Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 To Walt Disney's Lilly Belle

[vaderdarth]

This thread is my attempt to create Walt's all time favorite locomotive the Lilly Belle (named after his late wife). Here is a photo of the actual Lilly Belle in 1:8 scale. Walt rode this live steamer around his considerable backyard.

I started with a Bachmann Spectrum 1:20.3 (G scale) 4-4-0.

This is a photo showing it all disassembled

This shows the reshaping and repainting of the basecoat for the fuel/water tender

This is the addition of the stripes to the tender:

This is the repaint of the cab

This is repaint of the steam chests

Shortening/ reshaping of the running boards, and cylinder heads

This shows the repainted smokebox front, and the new headlight/brackets

This is the reshaping and repaint of the pilot (cow catcher)

This is the result of all those items together on the frame

This is the stripe details painted on the tender

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa307/vaderdentist/photo-30.jpg

Here are the replacement tender wheels (spoked) being painted

Here is the cab with stain/paint inside and out

I've been repolishing all the brass details and here is what it looks like at present sans the green interior of the cab:

 

[jedimaster]

Man that looks cool. I love seeing stuff like this. Was a bit worried when half way down I saw some kit sprues sittin on the bench but I'd love to do one of these. i guess its the same in thge states but when we were in disneyland in Hong Kong the full sized train was exactly this but painted blue and named Walt Disney,

 

[vaderdarth]

Here is a pic of her Today. Got some track for her display case. Installed the spoked wheels on the tender

 

[autoprops713]

Awesome work here! The colors are looking good. :thumbsup

I have an old Aristocraft set that I put together every year that goes around the tree. Haha...it pushes around a little Delorean too. I love this scale.

 

[vaderdarth]

Cool. Aristocraft makes some nice locos. Thanks for the comments. Here's a little more bling!!!

This shows the back head and its assorted doodads painted

 

[vaderdarth]

Here is the newest pic of Lilly Belle with the newly painted tender truck side frames and the support below the smokebox. Also added new steam cylinder heads and finally put her back together properly. The only thing left is to make brass crosshead pumps for each side and then the decals which I have to make.

 

[vaderdarth]

Oh and if anyone wonders what this has to do with props....this little locomotive has been around for years.......you probably saw her in her animated form in Toy Story III.

 

[compucrap]

Deleted

 

[vaderdarth]

Thanks man. I agree. Love the American 4-4-0. It just symbolizes the golden age of railroading!!!

 

[DS Operative]

Great project! You obviously put a lot of time and heart into this locomotive. I'd love to see more Railroad projects posted here. One of these years, I plan on putting together an HO Scale layout from my dad's leftover trains from before he passed away.

 

[vaderdarth]

Yeah, these trains are really fun. Here are some pics of my first attempt at decals for the Lilly Belle. They are printed on plain paper just to check the fit of each decal. They fit perfectly.

Dave

 

[vaderdarth]

Here is an outdoor photo with the mockup of the decals applied.

 

[moffeaton]

SWEET! Did you contact JT about decals, if you're in a pinch?

I love this project!!

 

[vaderdarth]

Not yet Jason, I'm gonna order the decal paper and attempt to do it myself first. Today i've ben working on the display base. Been cutting ties, laying track and ballast and driving spikes. It's really starting to come together.

Dave

 

[vaderdarth]

Started this yesterday. Those are the same track sections as seen in my outdoor photos. I weathered the rails after removing the plastic ties. Cut balsa wood for the new ties, stained each one individually. used a bit of flat black for each wash until each tie was a different variation....mixed with early american wood stain. Nailed the ties to the wood roadbed, then spiked the rails in place. I used some Bachmann Wheels for my rail guage. Ran out of ballast, so sent the missus to Hobbytown. The display base was a piece of Raw oak I cut to a 30 degree bevel and then sanded using a vibrating hand sander. Minwax early american stain wipe on wipe off........then coat with spray polyurethane. I may do one additional coat to make it glossier.

 

[PHArchivist]

Excellent project!

 

[vaderdarth]

pinstripes and decals

 

[vaderdarth]

Got the cab finished and got all the decals on. Now just need to finish the stripes.

 

[vaderdarth]

Yes my locomotive studio is "the crapper". LOL

 

[vaderdarth]

Starting to come together.....