Bachmann 2020 Announcements - Spring

[Ian Hargrave]

On being a student........I had to sell my precious collection of Hornby Dublo to fund my way through university in the 1960’s.There simply was no “disposable income” to fund anything but the bare necessities.

 

As a child growing up in the early 1940’s,because of a general shortage of raw materials postwar,there simply were no such things as toy trains on the market .Only in 1950 did Hornby start to produce in sufficient numbers for them to be readily available. I had to wait.Wait ? Is the word still in the O.E.D ?

Students now have to shoulder a huge burden of debt as we all readily agree.A student loan however doesn’t necessarily award anyone entitlement to be on the same footing as those who have earned their disposable income over a period of years in the workplace.You want the goodies ? OK....earn it first.Then whinge if you want to.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Oldddudders]

I have heard the word ‘entitlement’ used about younger generations before. The real world must come as something of a shock. 

[raetiamann]

Apologies, my last post turned out to be a pigs ear. I'llgo and have a lie down now.

[maico]

3 hours ago, Martin.M said:

Nothing for me seems to be a lot of post 1948 stuff..... 

 

Corrugated galvanised steel shed fits the bill

Edited February 4, 2020 by maico

[Legend]

Well politeness costs nothing , so there’s no use in being abrasive , it just upsets people .  But I also feel a bit sorry for Josh , although I’m sure he doesn’t want my pity.  But he does have a point . If you want a 37 seems it’s going to cost you £150-£170 (excluding 2nd hand and Railroad) 

 

It seems that we was lyrical on GMRC attracting new entrants to the hobby, and yet here’s an example of a significant barrier to entry which Josh is getting shot down for pointing out . I’m sorry but if you can’t afford it don’t buy it does come across as I’m alright Jack  and I can sense the frustration . True there is a I want it I must have it approach today, whereas I used to stare at Hornby catalogues for hours wishing I could have them all, but knew I had to save hard for one a year or maybe get one as a present at Christmas.  But I wonder how many people bitten by GMRC headed to their model shop  and were put off by the cost. 

 

And Bachmann are expensive . I’m sorry but £200 for a black 0-6-0 is expensive . Yes that’s MRP but Bachmanns max discount is 15% so that should take it to £170 discounted which compares badly with Hornbys J36 as an example , at least £50 cheaper and Hattons have them at £99 at the moment.   
 

So all I’m saying is , while unfortunately expressed , Josh has a point.  

[brenn]

4 hours ago, ndg910 said:

I know Andy warned us of Bachmann's new announcement policy but this is certainly an interesting and different strategy. Somewhat thin on the ground in my view but then if this is to be repeated 4 times a year the number of items made available will soon build up. Bachmann have also used the usual bulking tactic of adding the easy win new buildings into the overall total. Its going to be difficult for them to keep all the different modellers happy in the long run and will present budgeting challenges for some. For me and for the first time in a long while there is no need for me to add anything to the wish list as the 2020 announcements (so far) has yielded nothing new or of interest from Hornby, Oxford or Bachmann. My wish list is still fair long though and am not complaining as lots to look forward to from others.

I'm very underwhelmed by Bachmann's new announcement  policy but I suppose it's new but nothing BR blue related here except the long awaited 24, 121 so i guess Bachmann will get some money from me in 2020.

 

B 

[TheSignalEngineer]

36 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

 It was no different back in my early days of full time work when I was £9/15/0 per week. (£9.75 for younger readers) and it wasn't much different when I was on £25,000+ pa with two growing youngsters to support and send off to uni.

I started on a similar amount, the old P&T 'A' scale, which I joined at 17. I think the peak with qualifications above 'O' level came at about 28 years old in those days. With just the basic which was 4 'O' levels it took an extra four years.

Out of the basic came tax, NI and pension, which took out about £1 or so. I was spending close to £7 for accommodation, food, clothing and essentials so had about £2 entertainment, etc. Model trains were well out of reach.

I agree with Mike's comments about the rest of life. We always lived by the rule that house and food came first, anything else you could have if you had the cash otherwise save up or shut up. 

[Oldddudders]

39 minutes ago, truffy said:

 

Fair point. But you'd think that someone, somewhere, would note that a preexisting livery (31-461A) is currently being discounted at about one third of 31-464A's RRP and put two and two together. Perhaps there really is room for a very good, but not quite premium, model relivery at a premium price. Time will tell, I'm patient.

I suspect dealers are pretty smart with their stock position, so will be well aware just how many older versions are sitting on the shelf and order accordingly. Bachmann are a bit of a piggy-in-the-middle. They instruct the factory much earlier - or nothing gets produced. Having paid a certain sum at the factory gates, they need to price accordingly. 

