Bachmann announce Class 90 (OO)

[Multiple identity account]

Would be great if they released the following as Limited Editions

90014 in Virgin "The Big Dish"
90024 in GNER livery

90034 in DRS livery

[reevesthecat]

Would have loved to be at the press launch to ask questions such as why was the 90 chosen if the 85 was such a poor seller? Most people seemed to have ruled out an electric. I will be ordering two of the newly announced models I hope they fly off the shelves!

[Andy Y]

Would have loved to be at the press launch to ask questions such as why was the 90 chosen if the 85 was such a poor seller?

 

They'd have probably answered that the 85 wasn't a poor seller (although it may not have been as fast as some other items) as all of the stock moved on to retailers within an acceptable length of time. Some think it must have been a poor seller because of some discounting around November 2012 but this was more a by-product of one retail chain being in need of some readies at that time which skewed the marketplace.

[ash39]

I noticed there was no mention of Virgin livery for the mk2's announced last time round. I wouldn't be surprised if they released a Virgin 90 and mk2's at the same time over the next couple of years. 

 

A bit tricky though, as you'd need a Hornby mk3 buffet and DVT. Whilst the DVT is excellent, the mk3 isn't quite so, and would the liveries match perfectly from both manufacturers?

[newbryford]

I noticed there was no mention of Virgin livery for the mk2's announced last time round. I wouldn't be surprised if they released a Virgin 90 and mk2's at the same time over the next couple of years. 

 

A bit tricky though, as you'd need a Hornby mk3 buffet and DVT. Whilst the DVT is excellent, the mk3 isn't quite so, and would the liveries match perfectly from both manufacturers?

 

Mk3.

So that's another one sorted for next year's wishlists..........

 

Cheers,

Mick

[ThaneofFife]

the way i see things panning out it might not be long before Bachmann look to bring out their own new mk3 but id suggest Hornby have at least 2 years warning or head start whatever you prefer to call it.

[Removed a/c]

IC one for me !! Can't wait. 

[Ian Fisher]

I am with you Andy, where are these bargain bins? all so often quoted. Don't people realise they are shwoing prejudice and bias even unkowingly making such rash statements?

 

OHLE is a bread apart  and such needs a little more tlc, with few current spec models available more pwer to Bachmann for their 90.

 

Ian

 

They'd have probably answered that the 85 wasn't a poor seller (although it may not have been as fast as some other items) as all of the stock moved on to retailers within an acceptable length of time. Some think it must have been a poor seller because of some discounting around November 2012 but this was more a by-product of one retail chain being in need of some readies at that time which skewed the marketplace.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Ian Fisher

[Multiple identity account]

Well if Hornby re-tool the Mk3's next year (which is a must and falling in line after the Mk1 and Mk2) then someone is going to have to commission Bachamnn to produce the loco (eg Virgin, IC, GA) and Hornby for the coaches. This to insure you get what you want at the same time.

[James Makin]

I imagine Virgin, perhaps 'one' Anglia, grey Freightliner, maybe RES will follow in a couple of years' announcements time so it gives us time to get practising on some repaints! Of course if the flavour-of-the-month Colas gets a 90 then we'll naturally see this fast-tracked to next week haha!!

 

The Hornby Mk3's aren't bad IMHO (less detailing required than a Hornby 90!!) I'd actually start gunning for a '92' to continue the pace here!

 

Excellent choice by Bachmann here though, there's just so many interesting class members that can be modelled, and now without the need to completely rebuild a loco each time you want to make a good one! More time to reinvest in building catenary!

[steve fay]

I could even be tempted with one of these, just for a cabinet mind!! Full intercity clipped buffers and pullman rubbing plate version when they get round to it

[Waverley West]

Missed this first time around somehow.

 

This is terrible news. Just when I thought I could see the end of my fleet building coming into sight. I don't need any, but I doubt I will be able to resist at least a handful of 1980s/90s versions, given the many different liveries it wore.

 

And of course if you make a 90, you just have to produce an 87 to go with it...

[sub39h]

No way! Right well I better start saving pennies, I want the I/C and the RfD ones. 

[jonathan452]

i reckon the GNER loco (rtr) will soon follow the initial batch by way of a Bachmann collectors club or special commission deal.....

Or maybe this one-: https://www.flickr.com/photos/24772733@N05/7222910980/

[wirey33]

I always liked them looking like this........

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/widnes_road/11067278874/

 

....but I guess that'll be a long time comin'.

