Bachmann 2018 range

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I wouldn't have expected the same for the LMS group, but we will shortly have models of passenger tanks from the Lanky, LNWR and Midland, all in Bachmann boxes.

Sound selections as already observed. The LNER will amazingly maintain a sort of numerical parity in pregroup passenger tank designs with the N2 available and N7 and J70 on the way from a variety of sources. The same problem applies to both groups, competent designs from the pre-group companies adequate for the roles they filled, which were not scrapped and replaced as a result.

 

The LNER A5 4-6-2T.... The original GCR engines were found around Manchester, Nottingham and Lincolnshire areas, while the LNER-built engines were mostly seen around Darlington. For some reason, these engines were almost 5 tons heavier than the GCR engines...

 Weird thing that weight increase. Possibly the original Gorton build to Robinson's design were underestimated, as the Gresley tinkerings to the last 11 built for NER area service added about 4 inches to the length but was somehow near 5 tons heavier as built at Hawthorn Leslie? (The simplest distinguishing feature is a pair of height reductions in the frames behind the smokebox on the 11 last locos, as compared to the single height reduction on the originals.)

[cs233]

If they were sensible there would be no new tooling announcements. Work on the backlog and simply issue new releases and livery variations of existing ready to produce models. If production capacity is an issue they should also minimise the amount of livery application variations to a number that will not mean extended latency.

 

If a new tooling is in progress that is not announced they should keep it quiet in my opinion until it is at an advanced stage. The company needs to shake off its current reputation of having long delays for many announced products.

[The Stationmaster]

If they were sensible there would be no new tooling announcements. Work on the backlog and simply issue new releases and livery variations of existing ready to produce models. If production capacity is an issue they should also minimise the amount of livery application variations to a number that will not mean extended latency.

 

If a new tooling is in progress that is not announced they should keep it quiet in my opinion until it is at an advanced stage. The company needs to shake off its current reputation of having long delays for many announced products.

 

But if they didn't keep announcing things folk would have nothing new to moan about it being late or taking too long.  What today's r-t-r buyers want is constant novelty - even if it's only to make posts about how long it was since it was announced.

 

As for what they will announce - let's be prepared to expect the unexpected, Bachmann are very good at coming from left of field.

[Dick Turpin]

If they were sensible there would be no new tooling announcements. 

 

Someone says this every year (among other chestnuts). Truth is to stay ahead of the game there has to be a constant stream of new developments as Stationmaster reminds us. You have to keep moving forward just to stay still it seems these days. So if they can keep us lot interested, they can keep on taking our money and stay in business!

[cs233]

Someone says this every year (among other chestnuts). Truth is to stay ahead of the game there has to be a constant stream of new developments as Stationmaster reminds us. You have to keep moving forward just to stay still it seems these days. So if they can keep us lot interested, they can keep on taking our money and stay in business!

How is moving forward naming products that do not see any revenue being generated for a significant number of years? How is keeping people interested naming products that again do not appear for many years? In some cases products have been made public and not even entered the CAD stage until 3-4 years later! How is taking money related to no hard product hitting the retailers for many years? I tend to see things rather differently.

[Dunsignalling]

How is moving forward naming products that do not see any revenue being generated for a significant number of years? How is keeping people interested naming products that again do not appear for many years? In some cases products have been made public and not even entered the CAD stage until 3-4 years later! How is taking money related to no hard product hitting the retailers for many years? I tend to see things rather differently.

It has to be said that Bachmann's established habit of announcing things that struggle to hit the shops within half-a-decade does smack of taking the mickey.

 

However, if they don't announce anything new, they are likely to be seen as moribund.

 

There is a need for one or two new loco announcements, but any more than that is likely to be greeted with considerable cynicism (if not outright snorts of derision) and it will be vital for Bachmann's credibility that they be delivered within the currency of the 2018 catalogue.

 

The pre-production items displayed at Warley show that encouraging progress is being made with tackling the backlog and many of the models will prove worth the wait.

 

 As the list of items would-be purchasers consider "overdue" gradually shrinks, though, it will be important to avoid topping it up.

 

John

Edited December 29, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Andy Y]

There is another perspective to this that's dawned on me and that is the fact that *some* models get additional features or improved specification not within the initial scope. The breakdown crane is certainly a case of this and I don't recall details of a servo-powered pantograph on the Class 90 at the time of announcement. A contrast to announcing untested specifications at the point of announcement and then experiencing some delays in getting those features to work perhaps?

[Neal Ball]

But if they didn't keep announcing things folk would have nothing new to moan about it being late or taking too long.  What today's r-t-r buyers want is constant novelty - even if it's only to make posts about how long it was since it was announced.

 

As for what they will announce - let's be prepared to expect the unexpected, Bachmann are very good at coming from left of field.

 

 

Whilst all of this is true. One area that Hornby have excelled over the last couple of years is announcing "X" project, whilst adding "here are the first samples" and then appearing on the shelves (perhaps) 6 months later. Hopefully under the new regime that will continue.

