ROAD LAYER from ‘Thunderbirds’ (1965) created by Gerry Anderson

Thunderbirds delivered incredible futuristic machines ever week. ‘End of the Road’ is a terrific episode, one of Gerry Anderson’s favourites. It features great characters, two fantastic new machines and a gripping and imaginative rescue! The Gray and Houseman construction company are building a road through the mountain range. The ‘Road Layer’ is a classic Thunderbirds machine, when people think of the show they often think of massive futuristic machines performing everyday tasks with incredible automation and on a giant scale. And this checks all the boxes. The shots of the machine driving along and laying a hot tarmac road surface, complete with white lines never fails to put a smile on my face! Pure genius! This thing is massive in ‘real life’ and transports a Helijet and the Explosives Tractor. The front would open and there would ne a detailed parking area inside.

This was a challenging piece of artwork as I wanted to show the vehicle form a pleasing angle and show the road laying functionality. Showing it from the rear seemed wrong. I wanted to show the Exposives Tractor, but there was nowhere to put it. Having the front open would have hidden some of the road layer itself. The VFX model was over about 4 feet long - the caterpillar tracks are from the massive Tiger Joe Tank toy, which was popular with the Meddings’ model-makers.

Designed by Derek Meddings

Check out the video ‘ What If .. Fantasy Model Kit Box Art #16’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEoUS5xnaY&t=974s