Farish and Blue Riband

[ThaneofFife]

Was browsing the Farish website to see if there was any updates on the forthcoming Class 87 releases and noticed that a large number of model locos listed (the majority in fact) have a Blue Riband logo next to them.  The Class 87s however dont.

 

Just what does this logo mean?  Are models without it simply older Poole tooling yet to be updated?

I know the 87 and the 90 are both dated models without any lights so is this the difference?   Are they even DCC ready?

[TomE]

I believe it is to differentiate between models from the old Poole range and the new China range. The exceptions to this are the V2 and Class 170, which whilst released after the Bachmann take over were still Poole designed.

 

I would think by now there are not many non blue riband models left in the range at all.

 

Tom.

[frobisher]

I believe it is to differentiate between models from the old Poole range and the new China range.

Or at least to distinguish from models not tooled up in the style of the old Poole range.

 

The MK1 Super BGs are definitely an all Bachmann tooling but very Poole like and are not Blue Ribbon, and there's a couple of the wagons as well. Predominantly there are as you say old Poole items though.

 

If something is Blue Ribbon there's a good chance it will have NEM coupling pockets (with a close coupling mechanism on carriages) and if powered, DCC ready. But there are quite a exceptions to that rule.

[valeofyork]

I know the 87 and the 90 are both dated models without any lights so is this the difference?   Are they even DCC ready?

 

Don't think any 87s are DCC ready. I've got 87001 in Virgin livery produced three or four years ago, and that's not.

 

It looks a bit dated, but overall it's not a bad model - certainly better than the 90 and 91 with the sagging bufferbeams!

[ThaneofFife]

Thanks.surprised the 87 doesnt even have a dcc socket.i like the overall shape but dcc ready with lights would be nice at some point.

[Kris]

Given the sales of electric locos I suspect that a retool is likely to be some time off.

[valeofyork]

Given the sales of electric locos I suspect that a retool is likely to be some time off.

 

Indeed. They always seem to end up heavily discounted by the likes of Hattons, etc.

[johnlambert]

Interestingly some of the Bachman Farish Stanier coaches were not marked as Blue Ribband despite having all the fine detail, NEM pockets, flush glazing, etc of Blue Ribband products.  Conversely, I have two 57-foot BR Mk1 Suburban coaches, one with "Blue Ribband" on the box and one without and they are exactly the same (sprung coupling and all).

[frobisher]

Interestingly some of the Bachman Farish Stanier coaches were not marked as Blue Ribband despite having all the fine detail, NEM pockets, flush glazing, etc of Blue Ribband products.  Conversely, I have two 57-foot BR Mk1 Suburban coaches, one with "Blue Ribband" on the box and one without and they are exactly the same (sprung coupling and all).

I suspect this is down to when Bachmann adopted the Blue Riband designation for the Farish range and it was applied retroactively to certain existing products. The Staniers were the very first coaches with the close coupling mechanism and NEM pockets and I think the designation came in the next year when the BR Maroon ones were introduced (first batches were Crimson and Cream, LMS Maroon), and both the MK1 Pullmans and Suburbans predate these. All of these are marked Blue Riband in the current online product listing.