Bachmann Branchline 2019 catalogue announces more OO9 and HKA bogie hopper.

[Phil Parker]

Is this the first sign that Bachmann are backing out of new 00-steam ?

 

So much low-hanging fruit they could have picked:

updated Manor, more Atlantics, a SECR D 4-4-0 instead of a re-run of the C in SECR livery, lost the Lord Nelson to Hornby, - but apparently not worth the investment?

I didn't see any retooled diesels or electrics either, but you don't say they are backing out of these...

 

At least 2 more steam EPs in the next few months would suggest more consolidation. I suspect, from today's chats, that future announcements will be quickly followed by an EP.

[The Johnster]

Prices are what they are, and Bachmann's approach seems to be to charge what the model cost to produce, assemble, and bring to market plus a set markup, rather than an overall standard of, say, £20 for a 4 wheel wagon, £50 for a coach.  I can sort of see why a presflo, about as awkward a shape as it is possible to devise as a moulding, costs £42; I'm just glad I'm not in the market for a block train of 60 of them...

 

Apropos, all credit to those concerned for bringing in the re-issued 57xx and 8750 panniers under the £100 mark, assuming Hatton's prices are the general RRP.  Any steam loco of that standard for that price in this day and age is well worth the money!  If the chassis is upgraded, this makes it even better value, but to be fair there is nothing wrong with the existing chassis; I have 4 of them running on Cwmdimbath and they are all superb performers that are a delight to work with.

 

Begs the question of why the 64xx, with an arguably simpler chassis (no vertical play in middle axle) costs more, though!

 

There's plenty of interest in this announcement, though it is not as razzamatazz big new shiny thing as Hornby's; I never expected it to be.  Well done to all concerned at Barwell despite some of my comments about lead times; this is good solid consolidation of an already good position.  That my purchasing of Bachmann products will go down this year is down to my having already bought quite a lot of what I need, not Bachmann's marketing policy or production plans.

 

Kudos for some of the RTP buildings as well; that Red Lion pub might have a place in the back corner of Cwmdimbath!

[Redkiterail]

Is this the first sign that Bachmann are backing out of new 00-steam ?

 

So much low-hanging fruit they could have picked:

updated Manor, more Atlantics, a SECR D 4-4-0 instead of a re-run of the C in SECR livery, lost the Lord Nelson to Hornby, - but apparently not worth the investment?

Question is there life left in the tooling one is a another run when they have been 1 to 2 it is too son for another, new tooling with a massive blacklog will cause the blackleg to grow and possible jam up the productions schedule

[The Johnster]

Unless I've missed them, surprised there aren't any support wagons proposed to go with Bachmann crane

The crane comes with a match truck and runners, but one might expect suitable tool and mess coaches as some time as well to accompany it.  Problem is that these tended to change several times over the life of a crane such as this, so producing a comprehensive set in correct liveries might be an issue.  

[Jim76]

Hi,

 

Cant help feeling this should have been an 89 or a 91 and Mk4's, but it'll do nicely for now...

 

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Shed.

Well I was at least right that it was something with a panto!

[brushman47544]

Just seen the D1842 image above, to confirm m earlier post,.. this is D1842 1960’s style, not as preserved.

Caution may be needed. On Hatton’s website D1842 is described as being as preserved, whatever the image may imply. We may have to wait and see.

[Barry Ten]

I'm afraid that this sticks out from the rest for all the wrong reasons.

 

 

It's a tribute to Fred Dibnah.

[Jammy2305]

Did 37012 retain headlights after its plates were removed for the 37/4?

 

That it did - See post #153

[Redkiterail]

my view its a cost effective programme mostly using existing tooling and keeping traction going on the narrow gauge modelling scene, the class 205 thumpers are in the main range now which is good. Bachmann uk must justify there programme and problems to Kader Management if the planned models don't get made in the require programme, this will need to be explained and also
Kader can reallocated resources and production slots Bachmann uk is the not the sole and main subsidy of Kader. China will get more expensive to produce but have made themselves the centre of model railway and toy production. If people want cheaper trains they will have to accept less detail and quality you don't get a rolls Royce car for the price of a MG. Bachmaan uk has been subject to various issues in the past years. Taking a pause on new items and use the majority of resources on catching up is in my humble view best for the hobby if Hornby or Bachmann leave it will cause a massive gap to fill that will not be done overnight. Hornby are getting the house in order and using market trends to dictate there programme as there profits have to keep the company afloat with Bachmann there programme has to be justifiable and realistic to Kader who are supplying the financial capital and taking on the risk.

 

The two programmes of model release can not seen side by side due to the dynamics of the companies involved, Bachmann are making some very complex models that have a very large labour component to the cost not just in terms of production but engineering and design. As they products move forward to market the cost is effected by so many outside factors that the original cost plans get adjusted.

