island of sodor , thomas the tank engine land

[thenudehamster]

Not bad thinking, Jonathon, but unfortunately Copyright applies not only to names, but shapes, colours and ideas allied to the copyright article. Like the blue oval of Ford - it's copyright, Registered Trade Mark, and everything else they can think of to protect it with the Ford name inside. Anyone can have a blue oval as part of their logo if it doesn't conflict with Ford's business.

Making a 'fictitious' Sodor in the same place, of the same shape with the same track layout as the copyright version could land you in very hot water indeed, not just in the Irish Sea.

[JonathonAG]

oh, o.k, i knew there would probably be a glitch in my plan.

[thenudehamster]

Nice try, though...

[benjylevey]

hmm u should try and get around it ... it would be fun to re-visit my childhood again!!

[bigian]

sounds like a good idea
re trains with faces their are a few routes with accts using them so that should not cause any probs .
all we want now is a very nice person to do one please.
ian

[JohnKendrick]

I really don't see how creating a new original route containing the essence of Sodor could break a copyright. All it is is a quintisentially English country railway set on an island with docks and mills etc. No one can claim copyright to that! Clearly avoid using the exact place names from the stories but beyond that I cannot see a problem.

Mind, if this route was bundled for CD release with Thomas related engines then it could be treading a dangerous path; but not an original new route, even with a Thomas 'flavour'!

I reckon it could be built quite small, perhaps using as few as four tiles and would be really useful for making all sorts of activities!

John

[JonathonAG]

Tell u what, once i get to complete grips with RE, ( which i have nearly done ), i will attempt doing a replica of thomas's branch line.......or something like that

[JohnKendrick]

For the original maps of Sodor see:

http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/mapsection.htm

John

[JonathonAG]

Thanks for that John, but does anyone know of any pics of the actual branch. Any statistics e.g how long it is etc..... and what kind of buidings are around it?

Looks like i may have my work cut out for me, and i may have to dig out my old thomas vids

[JohnKendrick]

Well it's fictional, so there is no 'real' branch.

From those maps, though, you can see it is set on an imaginary land between Barrow In Furness and the Isle of Man which could give a pretty exact size for the island. Even use DEM data for the surrounds!

For pics of the branch have a look at the original printings of the Thomas stories, or loosely use views from any of the Thomas series'. I wouldn't copy anything too exactly; just create the flavour of what you see - many of the objects that came with MSTS or are in the UKTS file library would surely be suitable.

John

[JohnKendrick]

Maybe these help..

http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/msrhistory.htm

for pictures of the original!

Also:

http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/nwrhistory.htm

for a description of the branches.

John

[JonathonAG]

Well today i started doing some tracl laying, and i have started off with thomas's branch line. So far i have done it single tracked, but is it at any places double tracked.

Oh yer, and i don't think this will be exact to scale, but should be good enough

[JonathonAG]

Oh yeh, and does anybody know where i can download a windmill like the one on the branch line?

[dwv1968]

Jonathon,

You might also want to have a look at my earlier posting - http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... c&&start=0

Regards,

David Varley

[JonathonAG]

Yip, i have seen that, thoase maps are what i am trying my best to base the whole layout upon.

Still, if anyone knows about a windmill please tell me