"The British Railway Series - June Update 2"

Portrait of Sir Ralph Wedgwood, by Dean Walker

Over the last two weeks, I've been doing some costings for Episode 18 of The British Railway Series, as it was originally intended, and the next episode of The British Railway Series, as I intend it to be, later this year.

Suffice to say, as originally intended, Episode 18 comes out much cheaper. Same old faces, same old models, new sets, new special effects, but still not quite there.

The one thing which has been gnawing at me, more and more, is how much better the series could do on Youtube, if its constituent episodes were brighter, better filmed, more animated, shorter and more compact, whilst retaining the history and entertainment values at its core.

So I started researching into new models. Not just any models - bespoke models of the characters that will do what I what need them to do, look "right" on screen, and above all sell the brand better on here, and on Youtube.

The first costing was wildly optimistic with a three figure sum in mind. And that was for a single engine. The actual cost for a 00 scale engine, complete with all the bells and whistles, tailored to suit my needs, is going to cost a hefty four figure sum.

So, there we have it. Either I find a way to bring the costs down, or I carry on as before.

The inherent problem with carrying on as before, is that I no longer have any inclination to. I do not want to settle for a few model trains on a small train set, being filmed from all angles whilst running Sidcup's least efficient smoke machine.

The whole look of the series worries me, because behind the scenes, "Project Allen" is progressing extremely well, and the artwork being created for it is something else. It captures the essence of the characters better than my own faces and models do!

So with that in mind, how could I possibly settle for more of the same?

The answer is, I won't. By hook or by crook, something will be worked out by the end of the summer.

Until next time.