 

Bachmann have never adopted that method, mores the pity. Adopting a slow but sure method. If we could just get rid of that "slow" approach, then we will all be happy :-)

[John M Upton]

Unfortunately it looks like Hornby may now have ditched that publicity policy. No announcements at Warley, the relaunched Collectors Club and associated model that was widely publicized as being launched at Warley mysteriously disappearing and The Engine Sged blog suddenly becoming devoid of any real content and being all but snuffed out.

[Mallard60022]

There is another perspective to this that's dawned on me and that is the fact that *some* models get additional features or improved specification not within the initial scope. The breakdown crane is certainly a case of this and I don't recall details of a servo-powered pantograph on the Class 90 at the time of announcement. A contrast to announcing untested specifications at the point of announcement and then experiencing some delays in getting those features to work perhaps?

I think you have hit a small nail on the head there Andy. Folk are looking at the big, exciting 'picture' and, I believe, missing the obvious, as they are over on the Hornby Thread where a new and superb smoke unit is to be the brand new product and most folk thought it was going to be a Lord Nelson in 'original' condition.  

Items such as a Servo Panto and a DCC Ready Crane (DCC for the operation of the Crane mechanism) along with mechanically operational, RTP Point Rodding and Nanomove figures (3D printed of course) are probably waiting in the wings (not in the Green Room this time).

Archi Meeds

[Andy Hayter]

It is perhaps worth reminding folk that there are two distinct marketing methods being employed by Hornby and Bachmann.  They each have their advantages and their disadvantages.

 

Bachmann announce very early in the design process - probably when they are still collecting and collating data and certainly long before the CAD is being drawn together.  This leads to a very, very long lead time to delivery and many modellers become frustrated and annoyed.

 

Hornby on the other hand make their announcements at a very late stage in the process.  I would suggest no sooner than the production slot had been officially booked with the manufacturer and in the case of the 2-BIL it seemed as if it was after the models had been shipped.  The disadvantage of this approach is that other manufacturers may well be working on the same models - as we saw a little while ago with Hattons, DJM and Oxford all producing or at least announcing, the "same" models.  This leads to duplication or wasted resource and a real risk that neither manufacturer can be profitable.

 

Which you consider to be the better will depend perhaps on your level of patience.

Personally I think with the size of the UK market, duplication would be best avoided; but I too get frustrated by the years between announcement and delivery from the house of B

[GWR8700]

I really like that Bachmann are incorporating features that are in European models now.  I love watching Marklin videos on YouTube as they make such high quality models.  With rising prices inevitable, it seems like Bachmann have understood that we will ultimately want more for our money and are raising their standards to meet those on the continent.

[Neal Ball]

Unfortunately it looks like Hornby may now have ditched that publicity policy. No announcements at Warley, the relaunched Collectors Club and associated model that was widely publicized as being launched at Warley mysteriously disappearing and The Engine Sged blog suddenly becoming devoid of any real content and being all but snuffed out.

 

 

Sadly I think you are right John.

[farren]

I don't think Bachmanns backlog is as bad as it first looks. Especially on the new model front. There's a hell of a lot of new liverys to do though! Maybe some of those should be dropped and the remaining concentrated on. This way Bachmann can still release new models but no new liverys, and so bringing down the backlog of liverys already announced.

[Steamport Southport]

I don't think Bachmanns backlog is as bad as it first looks. Especially on the new model front. There's a hell of a lot of new liverys to do though! Maybe some of those should be dropped and the remaining concentrated on. This way Bachmann can still release new models but no new liverys, and so bringing down the backlog of liverys already announced.

 

The problem is most RTR purchasers now want the models in the livery they actually want rather than just a typical example.The days of repainting, renaming and renumbering are now over for the vast majority of purchasers.

 

Why bother if the manufacturer will eventually release it in the condition you want anyway? 

 

 

There's also the fact that if you release say 10 different Class 47s then a collector will possibly buy more than one. If you release a bog standard version then they will only buy one.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[John M Upton]

Ironically I am the opposite, I dislike running locos with out of the box numbers and will nearly always rename/renumber them straight away.

 

There are six Farish large logo Class 37/4's and countless Hornby M7's sitting near me right now to prove it....

[Dick Turpin]

Why bother if the manufacturer will eventually release it in the condition you want anyway? 

 

That's OK for those prepared to wait, unlike a lot of folks on here who keep telling us:

 

 

Edited December 29, 2017 by Dick Turpin

[Downer]

Moan moan moan. As the dark lake birdcages and crane EP have recently shown us, the product is usually well worth the wait. Just have a little patience for god’s sake.

[Tim Dubya]

I think you have hit a small nail on the head there Andy. Folk are looking at the big, exciting 'picture' and, I believe, missing the obvious, as they are over on the Hornby Thread where a new and superb smoke unit is to be the brand new product and most folk thought it was going to be a Lord Nelson in 'original' condition.

Items such as a Servo Panto and a DCC Ready Crane (DCC for the operation of the Crane mechanism) along with mechanically operational, RTP Point Rodding and Nanomove figures (3D printed of course) are probably waiting in the wings (not in the Green Room this time).