 

It is good to see that DCC sound fitted Diesel and Electric models come in unsound flavours and that a wide range of repaints that cover most of the uk and its railway history. I see market trends being the more complex projects will be a one time run, complex liveries will cost more then less complex and this is seen now but will happen more in the future. When a new model comes out they may not be a second run in the following year allowing the market to have its first fill before its second. Wagons will be bring a more frequent cash flow per item than locomotives I am not suggesting Bachmann will stop making units and locomotives but I do see wagons and coaches becoming more the focal point of programme with locomotives being retools of life expired tooling. New entrants will come and some will go some will stay but costs will increase as economic scales of production change.

 

The hobby will adapt evolve and survive it has gone from 3 new locomotives a year to what it is now they may be a reduction but not to such a level. Digital and sound will not go away as it has now mature and developed  as liveries become less complex and ordinate then complex and highly designs will come back the world and everything in it is cyclic and so are model railways.

 

No manufacture is going to please everyone or provide the answer or  wants for everyone but covering the majority it will survive in business class 37 and 47s were at one point made by up to 4 manufactures now the class 66. The locomotive with most class members are more likey to get duplicate look at the USA where there is four different GP38-2 models yet one GP39 model

[Widnes Model Centre]

 

 

Apropos, all credit to those concerned for bringing in the re-issued 57xx and 8750 panniers under the £100 mark, assuming Hatton's prices are the general RRP.  Any steam loco of that standard for that price in this day and age is well worth the money!  If the chassis is upgraded, this makes it even better value, but to be fair there is nothing wrong with the existing chassis; I have 4 of them running on Cwmdimbath and they are all superb performers that are a delight to work with.

 

 

The RRP for both of those loco's is £114.95. Taking off what we are allowed to discount gives a price of £97.71.

[Dunsignalling]

I didn't see any retooled diesels or electrics either, but you don't say they are backing out of these...

 

At least 2 more steam EPs in the next few months would suggest more consolidation. I suspect, from today's chats, that future announcements will be quickly followed by an EP.

This year's plans seem designed to re-establish some credibility in Bachmann's ability to achieve what they promise..

 

They are clearly intending to concentrate on clearing at least most of their backlog before committing publicly to what comes next.

 

"What comes next" has, I have no doubt, already been decided, and is already being worked on, given that the lead time between decision and delivery will be more-or-less similar across the industry.

 

Come 2020, I expect Bachmann only to announce items that they are confident of delivering within the stated 18-month currency of their catalogue. 

 

Personally, I feel that holding back from announcing something they'd know wasn't going to show up for 3-4 years is a big step forward. 

 

John

Edited January 16, 2019 by Dunsignalling

[89A]

Any indication of the sound decoder to be fitted to the SF locos?

 

At around £70 over the DCC ready version have Bachmann a TTS style sound decoder or if a full blown ESU V5.0 is fitted are the sound versions something of a relative bargin?

[Jub45565]

One thing I don't think I've seen mentioned yet - 590 (WHR Baldwin) was red from 1934, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't lined. I've just checked with my images and while they're all b&w they don't show any hint of lining or differing edge colours... plus the FR was in a dire financial position so will have done it on the cheap!

 

This image could be bodged from an ALR version, but they've gone to more trouble than just clip the cab back on. The lining on Peggy is very much the same style, but Peggy is lined around the bunker panel, while the 590 image wraps around to the rear...

 

Edited to correct autocorrect...

 

2nd edit to note the description states lined too, but still pretty sure it shouldn't be!

Edited January 14, 2019 by Jub45565

[griffgriff]

Nice to see, unless my eyes deceive me, a return to ‘yellow’ stripes on the postal vehicles

 

Griff

[farren]

Sorry Andy is there a list of all the models yet to be released from previous years and which have been dropped so we can see if the situation is as bad as some say it is? I know Bachmann can be slow but most new models tend to be out in 2 to 4 years.

[Redkiterail]

Any indication of the sound decoder to be fitted to the SF locos?

 

At around £70 over the DCC ready version have Bachmann a TTS style sound decoder or if a full blown ESU V5.0 is fitted are the sound versions something of a relative bargin?

more likey esu select decoders as that is what is in the europhoenix class 37

[Butler Henderson]

Pretty obvious a gap in announcements to catch up on the backlog of new toolings; if they had announced this year we intend to release four new locomotives and six new multiple units it would have could completely differently but all of those are models announced in previous years as listed in the other thread of today http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/141213-Bachmann-europe-launch-2019-catalogues-a-view-of-2018/?p=3433925
 

[micklner]

This year's plans seem designed to re-establish some credibility in Bachmann's ability to achieve what they promise..

 

They are clearly intending to concentrate on clearing at least most of their backlog before committing publicly to what comes next.

 

"What comes next" has, I have no doubt, already been decided, and is already being worked on, given the lead time between decision and delivery that will be more-or-less similar across the industry.

 

Come 2020, I expect Bachmann only to announce items that they are confident of delivering within the stated 18-month currency of their catalogue. 

 

Personally, I feel that holding back from announcing something they'd know wasn't going to show up for 3-4 years is a big step forward. 

 

John

 

The down side is they don't make a claim to be producing XYZ.

 

In 3 to 4 year time XYZ may have been made by another company . At that point any research monies are down the tube, or do they still press on and hope they can sell any or enough to show a profit at a minimum, when they finally are produced. Damned if they damned if they don't. 

