surrounds with black rooftops, two broad windows and two sets of three narrow ones.
• Series 3:
  • The shorter coaches were painted with cream window surrounds, a yellow stripe running down each side and black rooftops.

Three of the express coaches used to be on display at Drayton Manor, but are now in storage and one formerly displayed at Nitrogen Studios. Two of the express coaches are now on display at the Hara Model Railway Museum. One of the brake coaches from Thomas and the Magic Railroad to the twelfth series is owned by Twitter user: ThomasTankMerch.

Two red express coaches at Drayton Manor

Edward with the red express coaches at Drayton Manor

Red express coaches' models at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan

A red express coach at Nitrogen Studios

A red express coach owned by ThomasTankMerch on display

Reference Sheets

Third series ruler reference of a Tenmille red express coach

Third series ruler reference of a Tenmille red express brake coach

Third series ruler reference of a shortened red express coach

Third series ruler reference of a shortened red express brake coach

Eighth series ruler reference of a red express coach

Eighth series ruler reference of a red express brake coach

Close-up models

A close-up model of the coach was built to be used for scenes where they had to interact with the close-up scale figures. The door could be opened and closed.

Originally this model was the green express coach and was repainted red in the fourth series. The other side of this model was used for the orange branchline coaches, as well as Annie and Clarabel.

Series 1 model's ruler reference (2007) (repainted from green to red)

Branchline Coach side of Series 1 model's ruler reference (2007)

One side of the broad windows was also built. In the eighth series, this model was repainted from red to green, but was not used.

Eighth series ruler reference of the close-up model

CGI models

In 2009, the series introduced Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) as a replacement for the show's long-standing live-action models. The coaches were retextured from the Green Express Coaches which were "hand-sculpted" in Maya, a 3D animation and modelling software.

Their CGI models have gone through some slight changes.

• The Great Race:
  • They narrowed in width; now being as wide as Thomas' body.
  • The coaches now have broad windows on both sides.
  • Their buffers were changed from oval to round.

Final render

Interior

External Links

• Sodor Scratchbuilding
  • A myriad of Maunsell Express Coaches
  • 1987 Tenmille Catalog (No. 4)