Toy Steam Engine

I am taking a little time out from the Canberra to do this for a friend - who will hopefully soon become a Blender User and BA member. :smiley: He inspired me to look at this:

http://www.smallbrookstudio.co.uk/products-new/4569521214/‘hector’-body-gn15-tender-locomotive-kit/3724081

…and model it in Blender, so here is my first render in basic material form, I have spent around 8 hours on it so far and have the drivetrain all rigged. Now its down to more detail and I will make the basics of the tender to go with it for my next render. This is far from finished, but critiques are always welcome - I only have one photo to work from so some guesswork will be necessary.

EDIT: Here is the latest Render - 500 samples 80% compression, I need to deal with the fireflies…


If you look at the link you will see that you can buy the real thing as a kit to make, along with a motorised under-frame - I might even buy the model…

Cheers, Clock.

It now has a tender behind - rather reminds one of public school days…


EDIT: The picture above is the first render I posted.


Cheers, Cock.

Hmmmmm - no feedback - I guess I chose the wrong time to do “SteamCute” when everybody else is doing “SteamPunk” - oh well such is life. :frowning: Maybe we could start a “SteamCute” or “Rowland Emmett” theme here along side SteamPunk? :smiley:

More progress:


Cheers, Clock.

That’s really cute, Clockmender. And the modeling and shading is nice. I hope you can convince your friend with this high quality work :slight_smile:

Thanks @minoribus - I still have all the texturing to do, but that can wait until the model is complete and the track and scenery is under way.

Cheers, Clock.

I only just spotted this, and I love it!

Thank-you Carel :smiley:

Some more progress, one more carriage type to go, then I will rig it all to run on a curved track, then look at the texturing and final details…


Cheers, Clock.

A wonderful update. Beside the little grain it looks almost photo real with this nice plastic shader.

Thanks again @minoribus!

Here is my latest update before I do the materials a little better:


These renders are at 300 samples - I will up this a bit once I have the scenery in place, now I need to learn how to do grass and plants…

I think I have the basic train in place now - I will also be doing a short video of the train running around a curved track, to show the rigging. :spin:

Cheers, Clock.

A lovely little model :slight_smile: I like you’re choice of colours… Are you’re final materials going to follow the same colour scheme?

Is this for the Steampunk contest? I think this is great so far. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the kind words, but I think it is way too cute for SteamPunk!

@Jamie - yes the colours will remain the same - just some texturing on the cast components, like the smoke box, etc.

Cheers, Clock.

OK now I have been at the rigging table! :smiley:

The train is now all rigged, so the wheels stay on the tracks and rotate as they should, and the bodies swing out on corners, and the links all line up, and the buffers compress or expand as the train goes on to and around a curve, or the track lifts or falls… :spin:

I think I have every eventuality covered, here’s a shot of the train going onto a curved section of track:


Enjoying this project more as it goes on - the rigging was real fun to do. :yes:

Cheers, Clock.

I forgot this shot of some of the rigging…


Cheers, Tick-Tock. :stuck_out_tongue:

I take it you are going to animate this then? Its an absolutely charming piece of work. When my son was much smaller he was a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, and this is making me feel very nostalgic.

Yes - there will be a video at some point once the scenery is done…

Cheers, Clock.

The 08:30 to Oyster Beach…


The scenery is not finished yet. Then I have to look at the background, bearing in mind that this is a toy layout. :eyebrowlift2:

Cheers, Clock.

Can someone give me some pointers on how to do grass and trees? I seem to be getting conflicting messages from the 'Net.

Cheers, Clock

I enjoy your wonderful progress, especially the rigging sounds really promising! The concrete in the last image is a stand in, I guess. It’s structure is too much of a real life and not a toy scale. I’m not that experienced with building vegetation, but I’ve been using the sapling addon in the past, and currently it should be working under 2.74 ( but there seems to be a trick: https://developer.blender.org/T44135 )

Try telling that to my cousin’s husband, the railway modeller - he would be haranguing you for days!

Thanks for the kind words, I have been working on the first station - not yet complete, but here is an update:


Now we know where the train started from and where it is going to!

I will start practicing the trees and grass bits, there will not be much progress in the next week due to prior engagements! :mad:

Cheers, Clock.

EDIT: Forgot to post this one: