BRM Poll - How long do you expect to wait for a model?

[micklner]

Bachmann have had a lot of justified flack over their announcements, most dates given are total nonsense and just "pie in the sky" how long have the Thompson's and other items been announced now and still no sign of anything arriving . ? 

 

Models are simply announced by most companies years ahead to put off other makers from offering the same item . Mainly due to the competition laws in the UK.

[PaulRhB]

I used to expect within a catalogue year but with modern production being based on pre orders it's become inevitable that they are announced earlier to gauge numbers. This gives the problem of deliberate duplication as well as accidental when it was all kept secret. Where duplication falls like it has with the radial I actually like it as it provides a budget option with obvious differences.

I accept the need to announce earlier to gauge popularity and it also has the advantage of being able to plan saving for what you want. It looks like 8 locos I want will all turn up within three months but as I've had two years to save that's not an issue. (Stopping spending the fund on other shiny impulse buys was the only issue )

I think the only thing is say to the manufacturers is set out a realistic timescale even if it is 24-30 months and barring external issues stick to it. A model sitting in research / design with no CAD or obvious progress just looks like sticking a flag in the beach to declare it your empire

[Ross34]

Isn't there enough already out there to keep us busy without getting all flustered about when the next "must have" is going to hit the shelves? 

 

I don't care how long it takes. I'll enjoy my hobby with whats available at the time.

[Dunsignalling]

Unfortunately, it seems to vary according to the colour of the box.

 

Hornby, generally 12-24 months.

 

Bachmann, Heljan and Dapol, 3-5 years. The short end of that is just about acceptable IMHO but if it's gonna take 5, they should hold off announcing it.

 

Anybody else, we haven't really seen enough to get an average yet, but I think it'll probably settle down to be about the same as Bachmann etc.

 

I plumped for 12-24 months and hope the hint gets taken but, if the prototype is extinct, I'd cut a little extra slack.

 

John

[Foulounoux]

I've answered this on the basis of once announced I'd expect it available within 6-12 months

If it's going to take longer then don't announce it so if it's going to take 3 years then wait until within the window before announcing it

And the argument that a competitor might also develop the same model in the interim.....well we've seen that even with advance notice this is happening so that argument no longer holds water

 

Historically as a kid we waited for the Hornby catalogue to see what was new and they would appear

 

Now it seems to be lots of expectation based on an announcement but then delivery can be years later.

 

I've actually stopped looking at what's coming and now just buy what's available

[coachmann]

I remember catalogues that stated, first quarter, second quarter etc etc.. in other words in 3 months, in 6 months etc, not a time long after said catalogue has been recycled and folk had forgotten what was in the pipeline. As an example, I told a friend not to buiild his kit for a GW 16XX Pannier, as one had been announced. It turned out one hadn't. I realised at that point I had been sucked into the box openers froth.

[Robin Brasher]

I like it when you don't have to wait at all. The National Railway Museum's City of Truro was ready to purchase as soon as it was announced.

[adb968008]

Between 9 and 15 months is reasonable.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of immediate release upon announcement, if something stunning was "immediately available" then you have to scramble your finances or risk missing out, which can be a bit frustrating.

Similarly waiting too long is counter productive as the end cost is not known, and frustrates customers when the initial price suddenly jumps.

Having time to plan is useful.

[Robin Brasher]

5 years is too long. One member converted a couple of Tri-ang clerestories to resemble an LSWR gate stock pull-push and is still waiting for the model. A couple of my friends have died before it came out, for others their circumstances or their addresses or bank details may have changed.

[jonny777]

It is a very good question, and there have been some interesting replies.

 

I voted 12-24 months, but (illogically maybe) if the model was one that I really wanted I could stretch that to 36 months; happy in the knowledge that at least the model was being produced.

 

I waited a long time for the Heljan O2, but it was a model which I always prayed I might have; but would never have built on my own because of the chassis and valve gear which I find has far too much small detail for failing eyesight and fat fingers. If we take the time from the original announcement to the release of the other O2 variants, then it is going to be over 5 years I suspect, assuming they are still in the schedule for future years.

 

At current loco prices my wallet can cope with that timespan, and owning one version of the class already has softened the blow of having to wait longer for others.

[Neil]

Though I have little insight into the business involved in getting models from drawing board to shop and little interest in trawling back through the announcements to work out what the average time between announcement and appearance is, the 12 to 24 months option seemed to be reasonable to me. Long enough to cut the manufacturer some slack if problems occur but  not so long that interest wanes and disgruntlement sets in. Having said that I do like the style of those who forgo the announcement, the cad drawings, the revised cad drawings, the engineering prototypes, the livery samples and then finally the model that you and I can buy and just announce what they've made when it's ready to be sold. Pet hate is the Rapido/Realtrack cryptic teaser which drags on for months or years; quite apart from mightily getting on my norks I suspect that it may undermine trust in a manufacturer as it fights against a notion of being direct, straightforward and (by inference) honest in their dealings with the customer.

