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Bachmann Class 158 Status


cs233
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At the speed that Bachmann have done the required work to upgrade/redesign the 158, by the time it comes out it will time to withdraw the real units. We may even be able to start the 158 preservation society by launching the new model (tongue in cheek).

 

In the words of a member of staff from the sadly missed Wakefield Model & Craft Shop "it will be here for Christmas, but which one?"

Edited by tamperman36
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At the Spalding show last weekend I spoke with one of the Bachmann reps, and he said that they are intending to have CAD renderings of the 158 on display at Warley.

 

Jonathan

CAD renderings?

 

So it's *still* in the design studio then, a year or so since they last updated us that ... it was in the design studio.

 

I'm beginning to think their design studio is more like a medieval scriptorium, serried rows of elderly monks taking a week to inscribe a single (albeit perfect) letter...

 

Paul

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I’m pretty sure if any of the other companies had a crystal ball and could see that nearly 6 years later we were still in the design studio, then they could have successfully designed developed and brought to market, with several years to spare, there own versions of the class 158....

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I’m pretty sure if any of the other companies had a crystal ball and could see that nearly 6 years later we were still in the design studio, then they could have successfully designed developed and brought to market, with several years to spare, there own versions of the class 158....

It's not too late for that...

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It's not too late for that...

Considering the amount of livery options that could be done the market could support more than one offering, I am also concerned that by the time it takes Bachy to release differing versions it will be many years before a reasonable number of livery releases are brought to market. A further concern for me is with their Class 150\2 they only tooled later modified versions only with the blanked off centre door. Equally with the Class 150\1 they never tooled the original lower valance that the units were built with. Hopefully such mistakes will not repeat.

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Considering the amount of livery options that could be done the market could support more than one offering, I am also concerned that by the time it takes Bachy to release differing versions it will be many years before a reasonable number of livery releases are brought to market. A further concern for me is with their Class 150\2 they only tooled later modified versions only with the blanked off centre door. Equally with the Class 150\1 they never tooled the original lower valance that the units were built with. Hopefully such mistakes will not repeat.

Sorry to continue OT; But Bachmann are really taking their time with the re-liveries of the 150s in ATW and GWR. Can it really take that long to design/create the templates for printing?!

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I suspect Kader’s priorities for what it manufactures at its plant(s) may have something to do with the sub-snail’s pace af Bachmann’s release schedule.

 

I recall comments on threads on other manufacturers’ products (which had sold out, e.g, Peckett) about the difficulties of getting production slots when you don’t have your own manufacturing capability. Looks like the latter is not all it is cracked up to be judging by the speed from announcement to arrival of non-Bachmann new items.

 

Darius

Edited by Darius43
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I suspect Kader’s priorities for what it manufactures at its plant(s) may have something to do with the sub-snail’s pace af Bachmann’s release schedule.

 

I recall comments on threads on other manufacturers’ products (which had sold out, e.g, Peckett) about the difficulties of getting production slots when you don’t have your own manufacturing capability. Looks like the latter is not all it is cracked up to be judging by the speed from announcement to arrival of non-Bachmann new items.

 

Darius

 

Bachmann probably also dont want everything from the 2017/2018 catalogue coming out all at once either too though, customers have to have the free cash to buy after all, so they will intentionally spread some of the releases through the year ... even reliveries

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We all want the model to be a big success and for this Bachy need to plan the tooling so that the unit covers the type as built and of course in its later years. There have been a number of changes over the years to the units and I hope this is planned. Unless the model is tooled to cover all revisions to the type and additionally is conducted to a similar standard to that pioneered by Realtrack I feel another manufactuer might also have a go? Time will tell.

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it might be scheduling in a production slot more than anything else

This is what Bachmann need to address, while the parent Kader Group will have its own wider production strategy Bachmann Europe has been suffering with capacity for many years. There is a commercial battle for them to solve internally so that a business case to show demand can be produced that would justify new production capacity extensions as appropriate. They should not announce any new tooling until the significant backlog is addressed.

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Bachmann probably also dont want everything from the 2017/2018 catalogue coming out all at once either too though, customers have to have the free cash to buy after all, so they will intentionally spread some of the releases through the year ... even reliveries

 

They probably don't want everything from the 2012/2013 catalogue coming out all at once either..................

 

Cheers,

Mick

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  • 6 months later...

Interesting! Any chance of a scan of the page? I think there is quite the relevance to share here with many of us who have waited patiently to see (or not...) 

 

Although there's an image in Bachmann Times it was not at DEMU this weekend as it was assembled from the first components from the tool (these are sent so individual parts can be assessed) as opposed to a factory-assembled EP sample and may not have had all of its finer detail parts fixed. There's a fair chance we'll see something when we have an update meeting a little later in the year.

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I’m rather looking forward to seeing just how it looks relative to the existing model to help weigh up the decision between buying (and detailing) a Regional Railways body to use on an existing chassis I have in storage or buying the new one...

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The picture does not give that much away just a single shot from one angle. It overall captures the units well, the bogies looked much better to my eyes than the model that dates from the mid 90's. Also lots of detail around the exhaust that looked nice. Going to be a while yet before people get their hands on one.

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Wonder if the motor will be hidden underneath the chassis to reveal complete open passenger compartments just as Realtrack models have done with their DMU’s or whether the 158’s will follow the same layout as their own 150 units with the motor taking up 1/3 of the passenger seating area?

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