Oxford Rail 2019 speculation

[reevesthecat]

A Class 86? (going by the infamous piece of information provided a few years ago by one member who is famous for making such information public)

Yep how long ago was that quote now! Feels like a bit of mischief making now due to the none appearance of said model.

Mark

[adb968008]

Yep how long ago was that quote now! Feels like a bit of mischief making now due to the none appearance of said model.

Mark

None of us know what the thinking was.

But so far everything in Oxfords range does in someway join up, even the rail gun fits an era for the wagons and locos.

 

Theres two noteworthy odd balls.. carflats and Mk3’s which have a gap of something modern to pull them.

 

If i could pick two locos in Oxfords plans i’d guess at an 86 and an 8F., however events since 2017, my thoughts now remain at nothing new to be developed.

 

Still to deliver is B tanks, 12t tanks, and railgun in addition to the Virgin and Stobart mk3’s and N7’s.. thats enough to keep them busy for the year.

Edited January 18, 2019 by adb968008

[Zunnan]

There really does seem to be a bit of a theme building up with OR, pre-Grouping locomotives from each of the Big Four, with one notable exception. The GWR has the Dean Goods which saw service overseas in WW1 makes me wonder about the viability of the Kirtley 700 class. They're almost a perfect parallel to the Dean Goods being a class built in large numbers and which had a very similar life (albeit first built earlier and last withdrawn earlier) and also saw service overseas in WW1 and had examples end up in service with FS (380 class). They're a lovely quirky 0-6-0 with a massive lifespan and plenty of livery possibilities.

[No Decorum]

Yep how long ago was that quote now! Feels like a bit of mischief making now due to the none appearance of said model.

Mark

 

Is that not a bit harsh? We know now that someone (Heljan) is working on a Class 86.

[OOgaugeJaf]

All eyes on Oxford after the dire announcements by Bachmann and lack of interesting items from Hornby. DJ Models seems to have vanished so hopefully Oxford have their act together. While to wait for the TMC G5, the only item that I’m personally wanting for.

[The Johnster]

Dire announcements from Bachmann and lack of interesting items from Hornby!  Come off it!  

 

Bachmann have produced a very solid and understandable consolidation plan after some serious production problems. not of their direct choosing or responsibility, and Hornby have produced their best announcement for years, backing it up with short delivery times and competitive pricing, a superb comeback from serious financial problems and the best news the hobby in general could have possibly had. 

 

Perhaps neither company has promised to produce the exact items you want, and Hornby has failed to announce your personal requirements; I am gutted for you.  Funnily enough, I didn't get my TVR rebuilt A or Collett 31xx either, or even a decent GW 5 planker (Ox may yet oblige), but let's keep some sense of proportion here!  The models promised are the result of market research from companies accountable to their shareholders but willing to take risks on our behalf, which has included taking notice of website wishlisting and reacting sensibly to it; what more do you want!

 

There is little IMHO to be gained from this sort of destructive criticism and comment; FWIW I'd prefer it if you kept it to yourself, though of course I respect your right to express it...

[MartinTrucks]

I hope that a certainty in the 2019 Oxford Rail range will be a Diag. 14 LNER 12T goods van. This is the van equivalent of their 6-plank open goods with a similar 9-foot wheelbase handbrake-only timber underframe. Built from 1926 to 1931, almost 4500 of them survived at the 1947 wagon census. A version was built by Charles Roberts in 1940 for the War Department.

[Andy Mac]

All eyes on Oxford after the dire announcements by Bachmann and lack of interesting items from Hornby. DJ Models seems to have vanished so hopefully Oxford have their act together. While to wait for the TMC G5, the only item that I’m personally wanting for.

Plenty of stuff in the Hornby and Bachmann offerings and DJ Models hasn’t disappeared, he’s just communicating directly with the crowd funders, trying to avoid the negativity of some on the forum...

[Kelly]

All eyes on Oxford after the dire announcements by Bachmann and lack of interesting items from Hornby. DJ Models seems to have vanished so hopefully Oxford have their act together. While to wait for the TMC G5, the only item that I’m personally wanting for.

 

Bachmann are in catch up phase really. Hornby are in a state of transition with the 2019 range the first since Simon Kohler's return, with some good joined up thinking in the range.

 

As stated above, DJM only communicate via email to crowdfunders now and via their own website. I'd be surprised if anymore announcements of new models are made by DJM with the amount of models already being worked on.

 

I'm skeptical we'll see an 86 from OR, if anyone is going to do it, I'd expect Hornby to, perhaps for 2020 range unless they have a surprise waiting for later in the year, but that is dependent on how they perceive the 87 to have gone most likely. I'd expect another steam loco from OR and another wagon maybe at most, they may announce something to compliment the Mk3s however, who knows.

