Results - Wishlist Poll 2014

[Phil Bullock]

And I guess following Hornby's recent additional announcements the Class 120 DMU is now up to number 3 on the list!

Phil

[Ozexpatriate]

The Wishlist Poll has now run for three consecutive years and the results are showing some patterns. In response to numerous requests, The Poll Team has prepared some ‘comparison tables’ so that you can see how your favourite items are faring. Now that we have established a long-lasting format for The Poll, we will be able to compare future years.

Some interesting data there Brian.

 

I have two observations on the files I looked at so far (steam locomotives and coaches).

1. Where are the LMS fans? The LNER, SR and GWR comparisons all show a healthy announcement rate of highly polled items - particularly for LNER and SR. LMS items don't generally appear highly polled though those that do are picked up by manufacturers (like the Webb coal tank).
2. The hit rate on coaching stock is considerably lower.

 

There are multiple factors playing into coaches perhaps being less attractive to manufacturers: 

1. Many posters have expressed their assessment that the profitability of locomotives is higher than committing to a selection of detailed coaches
2. The coaching 'landscape' is much more complex - there are lots of detailed diagram considerations and structural variations (not just applied liveries) over the lifetime of a coach.

[The Stationmaster]

I was very selective with my coaching stock votes and others might be the same - possibly for the same reason.  In my case I specifically picked vehicles which I could use and be correct for period (in the right condition and livery), hence for example I did not vote for toplights.

 

Loco votes area slightly differeent matter - I voted for numerous Western types but only those I could use, which in turn covers quite a lot of ground.

[Ozexpatriate]

In my case I specifically picked vehicles which I could use and be correct for period (in the right condition and livery), hence for example I did not vote for toplights.

Which is of course, exactly why I did vote for toplights!

 

The idea that locomotives (very broadly speaking and ignoring the hosts of exceptions) lasted over a longer period than readily identifiable coaching stock is relevant though.

[EHertsGER]

Are you surprised? The big engines for passenger are done by Hornby, being the Stanier designs of Princess, Duchcess, Rebuilt Royal Scot, Black 5 and 8F. Bachmann come in with their ususal freight and medium sized engines like the Ivatt 2 and 4, the Midland 3F, 4F and now coal tanks, Jinty's etc. Should the Ivatt 2MT-T get an upgraded chassis as expected it does leave Midland region with odd novelties left. The want for Big Bertha is this idea now that one offs are suddenly viable and that the banker is the Midland equivalent of the Duke, or P2. This then ties in with the ideas of a range, should this be produced everyone modelling the Midland would still probably get one, just for it to trundle through regardless. While I agree more links between branch/suburban stock and engines is needed, this is still true of most regions the companies try to supply, although of them all the Southern region I think comes out best, helped more by shop comissioned models too.

 

But with the next engines being ever so more obtuce, it would be interesting to compare which engines are chosen for which areas when further announcements are made.

 

So us GER folks can reasonably expect a Decapod some time soon so long as we undertake to run it across a remote branchline somewhere in E Hertfordshire, perhaps...? Me, I'd vote for (I did) the N7, buy three or four (voted for on previous occasions and now three J15s on order at Hattons to add to my five Gibson ones) and actually use them without feeling silly. One-offs always delight, but lets look at the motive for buying - perhaps not the same across the spectrum of all buyers, separating into;

 

A) "I have wanted this for my layout for so long it hurts and will buy all that I need to complete the fidelity of my project" (GE folks should recognise this feeling)

B) "That suits my modelling context as it it relevant to period/location and so on so I will buy one/some" (Probably most of us)

C) "That will look good on my layout so I will buy one/some" (If not the above, then this seems a likely group for most of us)

D) "I like the prototype regardless of relevance to my layout so I will buy one/some" (I have been guilty of this on more than one occasion...)

E) "This will form part of my collection of these prototypes (region, builder, colour, number of wheels etc etc) so I will buy one"

F) "This will form part of my collection of this manufacturer's products so I will buy one of every variant they make"

G) "That's pretty I'll put one on my bookshelf"

H) "I know someone who would like this for Birthday/Christmas or just because, so I will buy one for them" (and might trigger a buying response in the recipient for more - like my 10th birthday present did...)

 

Which may explain some of the skewed results in the polls. Anyway, its all a lot of chit chat as the end result is that we have a connection between our needs/desires and somebody's ability to sign off on a product being produced. And here comes Hornby's J15...I wonder how many will sell, how fast and so on, or will all the GE oriented fuss be overstated and demand disappoints Hornby. Result? Cancel that N7...

 

Comparison between poll results and actual sales/speed to sales etc would be interesting...

 

Anyway, back to my bench, I have some N7s to build..

 

Best,

Marcus

[MR PJ]

Hello,

 

I hope this is the right forum to mention something which I feel was missed off the 2014 wishlist poll - and I think is only fair that it is included in the 2015 poll (indeed I think it may be the most wanted N gauge diesel item now the Class 40 has been announced).

 

I think that in N gauge the Class 25 later body variants, with cantrail height grills and large middle window (often referred to as Class 25/3, but includes many of the Class 25/2) - should be included in the 2015 wishlist poll.

 

The old Farish Poole versions of this model are very poor representations of the locomotive and are not DCC ready or have directional lighting (as were the Class 40's produced by Farish). I am also certain these are no longer in production.