[PaulRhB]

I like it when you don't have to wait at all. The National Railway Museum's City of Truro was ready to purchase as soon as it was announced.

That tends to hit the younger modeller harder as they tend to have less spare cash just sitting around. I know I found that in my twenties. Nowadays it's much easier for me to impulse buy but I prefer to plan my train budget rather than dipping into savings for it so I like a bit of time to plan. £100+ is a lot to find just like that for someone with a new home or family.

[grahame]

I'm finding that as I get older and there is less time left to enjoy things, I'm also less happy to wait longer. Especially forking out hefty deposits for products that might not turn up before I'm no longer able to enjoy them.

 

G.

[Flood]

As long as I have faith that the model will be pretty accurate I don't mind the wait.

 

Personally I would prefer if the manufacturers did not bother to announce anything until it was virtually at production stage. This would give time for people to save up and stop those who moan about the length of time it takes for a model to arrive.

[Removed a/c]

I voted 6-12 but think upto 18 months is reasonable. If it is going to be announced in the 2016 catalogue it should come out before the 2017 catalogue is announced or don't bother. 

[grandadbob]

I'm quite happy to wait  a couple of years so that I have time to save up, particularly if it's something quite expensive like the limited edition APT-E sound version or the forthcoming Stirling Single.

[Andrew F]

I would expect Hornby and Heljan to get their models out before Bachmann or Dapol. It's still difficult to say how long I'd expect to wait as although I'm interested in certain announcements I'm not waiting for them or intending to buy them.

 

I'd have to plump for over 5 years based on my interests.

 

In 2010 I was working on Hornby 21/29's when Dapol announced theirs. My pal was working on his DP2 at the same time and the Heljan model was announced. That model seems to have been out ages and not a sniff of the 21. 

 

I used to convert Bachmann 24's into the Highland 24/1's for a simple living until Bachmann announced a 24/1; I forget when that was but it destroyed my frugal income and I would expect that would be more than 5 years from announcement to available model. Indeed, times have changed and folk will want a SLW one probably.

 

Also the FFA and FGA container wagons I would expect to take more than 5 years from announcement. On the other hand Hornby's 71 came out sharpish.

 

The D6XX was announced yonks ago wasn't it? It seems another lifetime.  

 

The models I'm interested in seem to take more than 5 years so that's what I'd expect.

[Wheatley]

Depends who's announced it. Some companies seem to announce lots and actually produce very little.

 

Personally I like SLW's policy of not announcing anything until it's ready to ship, and getting it right first time.

[unravelled]

I'd say between 2 and 3 years, but there isn't an option for that...

 

Dave

[coachmann]

Although slightly off at a tangent, the door knobs that get up my nose are the dealers who have a click-on BUY NOW under a loco. This mealy-mouth sh*t means buy it now................................. But you might just get it in 12 months time you schmuck.

[knitpick]

How long is a piece of string?

 

Ideally from someone like Hornby, Bachmann, Dapol, and Heljan - and Oxford Railroad and DJ Models in due course - around 1 year ~ 18 months.  And OK some things may slip to perhaps 2 years or so.

 

For crowd funded items it gets complicated as (if I understand the crowd funding process correctly) there needs to be a minimum order level to get the go-ahead.  So that could be years.

 

For supplier commissions; with new items perhaps 3 years but reliveries of existing models 6 months to 1 year.

 

Oh and I'm still waiting for the first EP shots of the Class 165 and SR U class 2-6-0 proposed by Bachmann at the same time they announced the Class 166 and SR N class.  That's around 20 years wait . . . so I guess another decade won't matter too much?

[adb968008]

Maybe an alternative approach to the question is at what stage, should a model be announced ?

 

To me, when it's been scanned, and the CADs are complete, with an initial 3D print would make sense... not too late for feedback, but not too long to wait, and the 1st announcement is more than pictures of the prototype..., or some point further in development.

Kernows first teasing glimpse of the 4TC was a rolling model...wasn't that nice!

[Ian J.]

Kernows first teasing glimpse of the 4TC was a rolling model...wasn't that nice!

 

Not with the with errors in the cab face...

 

Fortunately it appears those are going to be fixed but the lack of separate handrail detail on a model at that price worries me...

[Oldddudders]

I am intrigued that more than three days in, rather fewer than 150 people have voted. Yet the posts indicate strongly-held views, as Andy Y had obviously sensed.

[Kiwi]

Personally I like SLW's policy of not announcing anything until it's ready to ship, and getting it right first time.

I totally agree, no announcements until you can actually get your hands on one. How wonderful to avoid the attempts on all the forums to get the designs changed - design by committee????

 

But to be fair, I should admit to being the lone person (when I last checked) to vote for "less than 3 months". In fact I really wanted to say "no waiting at all". If I want to buy a new loco or wagon I look to see what's available right now and choose from those. I take no interest in what "might" be available at some mythical future date.