marksouthdown

TTC Diecast are still doing mail order - announcement on their facebook page: Today, Me and Nicola have made one of the hardest decisions of our life. We are putting peoples lives in front of our own and we have decided to shut our shop until further notice. 12 years we have worked to build this business into 'Model Shop of the Year!' with this year looking like one of our best yet, the reality of shows cancelled and now the shop closing, our business has already seen the signs of whats to come.... We are sole traders our income pays our mortgage and puts food on our table, but we have a responsibility to help save lives.... and we feel it is the right thing to do. We will still be sending out mail order, and we ask that please, if you can, use this service as much as you can in this difficult period to give us every chance of getting through to the other side of this. We hope to see ALL our loyal customers in the near future and ask that everyone is responsible, and lets keep these unnecessary deaths to a minimum. Lots of Love, Chris & Nic

I personally don't think it is worth it, unless you perhaps go on the days out which are limited in numbers to say I think 100 out of their total membership but unless you book the day you receive the notification it is fully booked. Magazine is OK, but information is generally available in other railway modelling magazines. The magazine obviously focuses solely on Bachmann products whereas other railway modelling magazines will you give you a broad view of the subject. There are articles both on historical and modern day railways and on preserved lines - but most information is the same as in other magazines if your purchase those - i.e. nothing new. There are articles on using Woodlands Scenics materials and Scenecraft buildings. Really only useful if you want one of the special models, however these can get released to retailers i.e. 9F 92214 is available at the Great Central Railway shop at Loughborough. Past models have been released to a wide range of retailers in the past about a year to two years after becoming available, unless it is a popular model and gets sold out. The free wagon every year is quite often available on ebay as it gets sent out to all members and a lot don't want it so a quick sale ensues. Up to you - subscribe for a year and see what you think. A lot depends on which other magazines you read or where you get modelling info from and whether you want the special models.

Wonderful news and long overdue. A real versatile workhouse ideal for any Western Region layout. The old Bachmann model was getting a bit long in the tooth and needed updating.

In view of the competition and not to fall behind, I would expect them to announce newly tooled versions of their class 20s, 37s and 47s. They have blasted the market with 37s and 47s recently using the old tooling, an update to keep them ahead of the competition I would imagine would be likely. In terms of electrics may be a class 81. In terms of steam - maybe an update of some of the older models - Manor, Royal Scot, B17. Howabout GCR locos - LNER J10 and LNER D6 or Metropolitan E class or LNER Q6. I would expect expansion of their 009 range with perhaps some prototypes from the Ffestiniog Railway? Penrhyn Quarry Ladies - Linda and Blanche - some carriages from the FR. FR is one of the most popular Narrow Gauge lines. Maybe even their version of the England /Double Fairlies if work had been going on prior to the Peco/Kato announcement. Maybe Vale of Rheidol carriages to go with the announced VoR Model Rail tanks would be nice.

Any news from Bachmann when the Quarry Hunslets are likely to hit the retailers shelves. Seems to have been no progress or very little for a while now.

There has always been duplication of models in the market place. Would fully expect Bachmann to announce revised versions of both 37 and 47, possibly initially aimed at different time periods to models announced to secure their place in the market. Their MD has always been keener on modern image rather than steam as it gives more liveries to produce out of one set of tooling, as he explained once.

Excellent you are doing this. I suspect Bachmann were trying to force people to buy their Dynamis product probably to reduce their stock of them, by combining the Western Pullman with it. Bit of a farce. It is about time Bachmann were not so cocky in everything they do.

Try TTC Diecast for good Lima bargains. Chris always has plenty of second hand in stock at reasonable prices. www.ttcdiecast.com.

Trains4U - From people in the know at Bachmann, I was told the issue was not around the wholesale. The T&C state they do not want a retailer to compete with Bachmann. The issue arose when the 66 was announced which was in direct competition with Bachmann whether it was supplied to the trade or not. It took Bachmann some time to sort out what they were going to do and then discuss with Hattons. Discussions have reached their conclusion. End of story the world moves on. Other retailers should pick up increased business as a result.

Big difference is that Rails are not going directly to China. They are commissioning models from another manufacturer. It is Accruascale that are the manufacturers. Kernow are going directly to China but are not making models which compete with anything in Bachmann's current range.

Probably so that if anyone wants an EWS 47 they have to join the club to get one...Another ploy to get money out of you.

It would suggest that they haven't sold that many so need to encourage sales or possibly they need to bump up sales to get cash in to pay for all their specials they have announced.

There is also Northfields Model Shop at Ealing. Kent Garden Railways in Orpington who offer a good service and the Weybridge shop is Addlestone Model Centre in Station Road.

Interestingly this reps loco is available not only in the south west area but also in Kent, Surrey and Sussex unlike the other South West Area Rep class 47s.

Rails of Sheffield appear to be offering them at a discount 15% of RRP.