 

The worrying problem is where are Bachmann going to be in 5 years time ,  up or down in the manufacturing table ??.

Edited January 14, 2019 by micklner

[JSpencer]

Wow. Presflos £42 each discounted! I brought my first Bachmann one less than £8. You can pick up packs of three on flea bay for just under £50 right now.

Those Accurscale Cemflos are a bargain. I see why the Prestwin was dropped.

Edited January 14, 2019 by JSpencer

[Redkiterail]

if you are after pressflos the three pack for kenrow was going for under £30 at shows don't know if that will continue

[Matt]

Whilst the list of new tooling is short there are some clever re-liveries filling some obvious gaps - a 47 in RF grey (not done by Bach or Vitrains before as far as I know and a buy for me), a 47/7 in large logo to complement the DBSO (a buy for me), a standard blue 47/4 (at last... I like my LL 47s but this has been an obvious missing for years - another buy for me).  The 37 list is understandably short given the regional specials being rolled out through the year but, again, some clever choices - a 37/0 in 80s LL at last (another buy for me), another WCRC 37 after success of last one.  Then on to coaches, Scotrail on Mk2s (something to go with DBSO to make a non-Mk3 set), Virgin on Mk2Fs etc.  Perhaps the only area I find a little disappointing is the modern wagons list which is perhaps a sign that demand is not as strong on wagons with the higher prices these now require?

 

Perhaps the only thing on the list that jumped out as odd was a further 150/1 in Provincial.  As far as I recall this has been done before (as part of a set) and hung around for ages at discounted prices.  A 150/2 in this livery would be a buy for me (and potentially others)...

 

The other thing (and it may just be an impression so others may correct me) is that although newly tooled models have been slow coming to market, in last year or so it has seemed that liveries on existing tooling have been delivered in the year to 18mos promised which wasn't the case a few years back.  Hopefully this means that the reliveries above will be delivered in 2019/early 2020.

 

As a modern era modeller I can't say i'm disappointed - there are few new areas that I can see the major manufacturers going now with decent models of most locos and mainstream stock available.  Most of the DMUs and EMUs outstanding have very strong regional biases which will limit sales, and it feels all the major manufacturers are "testing" their toe in the water with AC electric locos to see if the demand is there.

[phil gollin]

https://www.hattons.co.uk/107216/Bachmann_Branchline_38_803_45_ton_Ransomes_and_Rapier_crane_in_BR_gulf_red/StockDetail.aspx

 

.........

 

45t crane painted samples 

.

 

Does anyone know when the black and yellow stripes were added to the prototype cranes ?

 

.

[Legend]

Hey Andy . . . .are the team from Hatton's there ???

 

JOKE :-)

They were on YouTube looking over the announcements with Sams Trains . They also have the full range listed on their website . So I’m wondering if they’ve buried the hatchet?

 

On Bachmann, i think a sensible announcement . If they’d announce two new locos in OO with nothing but black and white photos they would have lacked credibility . Maybe they are going with restrained announcements and will surprise us with the occasional new announcement when it’s near to production. Still lots to get through though.

 

The SE&CR class C is coming in at £191 at Hattons, presumably discounted. Very interesting though they are also showing the 66s at £123 which is less than their own version at £160. Not an expert on this things but hadn’t the price on the Baccy 66 come down ? I thought they were £179 previously

Edited January 14, 2019 by Legend

[wombatofludham]

Having had chance to fully digest the announcements, despite the lack of a headline new loco I feel roughly the same as I did after Hornby's announcement which despite there having been little of interest to me I felt was "pragmatic" and showing interesting potential trends.  In Bachmann there are a lot of good, bread and butter re liveries of existing toolings and most importantly clear indication of moving to shift the backlog, as well as the interesting and welcome move to offer both DCC sound and plain vanilla items in parallel.  I also don't see a problem with the Class 66 fest - we now have clear blue water emerging between a basic model at a basic price (Hornby). a price-adjusted mid range model (Bachmann) and a slightly higher priced but hopefully full-fat model from Hattons.  Given the reported upswing in interest in model railways post Channel 5's programmes and the fact there must be at least five non-forum modellers for every one who posts on here, and the fact 66's are everywhere, I suspect that each company has probably got a better feel for the market than those of us who lurk here.

Hopefully I expect next year once Bachmann have got all their late running items out in the shops (hopefully) we will see some new stuff emerging but in the meantime I'm happy to see some handy wagons and of course the original blue Class 150 which should go nicely with the Trains 4U example so I can run 4 car units to the Cambrian.

Oh, and I had to raise a smile when I saw they were re-releasing the original Electric Blue "unsellable" AL5 electric.  Will look nice at the head of some of the maroon portholes. 

[dogbox321]

Its a fight to the finish between Bachmann and Hornby for who has the smallest diesel!

 

Baguley-Drewry Vs Ruston&Hornsby

 

I wonder how pricing will compare?

 

Well at least Hornby's has a delivery date.....  Don't forget Hornby's has a wagon too!