Why Have Bachmann Not Produced Any 150/1s For Ages?

[centraltrains]

Why have Bachmann not produced any more 150/1s since the original release of the new tooling?! Personally I much prefer the look of the 150/1 compared to the /2 so I fail to see why no /1s are being made?!

 

My main concern is price rises over the years so I wish they'd announce one sooner rather than later at an even more expensive price...

[jjb1970]

The illuminati said no.

[Guest teacupteacup]

Why have Bachmann not produced any more 150/1s since the original release of the new tooling?! Personally I much prefer the look of the 150/1 compared to the /2 so I fail to see why no /1s are being made?!

 

My main concern is price rises over the years so I wish they'd announce one sooner rather than later at an even more expensive price...

You'd be better asking Bachmann directly.

 

If you want one why not pick one up from eBay and learn how to repaint it (if you dont know already that is)?  Great skill to have.

[asmay2002]

Why have Bachmann not produced any more 150/1s since the original release of the new tooling?! Personally I much prefer the look of the 150/1 compared to the /2 so I fail to see why no /1s are being made?!

 

My main concern is price rises over the years so I wish they'd announce one sooner rather than later at an even more expensive price...

Presumably becasuse they don't sell that well to make it worthwhile.

[centraltrains]

You'd be better asking Bachmann directly.

 

If you want one why not pick one up from eBay and learn how to repaint it (if you dont know already that is)?  Great skill to have.

I do know how to repaint models but anything over £60 of value I get very scared of modifying and I much prefer the finish of factory painted items.

 

Presumably becasuse they don't sell that well to make it worthwhile.

The FGW 150 sold out very well. Of the new ones, the weathered one sold better than the centro /2 and that didn't stop them announcing 4 more /2s (FGW Kernow Exclusive, ATW, GWR, Arriva Northern)

 

Wasn't there something about the under frame detailing people were complaining about? I don't remember but I don't see why this would stop them announcing more if it was this but I don't know if it is this or not?

[dibber25]

Why have Bachmann not produced any more 150/1s since the original release of the new tooling?! Personally I much prefer the look of the 150/1 compared to the /2 so I fail to see why no /1s are being made?!

 

My main concern is price rises over the years so I wish they'd announce one sooner rather than later at an even more expensive price...

 

Older toolings are often more expensive to manufacture than newer toolings. The fact that you are suggesting that price will be an issue would actually be a deterrent to a manufacturer - especially if knows that in order to attract sufficient buyers he's got to take a hit on his margin. Also, were not both the original and later chassis on this particular model subject to a load of criticism? Couple that with price sensitivity and there's not much to tempt a manufacturer to give it another go. (CJL)

[wombatofludham]

If - and a big if as none of us have access to Bachmann's sales information - the 150/1 hasn't sold then I can't help thinking releasing the "revised" motor version in exactly the same Provincial "Running Man" Sprinter livery as was released in the first "budge up we've got to fill the cabin with a motor" releases was a mistake. It wasn't the most common livery carried by the class in the first place, but most people having bought one would be unlikely to buy a second as you were more likely to see a "running man" liveried 150/1 coupled to an original Provincial two tone blue example. There are loads of liveries that could be released on the 150/1 which would be extremely popular - the "reversed intercity" GMPTE grey/red for example, the original two tone blue (I assume Trains 4U have sold all their commissions by now) and the original Centro without the white door stripes - a livery which they carried for ten years literally from Yarmouth to Barmouth - and that's before you get to the newer colour schemes they are still operating in.

 

To be honest I couldn't give a flying duck if the underframe isn't exactly right, I've not noticed (apart from the exhaust pipes) and from normal viewing distances it looks like a Class 150, and I think most would agree.

 

Mind you one unit I would like to see released in "running man" livery is the 150/2!

[royaloak]

To be honest I couldn't give a flying duck if the underframe isn't exactly right, I've not noticed (apart from the exhaust pipes) and from normal viewing distances it looks like a Class 150, and I think most would agree.

It is a 150 underframe, unfortunately there are differences between the 150/1 underframe and the 150/2 underframe and none of the differences have been modelled.

Edited January 27, 2018 by royaloak

[centraltrains]

Older toolings are often more expensive to manufacture than newer toolings. The fact that you are suggesting that price will be an issue would actually be a deterrent to a manufacturer - especially if knows that in order to attract sufficient buyers he's got to take a hit on his margin. Also, were not both the original and later chassis on this particular model subject to a load of criticism? Couple that with price sensitivity and there's not much to tempt a manufacturer to give it another go. (CJL)

 

The Class 150 tooling was only made 2 or 3 years ago? Still seems new to me! Surely it is in the manufactures interest to make as much money out of one tooling as possible by reproducing it in many liveries as it is extra profit without quite as much work as making a totally new model? 

[Legend]

Older toolings are often more expensive to manufacture than newer toolings. The fact that you are suggesting that price will be an issue would actually be a deterrent to a manufacturer - especially if knows that in order to attract sufficient buyers he's got to take a hit on his margin. Also, were not both the original and later chassis on this particular model subject to a load of criticism? Couple that with price sensitivity and there's not much to tempt a manufacturer to give it another go. (CJL)

I really can’t see with a 158 coming in at £259 that price sensitivity is a factor here. And isn’t the chassis of a 150/2the same as a 150/1

 

I think you can put this down to the same reasoning that we’ve got more class 44s when 45/46s would be more useful. Especially a sealed beam version

[royaloak]

 And isn’t the chassis of a 150/2the same as a 150/1

Nope, there are subtle differences, radiator filler is on opposite sides, 150/1 only has one alternator 150/2s have two driven from a splitter gearbox (refurbs have a completely different set up), Serk oil tank is in a different place, there are a few more.

