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Bachmann collectors club and others


TravisM
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I’m thinking of joining the Bachmann collectors club as well as another manufacturers but apart from the club magazine and a periodic model which I may but probably won’t want, are they worth joining? I’d like to hear some genuine reasons to join and the benefits of being in these clubs?

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Concerning Bachmann, membership of the Collectors' Club gives you four magazines and a club wagon each year.

The magazines are of good quality, the latest one being of around 60 glossy pages. They contain information on Bachmann/farish models in development, articles on Bachmann's products and processes, articles on history of UK railways with an insight into the different companies prior to grouping, articles on modern railways and classes of locomotives. A good read when it arrives every quarter.

The wagon may not be to your particular taste, they are usually small plank wagons more applicable to the steam era, occasionally we have had tanker wagons and a stell wagon. They are of good quality (as per Bachmann/Farish's main range) so do not look out of place on a layout, they certianly do not look like toys as per the old Hornby Collector's club locos.

The optional extras are essentially the limited edition locos/wagon/coaches that are available to buy. These are usually very interesting or even quirky choices. If you are modelling a specific era and/or location there is little chance that somethig will appear that will interest you. If you are into collecting models that are too eccentric for the main range, they will probably be right up your street.

The other big extra is the annual train trip. I went to the Llangollen Railway day out last year. These are free, you just have to get yourself to the heritage railway on the day. Places are limited so for events in the south of England you need to book early, as they are the most popular. These club days usually involve a trip on the railway concerned and guided visits to the locomotive and carriage sheds. You also get to meet the Bachmann team and ask qustions about their models.

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They are having problems at the moment evident on the web page with no online ordering possible. I phoned a week last Wednesday after doing the basic registering on line, gave them club number the registration had produced along with my card details and the wagon and membership card turned up on Friday (along with the J72 that I ordered at the time).

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You also get the catalogue.

 

Do you want the models that are available? I joined because I wanted the LMS liveried 08 as I remember the original one at Allerton. Since then I've bought about a dozen others. Most of them are a bit niche, but that's why I like them. Things like the XP64 Class 47.

 

I'm still pondering about getting Joem. I really wanted a BR black version but I might succumb as it does look good.

 

 

Jason

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Be aware though that whilst there is a fine selection of Collectors Club exclusive models in OO scale, the selection in N scale is by comparison decidedly mediocre which is why I dropped my membership last year.

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I personally don't think it is worth it, unless you perhaps go on the days out which are limited in numbers to say I think 100 out of their total membership but unless you book the day you receive the notification it is fully booked.

 

Magazine is OK, but information is generally available in other railway modelling magazines. The magazine obviously focuses solely on Bachmann products whereas other railway modelling magazines will you give you a broad view of the subject. There are articles both on historical and modern day railways and on preserved lines - but most information is the same as in other magazines if your purchase those - i.e. nothing new. There are articles on using Woodlands Scenics materials and Scenecraft buildings.

 

Really only useful if you want one of the special models, however these can get released to retailers i.e. 9F 92214 is available at the Great Central Railway shop at Loughborough. Past models have been released to a wide range of retailers in the past about a year to two years after becoming available, unless it is a popular model and gets sold out.

 

The free wagon every year is quite often available on ebay as it gets sent out to all members and a lot don't want it so a quick sale ensues.

 

Up to you - subscribe for a year and see what you think. A lot depends on which other magazines you read or where you get modelling info from and whether you want the special models. 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, marksouthdown said:

I personally don't think it is worth it,

 

That may be your perspective but to add a bit of balance from Bachmann:

 

Quote

 

Just looking at the last but one issue of the Bachmann Times, we cover the following topics that do not just replicate other newsagent's shelf titles, as follows.

 

The Class 20/3s - article by Pip Dunn

National Bus Years - by Steve Knight

GWR ex-ROD 2-8-0s - by Gavin Morrison

Photo Gallery - Scotland from archive of Dennis Taylor

Hull & Barnsley explained - by David Brown

 

Between them that comprises 19 from 64 pages of the publication, with some respected authors in there!

 

Regarding the Members Day, we had over 150 Club members join us at Llangollen in 2019, and we have never been over-subscribed, we took bookings up to a few weeks before, for the reason of securing catering, fundamentally.

 

 

Personally the magazine impresses me in that it is not just a corporate promotion but has genuine wider appeal and has included types which are not produced by Bachmann on occasion.

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3 minutes ago, AY Mod said:
Quote

Just looking at the last but one issue of the Bachmann Times

 

 

Why did they have to go to the "last but one", not the last one? ;)

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1 minute ago, truffy said:

Why did they have to go to the "last but one", not the last one?