Archi Meeds

'ere geeza, not forgetting the DCC version of this

 

 

D.V. Dyke

[Dunsignalling]

Unfortunately it looks like Hornby may now have ditched that publicity policy. No announcements at Warley, the relaunched Collectors Club and associated model that was widely publicized as being launched at Warley mysteriously disappearing and The Engine Sged blog suddenly becoming devoid of any real content and being all but snuffed out.

Hornby haven't announced any changes to their communications policy and The Engine Shed remains in place on their website, despite being evidently dormant for now.

 

To me, this suggests that the new CEO and his management team have everything under review but haven't yet decided to scrap specific aspects of what went before.

 

The Engine Shed? Perhaps it merely sleepeth.

 

My reading of the non-appearance of the "Bluebell" H Class at Warley (the very existence of which was only a frothy assumption in any case) is that Hornby decided not to squander the potential for ongoing sales that the prototype offers by producing it in penny-packet numbers as Bachmann did with the C Class No.592 

 

John

Edited December 29, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Mallard60022]

Moan moan moan. As the dark lake birdcages and crane EP have recently shown us, the product is usually well worth the wait. Just have a little patience for god’s sake.

Moaning? This isn't moaning, this is soft materials playtime. The Peco Bullshite Track and Points thread is 'moaning'. 

 

'ere geeza, not forgetting the DCC version of this

 

FB_IMG_1514554972434.jpg

 

D.V. Dyke

The missing pieces reveal the true intention of Hornby to release recyclable packaging that looks as if it is heritage quality.

P

[Steamport Southport]

'ere geeza, not forgetting the DCC version of this

 

FB_IMG_1514554972434.jpg

 

D.V. Dyke

 

Already available in a red box.

 

 

 

Jason

[craigowen1976]

Returning to the new year speculation and froth originally intended... here’s my sweepstake and bonus balls, counting down to outright “wish on a stars”...!

 

Hornby

SR Lord Nelson - seems pretty much a given on the circumstantial evidence.

NBR J36 0-6-0 - Good tie in with end of WW1, names, wide range / longevity, dip a toe into Scotland, lovely pregroup livery option

Aventra EMU (Elizabeth Line) - keeping up with the latest and all that

Hudswell Clark 0-6-0T industrial - side tank ‘gap’ in the surging industrial market.

Some ‘end of steam 1968’ packs involving black 5s, Britannia’s and / or 8Fs

 

Bachmann (accepting likely long production times / priority on clearing backlog)

SECR ‘D’ 4-4-0 - stunningly beautiful, NRM tie-in, obvious big SECR gap / opportunity, “if you announce one totally new tooling make it a blinder”

BR 78xxx 2MT 2-6-0 - v practical, wish list gap for years running, transferable tooling from ivatt 2MT, ‘easy win’

Retooled GWR Manor (or possibly 43xx / one followed by the other, as they share so many tooling parts?).

Scotrail Hitachi 385 (or 380 Desiro) EMU (latter if they’re mainly catching up on production; former if they’re catching the zeitgeist)

Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST - attractive and safe hop on the industrial bandwagon.

 

Also rans / bonus balls - perhaps one from among this lot?

GWR ‘The Great Bear’ 4-6-2 - could be Hornbys next Cock o the North / “didn’t see that one coming” number, building on Castle tooling

GWR Saint (reckon head to head in 2019 as both Hornby & Bachmann try to capitalise on Lady of Legend steaming)

Caledonian 812 0-6-0 (in blue please please please...!)

L&YR Aspinall 27 0-6-0 (seems Bachmann-esque?)

BR (WR) 15xx 0-6-0PT (next Model Rail / Rapido commission?)

Southern Q 0-6-0 (more Hornby’s scene... tho v ‘4F’ish too?)

NER G5 0-4-4T (Reckon Hornby might follow Q6 with this, but year or 2 away?)

NER J27 or J21 0-6-0 (if Bachmann don’t get there first, DJ Models / Heljan?)

Caledonian 439 0-4-4T (Hornby development of M7?)

GER J69 0-6-0T (Hornby?)

BR (WR) gas turbine ‘kerosene castle’ (more likely a commission - Heljan?)

 

Maybes... Rapido, Commissions, or left field head turners

NBR Glen 4-4-0

LNWR Precedent 2-4-0 Hardwicke

S160 or WD 2-10-0 - seems a logical Rapido ‘UK meets US’ development?

GWR Bulldog 4-4-0 (logical Bachmann development from dukedog, requiring only boiler tooling)

LNWR Claughton, or George V (I’m wishing now)

NER 4-4-0

Highland Jones Goods (come on Rapido!)

 

Quite a wide field, but will be pretty chuffed with any Interesting developments... looking forward to what new year may bring :-)

[gc4946]

Now that Bachmann's taken over EFE, could we expect motorised LT 1938/1959/1962 tube stock in their main range (as well as commissions by LT Museum)

[centraltrains]

More Class 150 Liveries Please

 

Though given how long the ATW livery has been announced, is only a new livery, how many times the due date has been pushed back, and isn't out yet........ Hummmmm......... Still no date on the GRW one either... Don't get why they don't just make them at the same time...

 

 

 

Wonder if there will be any progress on the 166 liveries..... Anyone can dream!