bmthtrains - David Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I bought one of these today, with the view to see how easy it is to 'modernise' it, so thought I'd post some photos before I took it apart and resprayed it. Very nice little model it is too, finely moulded, with very clear printing. For £7, good value as well I think. A long time waiting for these, but worth it I think. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Already being discussed in the 'Scenery, Structure and Transport Forum' David... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/49106-Bachmann-n-gauge-buses-scenecraft/page__fromsearch__1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted December 15, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 15, 2011 The glazing particularly the windscreen looks to be a letdown. Obviously the photos are much enlarged from the real thing but even so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloucester Road Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I bought one of these today, with the view to see how easy it is to 'modernise' it, so thought I'd post some photos before I took it apart and resprayed it. Very nice little model it is too, finely moulded, with very clear printing. For £7, good value as well I think. A long time waiting for these, but worth it I think. David Thanks for posting pictures. I had the same idea about modernising this one, will be interested to see how yours turns out. Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium richierich Posted December 15, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 15, 2011 Its a shrunk EFE Leyland National Mk1! The printing looks to be very fine. The wheels need tidying up so they fill the wheel arches properly. I'll be heading to my local retailer tomorrow to pick some up (assuming they have some!) along with the Bristol VR and Bristol RELH ECW 1964 style coach Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted December 16, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 16, 2011 The glazing particularly the windscreen looks to be a letdown. Obviously the photos are much enlarged from the real thing but even so. The windscreen moulding looks like it needs to be pushed inwards to be more flush at the sides. The Leyland National Mk1 front is a subtle shape and minor positioning errors like this shout loud. Conversely the side windows are recessed too much. These may be features of individual assembly and possibly correctable. Hattons have a picture of the Bristol VRT which looks slightly better assembled and captures the prototype well to my eye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted December 16, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 16, 2011 That might be part of it Simon, but what caught my eye are the stress marks / cracks that appear to be on the windscreen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Is the Bristol VR in the first batch of buses to be released? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackSt Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Are these the Bristol VRT's that you had in mind? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium richierich Posted December 16, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 16, 2011 Here are some pics of the United Bristol VR Series 3 and Royal Blue Bristol RELH / ECW Coach 1964 style I picked up today:- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROADTRAIN1979 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Yes, i have both my harrington trent coaches , these look great ,worth waiting for, just need some mirrors is all. Mark. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted December 17, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 17, 2011 It has been established in the discussion mentioned in post 2 of this thread that these models are not to scale. They seem to be approximately 1:160 though with some variation within individual vehicles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oreamnos Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 It has been established in the discussion mentioned in post 2 of this thread that these models are not to scale. They seem to be approximately 1:160 though with some variation within individual vehicles. Yes, the VRT and RELH which I just recieved and just measured with a PECO British N Scale rule are both noticably underscale. The double deck VRT is about a foot and a half too low in scale height, and the RELH is about 3 scale feet too short in length. Extremely disappointing and a waste of money. It is too bad because they are nice models, but they really aren't suitable for a British outline layout given how noticably underscale they are. They would be much more appropriate for a 1:160 layout. But who does a 1:160 British outline layout? IMHO, Bachmann/Farish really dropped the ball here. I should mention that although the packaging for both buses states "N Scale Buses," nowhere on either package (or on the buses themselves) does it state the actual scale. I was really looking foward to getting these but having received them am frankly quite disappointed. I cannot recommend them and will be returning them. Looks like I will stick with Oxford Diecast for now. Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZmodeller Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Hi everyone, Thanks for the warning about the scale, I already have some Oxford Diecast buses so the discrepancy would be even more obvious if the 2 scales were placed side by side. What a shame, they look like nice models. May look ok towards the back of the layout with some 1/160 figures at the bus stop. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 It is a shame. The printed detail is very good too; you can read details like the black on silver 'LEYLAND NATIONAL' badge, though perhaps not when its at the back of the layout! Now what am I to make a 1:148 LEV from? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steven B Posted January 6, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 6, 2012 These buses wouldn't be too bad put at the back of a layout where their small size could be used with forced perspective. It is a bit disapointing though - I was looking forward to building LEV and the Leyland bodied Mk1 too. Happy modelling. Steven B. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hey. Could anybody recommend if GF have done a bus/coach that might be suitable of a North Wales layout circa late 70's / early 80's? I'd like a vehicle for my backscene, but I know nout about em. Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hey. Could anybody recommend if GF have done a bus/coach that might be suitable of a North Wales layout circa late 70's / early 80's? I'd like a vehicle for my backscene, but I know nout about em. Regards Lee The Bristol RELH lasted in to the late 70s and the VR and National are mid 1970s- early 80s production, and Crosvile had examples of all those three. (I'm just curious where you are sourcing the 1:160 scale UK rolling stock to match though... ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Perversely, this may be the one use where the undernourished models come into their own. If Lee wants to use for back-scene, a 1:160 bus will force perspective a wee bit, so won't be as bad as using at the front of house or, dare I say it, posed on a bridge! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeharvey22 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 (I'm just curious where you are sourcing the 1:160 scale UK rolling stock to match though... ) The Roco VTG Ferrywagon might be the only piece. In today's times of course the Kato Class 66 in ECR livery and the Eurostar would be about the limit. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Has anyone raised the scale issue with Bachmann? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oreamnos Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Well, when I sent the buses I bought back to Hattons for a refund, I enclosed a letter wherein I suggested Hattons might wish to tell Bachmann Europe PLC that because of the wrong scale the entire inventory of Farish buses Hattons had purchased was defective. They certainly are not suitable for purpose! Does anyone from Bachmann read this board? I know Dapol Dave from Dapol does, but I've never seen anyone post here who has identified himself as an official representative of Bachmann. When you consider the number of person-hours spent on concept, design, marketing, and manufacture, not to mention the capital spent, I think these wrong-scaled buses will go down as one of Bachmann's more costly screw-ups. I mean, it's not just one bus - it's a complete series of them. What a complete waste. When I think of the first Ixion Manor, and now these buses, I have to ask how such basic errors in scale can happen. I have no product design or engineering background, but surely getting the scale right must be the first thing that is considered and solved before basic design work begins when your business is the making of SCALE models? Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROADTRAIN1979 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hi ,i have two harrington coaches these look great but ,as these will be on the road and not parked up it doesnt notice. Mark. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bingley hall Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Has anyone raised the scale issue with Bachmann? I'm reserving judgement until I see one in the flesh when I'm over visiting family in April. The real pity would be that if sales are poor due to the scale issue, whether Bachmann/Farish would consider any further models in this range, especially given the long lead time experienced with these. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Well, when I sent the buses I bought back to Hattons for a refund, I enclosed a letter wherein I suggested Hattons might wish to tell Bachmann Europe PLC that because of the wrong scale the entire inventory of Farish buses Hattons had purchased was defective. They certainly are not suitable for purpose! Similar feedback given when I cancelled an order (via a different retailer). Hopefully they will feed back to the Bachmann reps... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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