 

 

[jonathan452]

FL 90046s.jpg

 

Fifty Class 90 25kV electric locomotives were built between April 1988 and August 1990 for the InterCity sector of British Rail by British Rail Engineering Limited at Crewe Works in conjunction with GEC.

From what I can vaguely recall weren't only the first fifteen locomotives (90001-90015) specifically allocated to the Inter-City sector from the outset? The same ones which passed on to Virgin and latterly Anglia.

 

Though at some stage during the early to mid-nineties (prior to privatisation) I also recall that Inter-City tried to acquire the other thirty five locomotives in order to update its fleet, swapping them with Class 86's which could then be used for freight/parcels and the like.

 

Can some one give any further light to this.

Edited July 21, 2014 by jonathan452

[JSpencer]

I imagine Virgin, perhaps 'one' Anglia, grey Freightliner, maybe RES will follow in a couple of years' announcements time so it gives us time to get practising on some repaints! Of course if the flavour-of-the-month Colas gets a 90 then we'll naturally see this fast-tracked to next week haha!!

 

The Hornby Mk3's aren't bad IMHO (less detailing required than a Hornby 90!!) I'd actually start gunning for a '92' to continue the pace here!

 

Excellent choice by Bachmann here though, there's just so many interesting class members that can be modelled, and now without the need to completely rebuild a loco each time you want to make a good one! More time to reinvest in building catenary!

Exactly. I have Hornby's Intercity executive livery mk 3s (and a Lima one) and Mk 4s. Now I could buy Bachmann's all new super detailed class 90 to pull them, except that would be quite an insult to such a modern sophisticated model. So I will stick to my original Hornby 90001 (brought when it first came out) and class 91 (brought in the early 1990s).

 

All my super detailed DCC sound fitted modern stock is in the Blue era.

[Legend]

From what I can vaguely recall weren't only the first fifteen locomotives (90001-90015) specifically allocated to the Inter-City sector from the outset? The same ones which passed on to Virgin and latterly Anglia.

 

Though at some stage during the early to mid-nineties (prior to privatisation) I also recall that Inter-City tried to acquire the other thirty five locomotives in order to update its fleet, swapping them with Class 86's which could then be used for freight/parcels and the like.

 

Can some one give any further light to this.

 

 

Yes I think that is correct. Inter City were to get only 15. I think maybe freightliner would get some, but most were for general daties, which is why some appeared in mainline livery ie grey with red/white stripers but not branded.  Maybe the parcel sector got some new as well. They certainly appeared in Parcels colours

[kevpeo]

From what I can vaguely recall weren't only the first fifteen locomotives (90001-90015) specifically allocated to the Inter-City sector from the outset? The same ones which passed on to Virgin and latterly Anglia.

 

 

Yep 90 001 to 015 - Inter City

 

       90 016 to 020 - Parcels

 

       90 021 to 050 - Freight

 

Although all bar 049 worked trains for the Inter City sector upon delivery. ISTR the last 15(?) were ordered for use on the East Coast but stayed on the West Coast mostly until later years.

[sub39h]

Exactly. I have Hornby's Intercity executive livery mk 3s (and a Lima one) and Mk 4s. Now I could buy Bachmann's all new super detailed class 90 to pull them, except that would be quite an insult to such a modern sophisticated model. So I will stick to my original Hornby 90001 (brought when it first came out) and class 91 (brought in the early 1990s).

 

All my super detailed DCC sound fitted modern stock is in the Blue era.

 

I think with a little work Hornby's Mk4 could still be pretty acceptable. I've rewheeled my Intercity ones, and plan on adding the resin parts that Keen offer and some flush glazing. Once that's done I think they'll hold their own. The main problem is the Class 91 and DVT. 

 

In terms of the Mk3, I've stuck with Lima ones. The Intercity colour scheme is more accurate rather than using that horrible beige, and I think they're generally a slightly more accurate model without door entry lights and other more modern details. Plus as most of my Mk3s are meant for HSTs, it means at least all the coaches match rather than having a Lima tooling TGS and a Hornby tooling TSO, TRFB and TFO. Seeing a true Mk3a would be nice though, along with an RFM and BFO. 

[ash39]

Well if Hornby re-tool the Mk3's next year (which is a must and falling in line after the Mk1 and Mk2) then someone is going to have to commission Bachamnn to produce the loco (eg Virgin, IC, GA) and Hornby for the coaches. This to insure you get what you want at the same time.

