The Hot Air Balloon/Behind the Scenes

The Railway Series
The Hot Air Balloon also known as the Red Balloon is a fictional aircraft on the Island of Sodor created by the David Mitton and Jenny McDade.

The balloon first appeared in the Series 6 episode James and the Red Balloon in 2002. Its last appearance was in the Series 12 episode Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon in 2008.

Gauge 1 model
The balloon's model was made from scratch and painted in glossy car body paint.

Close-up model
Close-up shots of the balloon was required for scenes where it had to interact with close-up scale figures.