[JSpencer]

5 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I suspect dealers are pretty smart with their stock position, so will be well aware just how many older versions are sitting on the shelf and order accordingly. Bachmann are a bit of a piggy-in-the-middle. They instruct the factory much earlier - or nothing gets produced. Having paid a certain sum at the factory gates, they need to price accordingly. 

 

Bachmann have already stopped producing some items as being un viable. I think dealers would like some space to measure how many orders they get from customers first. I cannot see them stocking up hoping they get a sale on these high ticket items. Sure for some items, they will know they will sell but others are "ah a rerun, hmm 50% more expensive this time, hmmm can't think of any customers asking for this.... hmmm, do I need my money tied up in it just in case I'm lucky???". 

[classy52]

1 hour ago, Joshthetrainguy said:

 

Ok boomer

 

Oh dear your time on RMWeb should be short lived on that comment alone...keep that crap on your mind destroying social media outlets 

[Joshthetrainguy]

Attacked for having an opinion?

Where have i seen that before 

Oh yes everywhere

This has been a fun experiment,thanks for taking part everyone and goodbye 

 

[Forester]

1 hour ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Price is a perineal discussion on this forum, and has been in the model railway press for over 60 years. There is some stuff on my blog from 2010 with letters saying exactly this.

Every thread about products can, and often does, descend into people moaning things cost too much. If that's what you want then we'll stay away, along with most of the other readers.

What is the result of these discussions? Nothing at all. Stuff costs what it costs. If it's too much, we don't buy it and the manufacturer either finds a way to make things cheaper, or more likely exists the market to do something that makes them money, that's how business works.

 

But todays model railway items don't have a "cost".

 

They have a RRP, 

an initial discounted price (limited by manufacturers),

a general discounted price ( after the period of time specified by manufacturer),

a more discounted price (after the major retailers find they can't sell their stock),

a sale price ( when they find they Really can't sell their stock),

and a Flash Sale price when all else fails.

Then there's the internet New Unused (I really didn't need this) Buy it Now price

and the internet auction price.

 

It's not as simple as saying "if its too much don't buy it".

To what level will any given item descend to before it finally sells out?

The higher the Manufacturer's RRP (and this set of releases crashes through all previous price ceilings) the fewer sell on release and the more cascade into the lower price categories.

 

Somehow we modellers have to navigate through all this, or feel stupid for having paid far too much, and having fewer remaining funds to buy anything else.

[AY Mod]

13 minutes ago, Joshthetrainguy said:

Attacked for having an opinion?

 

No, you have been lambasted for being unpleasant to your seniors with undertones of self-entitlement.

 

You are not the centre of the universe, no matter who has led you to believe who you are. We are not an experiment for your entertainment, frankly you can move on elsewhere with your chips and attitude.

[Darius43]

17 minutes ago, Joshthetrainguy said:

Attacked for having an opinion?

Where have i seen that before 

Oh yes everywhere

This has been a fun experiment,thanks for taking part everyone and goodbye 

 

It's not time to make a change
Just relax, take it easy
You're still young, that's your fault
There's so much you have to know...

 

...But take your time, think a lot
Why, think of everything you've got
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not

[ThaneofFife]

1 hour ago, AlexHolt said:

Regarding prices, you can find some pretty good bargains if you look around. At shows and at retailers. Most the models I bought last year were around the £70 mark, these were all ones from previous years which had probably not sold very well. I got the Hornby S15, Bachmann G2A, Hornby Britannia, which are by no means small locos for under £70 new.  I've never spent more than £110 on a loco. It is possible to find models at an affordable price, just have to look around a bit for them. The brand new releases and toolings will always be a bit more expensive, but if they don't sell at that price they will be discounted within a few years.

 

now thats a bit more like it (advice not put downs)  unlike some of the other posters here who seem to almost group together in the familiar "packs"  (probably not even sharing the same view if truth be told) when they seem to relish putting down folk who decry manufacturer prices - its just putting it out there and personally I dont see why some get so upset that others wish to vent their frustration at truly shocking price "jumps.

coming at it from a slightly different angle then.......if the last C class retailed at £124 how can you or Bachmann possibly justify a relivery of the same tooling at £199.95?   

The Birdcages RRP now at more than the RRP of the Mk2f dcc on board air=con coaches with fully contollable interior and tail lamp lights !  I am dreading the cost of adding to my Mk2f fleet if these the price of these Birdcages without DCC is anything to go by.  Its constructive criticism not what some would call simply moaning.... for heavens sake.   

