Bachmann 94xx

[Barry Ten]

 

 

At least the 4575 is rumoured to be somewhere in the offing, and a photo of the model exists on Baccy's website catalogue, along with a price.  I am fairly confident this will appear in my lifetime.

 

As in the 4575 they've already released, or are you holding out for a sound version? There are still plenty of earlier 4575s knocking around.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Here's my contribution, again a Lima body on a Bachmann (split frame) pannier chassis, still one of my favorite personal models:

 

 

At least there's no difficulty in counting the rivets.

[Barry Ten]

At least there's no difficulty in counting the rivets.

 

Yes, I think I'd have been better off removing the rivets completely rather than laboriously reinstating them.

[No Decorum]

As in the 4575 they've already released, or are you holding out for a sound version? There are still plenty of earlier 4575s knocking around.

As I recall, the first of the current run of Bachmann Small Prairies was supposed to have a DCC socket but took Bachmann Europe by surprise by being supplied without one. Fortunately, in those days it wasn’t necessary to pre-order to secure models and I was forewarned. I got a later model complete with socket. Things move on quickly. Now we are starting to expect provision for speakers!

 

(Don’t tell the GWR people but I also got one in LT red. It looks wonderful.)

[No Decorum]

I'm sure it wasn't Bachmann's intention when announcing this and indeed the other long-awaited models that it would take so long in gestation, but despite the good intentions to allocate additional design staff in China, many models still seem to be stuck at an early stage in the design and development process. This cannot be doing Bachmann's reputation much good, but it does make you wonder if it isn't time for Bachmann to change its strategy for announcing new models and only do so once they have progressed to cutting metal, so it should at least appear in the following 12-18 months.

It is frustrating to have to wait so long for some models (although it helps when it comes to paying for them). However, I’m of the view that the sooner things are announced the better. I can’t see any other way (other than collusion) of avoiding duplication, which is something of a curse.

[GWR8700]

It's very frustrating waiting so long for a model, especially when their is no sign of progress.  I can understand the desire to announce early on in development in order to put off competitors attempting the same prototype but it's very frustrating seeing something announced in 2010 and being no closer to a release date (Class 158).

  When it's here I'm sure it will be great, but they really should announce these models when they are no longer than 2 years off release in my personal opinion.

Edited June 26, 2017 by GWR8700

[The Johnster]

As in the 4575 they've already released, or are you holding out for a sound version? There are still plenty of earlier 4575s knocking around.

 

Not holding out for a sound version, and going shopping on Wednesday.  If Lord and Butler have one in stock in a BR livery I'm a'gonna poor for yet another month, especially if it's an auto fitted example!

[The Johnster]

I'm sure it wasn't Bachmann's intention when announcing this and indeed the other long-awaited models that it would take so long in gestation, but despite the good intentions to allocate additional design staff in China, many models still seem to be stuck at an early stage in the design and development process. This cannot be doing Bachmann's reputation much good, but it does make you wonder if it isn't time for Bachmann to change its strategy for announcing new models and only do so once they have progressed to cutting metal, so it should at least appear in the following 12-18 months.

 

I agree, it's unlikely to have been their original intention, but it may be suiting them to the extent that they are not keen to hurry things along...

 

The problem, in some ways, is us.  The feedback that manufacturers get from hobby magazines, stands at shows, and sites such as this is very useful to them in attempting to gauge enthusiasm, and the potential market, for a model, it may be that the temptation for Baccy in this case is 'hold back, not yet, don't commit further, keep dangling the carrot, don't give out any definite information, TBA'; you can see why, it's a pretty uncertain world in the British model railway rtr game at the moment, the impetus has to be to reduce the number of different models in your range to the basic sellers, and it must be on their minds that if H go under (and they're not out of the woods yet by a long chalk) it'll be handy to have some spare capital raising ability on hand to buy tooling and rights rather than sink it in yet another GWR tank engine that'll take ages to get to market and generate some cash.  A 94xx needs completely new tooling as none of the existing parts can be used for it beyond wheels and coupling rods; a completely new chassis of a different shape to any GW loco that they have so far produced has to be produced, as the old Mainline 2251 version cannot be used with the current motor and drive.   And none of this has even been planned, costed, or contracted for yet, and cannot be until the final form of the model has been determined; it's years off, i reckon.  TBA, yeah, right.

 

Baccy may well have to assess how long it will take for the market saturation point for 57xx/8750s is reached before withdrawing that model for a while and releasing a new pannier that everybody will want and can afford in addition to their Collett ones, so that it isn't an 'either/or market', but a 'get it while you can' one.  They'll then re-introduce a (possibly upgraded) 57xx when they reckon everybody who wants a 94xx has got one and a new generation of 57xx punters are clamouring for one of those.  There's an element of 'treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen' to all this, but Baccy have been playing the game exactly this way for a long time; I reckon we're due for a reprise of the 43xx/Manor in about 5 years if the period the 4575 was unavailable for is a guide.  BTW, get your 45xx soon; they won't be around at the same time as the 4575 for long!

 

If this is true, then the way this thread has taken off and the amount of interest we are all showing in it might go some way to persuading them to change their minds and extract the digit, who knows?  But the manufacturers are not in the business of making models, they are in the business of making money; otherwise they wouldn't be in the business of being in business for long.  But that's their business...

Edited June 26, 2017 by The Johnster

[Barry Ten]

Although it's slightly off-topic, putting a decoder into the original 4575 Prairie is one of the easier hard-wired jobs as the wiring logic is obvious and there's plenty of room in the smokebox. I did one last week.