 

So, please could this be included on the 2015 wishlist? I am sure it will be a winner, and may well help persuade Bachmann to look at this model next - well, fingers crossed.

 

Many thanks,.

Paul

[BMacdermott]

Hello Paul

 

Thanks for writing. I'm afraid it's too late for the 2015 Poll but I'll put that item on next year's Agenda for you straight away.

 

Brian (on behalf of The Poll Team)

[Rusty.J]

When is the 2015 wishlist poll going to be conducted?

[BMacdermott]

Hello Rusty J

 

We will be starting a page headed 'Wishlist Poll 2015' here (and on MREmag) on Friday 23 October. That will have the now traditional 'Q&A' details. I will also be posting a short report of what was suggested for 2015 by RMwebbers and how those suggestions have been dealt with. Most have gone in.

 

The Poll itself will go live on Monday 26 October and will run until Saturday 21 November. We hope to publish the results before Warley.

 

Brian (on behalf of The Poll Team)

[Ozexpatriate]

When is the 2015 wishlist poll going to be conducted?

I was wondering that myself a couple of days ago when I went looking for the Peckett data.

 

I almost wondered if the Poll - which I believe has been instrumental in the stunning number of announcements in the last two years - might go on a longer cycle. (With Brian's note, we are on a default ~18 month cycle for 2014 - 2015.) I don't think that's a bad thing by the way. 

[BMacdermott]

Thanks Oz

 

I'll put that idea on the agenda for when we review the results of 2015.

 

Brian (on behalf of The Poll Team)

[Unknown Warrior]

Some interesting data there Brian.

 

I have two observations on the files I looked at so far (steam locomotives and coaches).

 

• Where are the LMS fans? The LNER, SR and GWR comparisons all show a healthy announcement rate of highly polled items - particularly for LNER and SR. LMS items don't generally appear highly polled though those that do are picked up by manufacturers (like the Webb coal tank).

  .

It seems the right time to ask the question again seeing as there was no response last time: Where are all the LMS fans? There are one or two choice prototypes left eg. The Stanier 2-6-2T, not to mention a host of pre-grouping possibilities. By the way can the Kirtley 0-6-0 be included this year please?

[BMacdermott]

Hello Unknown Warrior

 

I'm sorry to say it's too late to get anything on the 2015 Poll, but I have put the Kirtley 0-6-0 on the Agenda for next time for you.

 

Brian (on behalf of The Poll Team)

[DougN]

Can I make a suggestion that there is a published up date for. The wish list pole from last year at the start of the 2015 pole this way people can see that the manufacturers are listening and producing what we are asking for. I have just had a quick look and notice that of the top 10 there is only a very small number still outstanding...

[BMacdermott]

Hello Doug N

 

I'll do that on 23 October when we publish the Q&A.

 

Brian (on behalf of The Poll Team)

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Since it isn't treading on Brian and the team's toes, I'll mention that I have tracked the top 70 'never previously available in OO RTR' requests from the 2009 wishlist result over the past six years. It's nudging 70% have been made available with the recent arrivals of the SR O2 and S15, will go past 70% when the J50 and Adams Radial appear. It'll hit 85% if all the currently announced are delivered.

 

Given that there's six years of sustained all-new subject introduction activity to show, that probably indicates that the commercial returns are good enough.

[The Black Hat]

A wishlist poll without a Q6.... its just not the same these days.... 

[The Stationmaster]

A wishlist poll without a Q6.... its just not the same these days.... 

Look on the bright side - that could do the B16 voting a lot of good

[Ozexpatriate]

A wishlist poll without a Q6.... its just not the same these days.... 

You know they say that you can never go home again and that the past is like a different country - they do things differently there.

 

Less facetiously I know exactly what you mean.

 

In the last couple of years: GWR rail motor, 3161, 14xx, King, 47xx, 3166, Peckett 0-4-0ST, S15, as-built Merchant Navy (amongst others) much of which was on my list for years.  

 

The poll will look different this year.

 

Still no vendors have taken up the gauntlet on working crossing gates.

[The Black Hat]

Look on the bright side - that could do the B16 voting a lot of good

 

Just what I was thinking!! A B16 could surely be made encompassing options for all three sub-classes. Wonder if there is more on regards the J21. No doubt these are still too limited in terms of livery or geographical coverage though. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

A B16 could surely be made encompassing options for all three sub-classes. Wonder if there is more on regards the J21. No doubt these are still too limited in terms of livery or geographical coverage though. 

 It comes back to Marcus' post (155) on what commercial return is being achieved. I feel optimistic, because Bachmann and Hornby have taken as subjects a good selection of less well known steam classes pretty systematically over the last half dozen years, with Dapol, Heljan and several retailers also now active. This would not have been sustained for such a period of time if it failed to yield sufficient commercial return. 

 

Two pre-group design origin 0-6-0s with good OO RTR models now available for each of LMS, LNER and SR. There were some - not so many years ago - frankly sceptical that such a thing was possible. That's a RESULT! as far as I am concerned.

[BMacdermott]

Dear All

 

You may like to note that I have started a new thread entitled The Wishlist Poll 2015 and will be posting some updates there during the morning.

 

Brian Macdermott (on behalf of The Poll Team)