 

[micklner]

duplicate

Edited February 4, 2020 by micklner
duplicate

[micklner]

     Bachmann have set the price for old moulding simple 0-6-0 C class with just Green Lining at the same price as a new moulding Hornby Pacifics LNER W1 and A2/2/3 in full LNER and BR Liveries . Nearly £30 for a Box van.

     Does make you think where Bachmann are going at the moment . Huge delays and ludicrous pricing , sadly not a good combination for the future, quite worrying/sad.

Edited February 4, 2020 by micklner

[Marcyg]

4 hours ago, melmerby said:

"Arriving Spring 2020", Coronavirus permitting?

Ah, but coronavirus gets here in a few weeks. Bachman’s stuff takes several years

[atom3624]

Makes you wonder what they would charge if they made the effort 'under the skin' - chassis with bearings, skew-wound 5-pole, etc - that they do with diesels and Hornby do with their steam locomotives!!

 

I'm a huge fan of the appearance of Bachmann steam locomotives - body detail, paint finish, etc, but under the skin needs to catch up in the steam locomotives.

 

Al.

[davidw]

No maroon Thompsons, sadly. But with all the other ECML stuff coming this year it may be just as well.

Edited February 4, 2020 by davidw

[PJT]

14 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

It's not time to make a change
Just relax, take it easy
You're still young, that's your fault
There's so much you have to know...

 

...But take your time, think a lot
Why, think of everything you've got
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not

 

How on earth did Cat Stevens come up with that when he was only 22?

 

Well remembered, Darius43. 

Edited February 4, 2020 by PJT
Added 2nd line

[phil gollin]

.

 

I have given up on pre-ordering Bachmann items as the price is so prone to increasing.   I have certain items that I will almost certainly buy, but these are now judged on an item by item basis.    I really want a 2-HAP, but this is presently priced at £259.99 (RRP) / £220.99 (discount) and is a real stretch   -  what the price will be when they actually produce a plain green one I cannot imagine.

 

I think that Bachmann will price themselves out of the UK mass market, and will survive  only by re-popping existing moulds with new liveries at ridiculous prices (memories of Wrenn).

 

.

Edited February 4, 2020 by phil gollin

[maico]

1 hour ago, Legend said:

Well politeness costs nothing , so there’s no use in being abrasive , it just upsets people .  But I also feel a bit sorry for Josh , although I’m sure he doesn’t want my pity.  But he does have a point . If you want a 37 seems it’s going to cost you £150-£170 (excluding 2nd hand and Railroad) 

 

It seems that we was lyrical on GMRC attracting new entrants to the hobby, and yet here’s an example of a significant barrier to entry which Josh is getting shot down for pointing out . I’m sorry but if you can’t afford it don’t buy it does come across as I’m alright Jack  and I can sense the frustration . True there is a I want it I must have it approach today, whereas I used to stare at Hornby catalogues for hours wishing I could have them all, but knew I had to save hard for one a year or maybe get one as a present at Christmas.  But I wonder how many people bitten by GMRC headed to their model shop  and were put off by the cost. 

 

And Bachmann are expensive . I’m sorry but £200 for a black 0-6-0 is expensive . Yes that’s MRP but Bachmanns max discount is 15% so that should take it to £170 discounted which compares badly with Hornbys J36 as an example , at least £50 cheaper and Hattons have them at £99 at the moment.   
 

So all I’m saying is , while unfortunately expressed , Josh has a point.  

 

Shop around. Rails were selling these new Bachmann class 37 for £99 on special offer recently, and Kernow were too, on their own commisioned model last year.

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/30611/Bachmann-32-376a-oo-gauge-class-37-422-robert-f-fairlie-regional-railways-diesel-locomotive-weathered-edition-

 

[truffy]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

Bachmann are a bit of a piggy-in-the-middle. They instruct the factory much earlier - or nothing gets produced. Having paid a certain sum at the factory gates, they need to price accordingly. 

I agree. But, I think that @JSpencer may have hit the nail on the head. The price of the previous SECR livery was hiked over the SR black because of its complex livery. And the same price has been applied to the lined SR black, a much less complex livery. 

 

Measured strategy, or potentially expensive mistake? Dunno, but in the meantime I'll stick to lining and numbering 1294. 

[truffy]

1 hour ago, Darius43 said:

Of course, being 1985, there was no internet/RMWeb on which to moan about my limited means.

 

Or to tell you that you'd misplaced a rivet. Simpler, happier times!