[Gordieb01]

Personally I'd rather see a Bulldog or a Barnum rather than another (later period) pannier tank. 

[BBuckley]

I'm hopeful this will make an appearance (or at least show some signs of progress) in the next year or two. I would be able to justify at least 2, possibly 3 or 4 depending on the quality of the model. I am also hopeful that the manor won't be too far off, if they don't do it soon surely it's popular enough for Hornby to do it (and they'd do it just as  well, possibly better) and this could almost create a bigger market for it, as I think Hornby tends to get more sales for their obscure models than Bachmann do for theirs.

[The Stationmaster]

Such cynicism in one so young

 

Some of us know where the bodies are buried

[Horsetan]

Here's my contribution, again a Lima body on a Bachmann (split frame) pannier chassis, still one of my favorite personal models:

 

 

 

....and here's another

[Budgie]

Personally I'd rather see a Bulldog or a Barnum rather than another (later period) pannier tank. 

If someone is going to make a later period pannier tank I would hope they would make a 15xx, i.e. one with outside Walschaerts valve gear.

[The Johnster]

If someone is going to make a later period pannier tank I would hope they would make a 15xx, i.e. one with outside Walschaerts valve gear.

 

I imagine manufacturers have avoided this for several reasons; it's a small class and a relatively obscure prototype (didn't stop Hornby having a go at a J83, mind), costly I would think, compared to an inside cylindered loco to develop and assemble with all that walschearts stuff, and difficult to hide the motor.  A sideways look at a 15xx shows as much daylight as loco!  You may be on to something, though, micro layouts and shunting problems are popular these days, and a 15xx is ideal for them, especially dock or colliery based ones.

[The Johnster]

BR Western Region steam era, incorporating green diesels especially hydraulics, is a very popular sub-culture within the hobby, and probably has better coverage from rtr than any other except perhaps current modenr image.  Ex GW and BR standards appropriate to it abound, and there are not many gaps left to fill for anyone wanting to market new items; it's really this, 15xx, and 16xx and that's your lot, oh, and 44xx if you're being obscure and modelling Princetown or Porthcawl.  The only other gaps are dmus, 116, a new 117/8 to replace Lima's, 119, 120, and 123 (he notes subtly changing the thread into a wishlist) (not really, I've got no use for any of them on my layout).  A 94xx, of which 210 were built and distributed all over the region (plus Lickey) is a pretty essential item for such modellers, and it surprising that the manufacturers are not falling over themselves to get one to market.

 

Or it would have been 2 years ago; things are changing rapidly and there is a lot of uncertainty about!

Edited June 28, 2017 by The Johnster

[Ian Hargrave]

If someone is going to make a later period pannier tank I would hope they would make a 15xx, i.e. one with outside Walschaerts valve gear.

On the money with that.Heartily agree.That would be a show stopper

[Clearwater]

Given the USA tanks are 0-6-0s with complex valve gear too, must be possible to do a 15xx. With one preserved and operating, it's not a forgotten class

[tomparryharry]

As the Western prototypes diminish decade by decade, Bachmann might well consider limited production runs (500-ish) of certain Western models. Say, 813 (Hudswell), etc. The limited edition would guarantee a sell-out, despite the neer-sayers complaining bitterly that the rivets are out by a scale 20thou.

 

Off the top of my head are:- 813, 450, 426, 298, 373.

 

By my reckoning, that's about 100 years of announcements...

 

Ian.

[Hilux5972]

Daylight under the boiler is an easy fix. Gears hidden in the firebox with motor projecting forward into the boiler

[Dunsignalling]

I'm given to understand the 94xx project is stalled due to an over-run budget. It appears the cost implications began when the 94xx project was pruned to make way for the office coffee machine. Fred, the office junior, was sent to Lidl to buy some toilet rolls, and we haven't seen him since.....

 

Of course, I could just have fallen victim to my over-fertile imagination...

 

Ian

Maybe young Fred has, too..................

Edited June 28, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Dunsignalling]

I imagine manufacturers have avoided this for several reasons; it's a small class and a relatively obscure prototype (didn't stop Hornby having a go at a J83, mind), costly I would think, compared to an inside cylindered loco to develop and assemble with all that walschearts stuff, and difficult to hide the motor.  A sideways look at a 15xx shows as much daylight as loco!  You may be on to something, though, micro layouts and shunting problems are popular these days, and a 15xx is ideal for them, especially dock or colliery based ones.

Or bangin' empty coaches in and out of Paddington.

[adb968008]

On the money with that.Heartily agree.That would be a show stopper

How different above the running plate is a 94xx from a 15xx ?

Looks pretty much the same to me.

[Horsetan]

How different above the running plate is a 94xx from a 15xx ?

Looks pretty much the same to me.

 

Surprisingly different, given there is no running plate on a 15er. Only the boiler and firebox (a Standard no.10) plus some fittings are shared.

 

15xx tanks are shorter, revealing entire length of smokebox. Even the cabs are very different, as I found out when I was shortening a Lima one from a 94xx to something resembling a 15xx....

Edited June 28, 2017 by Horsetan

[The Johnster]

As the Western prototypes diminish decade by decade, Bachmann might well consider limited production runs (500-ish) of certain Western models. Say, 813 (Hudswell), etc. The limited edition would guarantee a sell-out, despite the neer-sayers complaining bitterly that the rivets are out by a scale 20thou.

 

Off the top of my head are:- 813, 450, 426, 298, 373.

 

By my reckoning, that's about 100 years of announcements...

 

Ian.

 

While we're wishlisting, Ian, Diagram N auto trailer, or actually any auto trailer pre A27.