[Jenny Emily]

The Hulton Model Centre in Bolton has a number of these for sale as I was there with a friend today and he picked up one. There were at least two others there, so they can be found in some of the less well known shops. 

[centraltrains]

I really can’t see with a 158 coming in at £259 that price sensitivity is a factor here. And isn’t the chassis of a 150/2the same as a 150/1

 

I think you can put this down to the same reasoning that we’ve got more class 44s when 45/46s would be more useful. Especially a sealed beam version

Less amount of train for the same money

 

 

The Hulton Model Centre in Bolton has a number of these for sale as I was there with a friend today and he picked up one. There were at least two others there, so they can be found in some of the less well known shops. 

Out of interest, what liveries?

Edited January 27, 2018 by centraltrains

[dibber25]

I really can’t see with a 158 coming in at £259 that price sensitivity is a factor here. And isn’t the chassis of a 150/2the same as a 150/1

 

I think you can put this down to the same reasoning that we’ve got more class 44s when 45/46s would be more useful. Especially a sealed beam version

 

Price sensitivity was clearly a factor in the original post, and that's what I was referring to. (CJL)

[Jenny Emily]

 

 

Out of interest, what liveries?

 

 

From memory, First north western and Central I think. 

[chriswright03]

Rails had the Provincial livery the other day for £99.99.  I know because I bought one.

[tractionman]

Rails had the Provincial livery the other day for £99.99.  I know because I bought one.

This one?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-OO-32-928-CLASS-150-1-BR-PROVINCIAL-SPRINTER-WEATHERED-2-CAR-UNIT-NEW-/201996485427

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

[chriswright03]

Yes but cheaper from the shop but of course you have to add postage.

[Guest teacupteacup]

The Class 150 tooling was only made 2 or 3 years ago? Still seems new to me! Surely it is in the manufactures interest to make as much money out of one tooling as possible by reproducing it in many liveries as it is extra profit without quite as much work as making a totally new model? 

I think the 150 tooling must be racking up 9/10 years now, I know the drive chassis was re-tooled a few years back though

[scottrains29]

I think the 150 tooling must be racking up 9/10 years now, I know the drive chassis was re-tooled a few years back though

Perhaps Bachmann are planning to retool the 150, again. With modern DMU models all having hidden underfloor drive mechanisms (Realtrack 142, 156, Dapol 121, Upcoming Bachmann 158,170 etc) the 150 starts to look dated with a big soild lump taking up a whole 1/3 coach. Yes, it may be better than taking up a whole coach but still not up to current standards.

[bart2day]

From memory, First north western and Central I think.

 

Out of interest, how much were they charging for them?

[wombatofludham]

Perhaps Bachmann are planning to retool the 150, again. With modern DMU models all having hidden underfloor drive mechanisms (Realtrack 142, 156, Dapol 121, Upcoming Bachmann 158,170 etc) the 150 starts to look dated with a big soild lump taking up a whole 1/3 coach. Yes, it may be better than taking up a whole coach but still not up to current standards.

It's possible I suppose. They may feel it can be justified given they will be around a bit longer (strange to relate they are now the same age as the "Heritage" units they replaced back in 1986-7!) but I suspect any modification to make use of the new chassis, and possibly match the features of the forthcoming 158, will come after they have put the new chassis under the Voyager and, who knows, possibly even adapted the model to allow the Meridians to be modelled as well. I have an itchy feeling that will be the next updated contemporary item after the 170, and I'm inclined to ask Paddy Power how much he'd offer a bet on a new Voyager/Meridian being next year's big announcement.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Presumably becasuse they don't sell that well to make it worthwhile.

 And - unless something has changed radically - it is the retailers who play the major role in making that judgement. They after all are the element in the business chain that has contact with the end customers, and hopefully a good sense of what those customers will buy. Manufacturer offers the retailers a proposed list of product to order from, and whatever the retailers order in quantities viable for production is then produced. Hornby's process has been quite transparent in this respect, as they allow the end customer sight of what is proposed, and then later certain items are withdrawn or deferred. Those would be the ones that retailers didn't order in the necessary quantity to make a production run viable.

 

Retailers have to be very hard nosed about this. Money talks. Much louder than customers. Memories of types of product that sat on shelves 'forever' despite claims that they were much wanted linger in the memory. My favourite retailer in a different business was wont to say he was never going to stock 'product X' again, despite all the talk about it. Because when he did stock it he found out it was true: all the customers did was 'talk about it'.

[cs233]

Just my opinion but I feel they have missed revenue opportunities with the 150, so many livery options not done even for the BR era, they are releasing a Northern 150\2 in the 2018 series of products but if they released a 150\1 in the same livery options e.g. Northern people would likely buy the two of them. I never did purchase any 150's though simply due to the engine block I am still not happy with the current reduced engine block since the retool. The fact the 150\1 has the underframe of the 150\2 does not help either, there should only be a single connection from the radiator on the 150\1 and not the two that is present on the model. In my humble opinion it needs a full retool, others will disagree but right from the start of the original release the engine block ruined the model for me at least. They also did not include the valance in the tooling for the units as built.

[cs233]

 

Mind you one unit I would like to see released in "running man" livery is the 150/2!

An issue is they cannot unless they release it with an error! This livery needs the window on the centre door, Bachmann decided not to tool this.