 

Even if this idealistic idea was likely to happen, it doesn't really work from a business point of view, does it? Why would Bachmann produce a loco to coincide with a Hornby release of coaching stock, which would mean the customer spending around £100 with Bachmann, but probably double that amount on mk3's from Hornby? Most modellers have a limited budget and they will rightly try and claim as much of that for themselves. So I doubt you'll see any liveries that have only ever worked with mk3's (One, Greater Anglia etc) but plenty that will suit Bachmanns new mk2's (Intercity, Virgin)

 

Yep 90 001 to 015 - Inter City

 

       90 016 to 020 - Parcels

 

       90 021 to 050 - Freight

 

Although all bar 049 worked trains for the Inter City sector upon delivery. ISTR the last 15(?) were ordered for use on the East Coast but stayed on the West Coast mostly until later years.

 

Not sure what the 'official' allocations were, but I know 90001-025 were delivered in IC swallow, 026-036 in Mainline and 037-050 in RFd.  Plenty of photos around of Intercity locos on freight and RFd on passenger services though so I think it was quite 'loose' in terms of allocations.

[Glorious NSE]

Not sure what the 'official' allocations were, but I know 90001-025 were delivered in IC swallow, 026-036 in Mainline and 037-050 in RFd.  Plenty of photos around of Intercity locos on freight and RFd on passenger services though so I think it was quite 'loose' in terms of allocations.

 

From my memory it was like the rest of BR once Sectorisation became established, loco's were allocated to pools and a given diagram always used a loco from a specific pool - barring hiring in the occasional loco to cover shortages or failures.

 

It was one thing that made trainspotting at that time a bit boring - any diagrams you saw regularly would almost certainly have a loco from a specific, relatively small, pool of loco's - all of which you'd have seen before...the era definately wasn't the "anything can happen" one that it's frequently painted as - at least in my recollection.

 

Don't forget - for pre-digital images folk will be much more likely to shoot an unusual freight loco on a passenger train, and quite possibly will have not "wasted" a shot on yet another "boring" passenger train that looked exactly the same as the previous one, and the one before that...

['CHARD]

From my memory it was like the rest of BR once Sectorisation became established, loco's were allocated to pools and a given diagram always used a loco from a specific pool - barring hiring in the occasional loco to cover shortages or failures.

 

It was one thing that made trainspotting at that time a bit boring - any diagrams you saw regularly would almost certainly have a loco from a specific, relatively small, pool of loco's - all of which you'd have seen before...the era definately wasn't the "anything can happen" one that it's frequently painted as - at least in my recollection.

 

Don't forget - for pre-digital images folk will be much more likely to shoot an unusual freight loco on a passenger train, and quite possibly will have not "wasted" a shot on yet another "boring" passenger train that looked exactly the same as the previous one, and the one before that...

 

That's my recollection too, although the 90s were ordered certainly when Sectorisation was in its infancy, thus their initial deployment was probably a bit naïve or precocious, compared with today's micro-managed pools.

[frobisher]

Well if Hornby re-tool the Mk3's next year (which is a must and falling in line after the Mk1 and Mk2) then someone is going to have to commission Bachamnn to produce the loco (eg Virgin, IC, GA) and Hornby for the coaches. This to insure you get what you want at the same time.

Maybe not. The Hornby MK3's are an odd hybrid. They are pretty much HST vehicles (despite the buffers...), and they have CDL fittings on the Hornby tooled ones which need to be hacked off for as built condition.

 

Bachmann, could produce the MK3a and MK3b loco hauled coaches, starting with the FO and SO which share the same body shell (just different interiors), perhaps even the CO. With a bit of thought, the CDL fittings could be optional (either a tooling slide or separate part plugging into a hole that could be opened out from a thinner section of plastic at the appropriate point on the body moulding).

 

For the sake of one major new tooling, they would cover a lot of bases and there would be synergy with existing and promised products) and wouldn't be any more a duplicate of an existing product than the MK2 aircons that Hornby and Bachmann announced last year. If the FO/SO tooling brings supporting sales, then I'd worry about the other variants (the catering minefield, sleepers, BFO).

[ThaneofFife]

so without cheating via wiki or google what year did these locos begin to appear? if i model 1986 is that too early to see any 90s on the layout???

 

i keep forgetting the ic mainline livery but will still buy a swallow livery model not even to put in a cabinet but just to take out of the box, handle, feel the weight, maybe phot in a diorama with catenary and generally get familiar with the new machine.ill be up for some mainline versions to run when they come out.

Edited July 21, 2014 by ThaneofFife