 

There is still potential for announcements from others (Rapido have said they're working on a UK diesel, and SLW might have something up their sleeve perhaps).

[JSpencer]

Bach......

There is still potential for announcements from others (Rapido have said they're working on a UK diesel, and SLW might have something up their sleeve perhaps).

Many thought the UK Rapido diesel might be a Deltic and I was surprised at their display efforts at Warley to announce a bus (which they admit are not fast sellers). Maybe they had planned to announce the Deltic. But maybe when Accurascale to revealed theirs and the advanced stages/quality they were in, Rapido might have suddenly dropped theirs (if this was the Diesel they were planning).

 

SLW I keep thinking could be a class 33.

 

Over to Oxford to see if any compliment for the Mk3 are announced.

Edited January 20, 2019 by JSpencer

[Kelly]

Many thought the UK Rapido diesel might be a Deltic and I was surprised at their display efforts at Warley to announce a bus (which they admit are not fast sellers). Maybe they had planned to announce the Deltic. But maybe when Accurascale to revealed theirs and the advanced stages/quality they were in, Rapido might have suddenly dropped theirs (if this was the Diesel they were planning).

 

SLW I keep thinking could be a class 33.

 

Over to Oxford to see if any compliment for the Mk3 are announced.

We'll know when both are ready to ship I'd imagine. Iirc raoido had some factory problem last year which has caused some delays, so that might be why no warley announcements were made in that regard. I have my suspicions about what their desiel could be however, quite possibleit could be EE or sulzer, but just speculation really.

 

As for slw and a 33, if they do release one I'll be looking at at least 4 I expect. With their payment plan options it is much easier for me to afford. Almost finished paying for the 2 24s...

[Edge]

To shift the conversation a bit, does anyone know when Oxford announce their 2019 range?

[Paul.Uni]

To shift the conversation a bit, does anyone know when Oxford announce their 2019 range?

 

We have no more info than in the second post in this thread:

Its usually the first day of the London toy fair, which is Jan 22nd.

[wombatofludham]

They are making a mini-announcement of their diecast range tomorrow on the Oxford Diecast Collectors Facebook page which has become a bit of a tradition, I'm not sure if any new rail items will be announced or not at the same time.

[OOgaugeJaf]

Bachmann are in catch up phase really. Hornby are in a state of transition with the 2019 range the first since Simon Kohler's return, with some good joined up thinking in the range.

 

As stated above, DJM only communicate via email to crowdfunders now and via their own website. I'd be surprised if anymore announcements of new models are made by DJM with the amount of models already being worked on.

 

I'm skeptical we'll see an 86 from OR, if anyone is going to do it, I'd expect Hornby to, perhaps for 2020 range unless they have a surprise waiting for later in the year, but that is dependent on how they perceive the 87 to have gone most likely. I'd expect another steam loco from OR and another wagon maybe at most, they may announce something to compliment the Mk3s however, who knows.

 

There is still potential for announcements from others (Rapido have said they're working on a UK diesel, and SLW might have something up their sleeve perhaps).

Apologies for the negativity, just the frustration of being a NE modeller and not getting anything new. Just airing my view like most folk do on here. Also after a few beers!

[nathan70000]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found Hornby's 2019 range puzzling. I thought it was 1 step forwards 2 steps back, the modern image range was very thorough with lots of variety for those modelling the present day and indeed the future. But the new loco toolings were very odd choices- two unnecessary duplications, one (deserved) tooling upgrade, a slightly bigger Peckett and a Ruston diesel. None of the low hanging fruit - J27, B16, U Class, Manor - was picked, and all of the locos listed did well in the wishlist poll. Personally, I'd have introduced a retooled J83, a J27, and either a Q or a U from the Southern, nicely complementing the locos released in the last 2-3 years. I'd have left the Princess til 2020 as it was after all Triang's first loco, would be a fitting release for Hornby's anniversary year.

[Andy W]

This probably isn't the best place to discuss the Hornby range, given that there is a separate section of this forum for each manufacturer, and this is the Oxford Rail section.

However one thing that is common to both Hornby and Oxford is that they start work on developing new models a long time before they announce them, so that they can actually deliver them in the same calendar year that they announce them. This doesn't always work, but they've been pretty good at it recently. So Hornby might well feel that other manufacturers are duplicating the models they intend to release, not the other way round. They can't easily substitute different models if someone jumps in and makes an announcement part way through the development cycle, and indeed why should they if they can bring their own models to market sooner. It's also fair to point out that the GW Large Prairie and the Terrier were already in the Hornby range, this is a re-tooling, so who is actually duplicating who?