 

That was the one on their desk at that very moment.

 

'Cos you're a bloody nuisance here's the content page of the current issue. :D

 

BachTimes Spring2020.jpg

 

Articles on the VoR which they don't produce anything for and some pics of stuff they don't make in the GNS article. Pics of EMUs in the Photo Gallery they don't make either. ;)

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33 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

Articles on the VoR which they don't produce anything for and some pics of stuff they don't make in the GNS article. Pics of EMUs in the Photo Gallery they don't make either. ;)

 

Don't produce anything......Yet?

 

Perhaps I'd better put my stirrer away...

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The Collectors Club Lounge at the larger shows is also very good as you can get very close-up views of new products and a chance to chat and ask questions of the staff. There is usually a welcome free bottle of water, too.

 

John

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I had a footplate ride, Winchcombe - Cheltenham - Toddington on this beast when they went to The GWR.

 

IMG_0235.JPG.b7dfa20dd3fc2077992512db571295a7.JPG

 

IMG_0225.JPG.08cb14c22305e21f8a72a36f40e669b1.JPG

 

That was worth alot more than the membership cost that year....

Mind you, the cost of a subsequent footplate experience on the same line for myself and 18yo daughter the following year was considerably more!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
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On 01/03/2020 at 09:55, Butler Henderson said:

They are having problems at the moment evident on the web page with no online ordering possible. I phoned a week last Wednesday after doing the basic registering on line, gave them club number the registration had produced along with my card details and the wagon and membership card turned up on Friday (along with the J72 that I ordered at the time).

 

The Bachmann Collectors Club can now be applied for online again: -

https://www.Bachmann-collectorsclub.co.uk/page/membership

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In the Autumn 2021 edition of the Bachmann Collectors Club magazine -Bachmann Tines, a new benefit for members was announced, the product warranty is increased for club members to 2 years, if the item was purchased from an authorised retailer and membership is maintained. Applies to Bachmann Branchline, Bachmann narrow gauge, Graham Farish and Bachmann Europe Thomas and Friends products. If I'm reading the info correctly, it applies to relevant products that were purchased before membership was taken out, for a period of two years from purchase.

Edited by rembrow
Correction
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39 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

I would expect you would have to have membership on the date on the receipt of the item you want repairing.

 

 

Jason

 

27 minutes ago, andyman7 said:

Not according to the reading of the Ts and Cs above

 

According to the news item on the Bachmann Website (my emphasis):

 

"As a club member, the standard warranty on products from these ranges will be extended by one year providing the claim is accompanied by a proof of purchase from an authorised Bachmann stockist, and that a valid membership is held at the time the claim is made."

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11 minutes ago, Suzy Sulzer said:

luxury ! I Have not had my copy yet.

 

As you've quoted a 2020 post of mine are you expecting me to resolve something for you? Try asking Bachmann when they're back in the office next week instead of me on a Friday evening. :huh:

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23 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

As you've quoted a 2020 post of mine are you expecting me to resolve something for you? Try asking Bachmann when they're back in the office next week instead of me on a Friday evening. :huh:

ooops, sorry my mistake. Good point about making contact ,the web Bachmann website appears to be down.

 

Aside from that one criticism i have of the 'Works Report' .This year 3 models in retooled form in OO gauge have emerged from Bachmann with out prior notification in the collectors club magazine, which was always the main focus of the magazine because you actually knew what was coming soon.

 

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On 13/08/2021 at 18:31, Suzy Sulzer said:

Aside from that one criticism i have of the 'Works Report' .This year 3 models in retooled form in OO gauge have emerged from Bachmann with out prior notification in the collectors club magazine, which was always the main focus of the magazine because you actually knew what was coming soon.

 

That's their new approach, not to announce anything until it is ready for release, they cannot list them on the works report as they would no longer be secret prior to the formal announcement. The result eventually should be their is no works report as everything will either be secret or produced.

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4 minutes ago, Butler Henderson said:

That's their new approach, not to announce anything until it is ready for release, they cannot list them on the works report as they would no longer be secret prior to the formal announcement. The result eventually should be their is no works report as everything will either be secret or produced.

And herein lies a major problem.

No room for feedback from experts, enthusiasts and customers during the devlopment process.

A recent example is the ski-slope on the V2 which, until it was raised here and elsewhere, it seemed Bachmann were happy to go ahead and produce.

 

The Class 47 also has at least one retrograde tooling choice compared to its predecessor (the tool join on the curve of the cab roof, rather than in line below the cab roof vent). Something that could have been raised at the EP stages and corrected if we were allowed to comment....

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