Edited January 21, 2019 by Andy W

[Dunsignalling]

This probably isn't the best place to discuss the Hornby range, given that there is a separate section of this forum for each manufacturer, and this is the Oxford Rail section.

However one thing that is common to both Hornby and Oxford is that they start work on developing new models a long time before they announce them, so that they can actually deliver them in the same calendar year that they announce them. This doesn't always work, but they've been pretty good at it recently. So Hornby might well feel that other manufacturers are duplicating the models they intend to release, not the other way round. They can't easily substitute different models if someone jumps in and makes an announcement part way through the development cycle, and indeed why should they if they can bring their own models to market sooner. It's also fair to point out that the GW Large Prairie and the Terrier were already in the Hornby range, this is a re-tooling, so who is actually duplicating who?

"Re-tooling", to me, suggests an upgrade to an existing model, rather than completely new locos as per the Prairie and the Terrier. 

 

Obsolescent models such as the existing versions of both are rightly considered "fair game" by competitors, and it's just bad luck if the "incumbent" also has a new one on the go. 

 

Without that "threat", the manufacturer of the old model is likely, as in these two cases, and Bachmann's Lord Nelson, to persist with it far longer than is decent, or worse, as with Bachmann's 43xx and Manor to stop making them but retain the ability to bang out cheap ones from the old tooling should anyone else go for them.

 

John

[adb968008]

Plenty of stuff in the Hornby and Bachmann offerings and DJ Models hasn’t disappeared, he’s just communicating directly with the crowd funders, trying to avoid the negativity of some on the forum...

My former company stopped marketing, focussed solely on existing customers, then shortly after it exited the market, leaving a promised but unfulfilled road map behind it, plus a lot of angry customers.

I wish them the best, but that strategy, from my experience didnt work.

If your in the game you need to take rough and smooth, make sure the positive noise is greater than the negative.

Edited January 21, 2019 by adb968008

[Edge]

My former company stopped marketing, focussed solely on existing customers, then shortly after it exited the market, leaving a promised but unfulfilled road map behind it, plus a lot of angry customers.

 

Might I humbly point out that this is an Oxford Rail discussion, and that this is beginning to wander a little bit off topic  

 

I'm hoping for something industrial from Oxford, maybe a Robert Hawthorne 0-6-0.

 

Who knows, they may even do 009 as well ! You never know  

[Neil]

It has been suggested earlier that Oxford might look to produce a pre-group, LMS constituent company loco. Already mentioned are the L&Y Barton Wright saddle tank or the NLR 0-0-6T, either of which would be rather splendid and would I feel grab similar attention to the Hornby new releases. Outside bet, FR 0-4-0 saddle tank? Veering off firmly into wish list territory the same company's 2-2-2 well tank would make an absolutely gorgeous model, most would not need one (like Hornby's Peckett) but most would lust after one (like Hornby's Peckett).

 

What about a diesel? With all of the main line classes catered for I'd suggest we're in shunter territory. Perhaps the Yorkshire Engine Company 02 in both BR and industrial guises or perhaps the North British shunter (like the Playcraft one) in MOD and BR guises. Oxford seem to be keen on military models.

[Southernman46]

Yes - the Class B's would be nice - I really dropped the ball with  the Heljan ones - only managed a get couple after I suddenly noticed they were selling out at the bigger retailers ...............................

[Legend]

Yes - the Class B's would be nice - I really dropped the ball with  the Heljan ones - only managed a get couple after I suddenly noticed they were selling out at the bigger retailers ...............................

I never bothered with Heljan thinking too expensive , the Oxford ones will be much cheaper .  Hope they are still coming, but its not an essential , so no point losing sleep over it!

[The Black Hat]

If I was guessing for some things Oxford Rail should do then it would be: 
 

BR Standard 3MT

NER C1 class / LNER J21
Class 185 

Mk. 3 HST stock

 

But of course much more likely to get something completely useless that no one wants like a Railgun... 

 

Outside ideas that could be perfect for Oxford:

 

Caroline inspection saloon

Bagnall New Standard 18 0-6-0ST

Railvac

HAA Hopper wagon

[Kelly]

But of course much more likely to get something completely useless that no one wants like a Railgun... 

 

 

I'm not entirely sure it was a case of no one wants, no one expected perhaps. But I expect it'll be proving popular with military modellers and a lot of WD/ROD based layouts have popped up recently with the 100th anniversary of WWI having passed last year, so it made sense from that perspective. I suspect collectors will buy it too as it'll be different on a shelf for sure.