Bachmann Pick 'n mix?

[kintbury jon]

Evening all,

 

It may be worth contacting Bachmann about this but I thought i'd air it here first.

 

What with Bachmann now releasing the 205 (2H) and the 2EPB I wondered whether there was an opportunity to release unnumbered vehicles so that the modeller can choose what they wish to model. Bachmann will be producing:

 

1) 205 Driving Motor Second

2) 205 Driving Trailer Composite

3) 416 Driving motor Brake Second

4) 416 Driving Trailer Second

It is also assumed that they will produce:

5) 205 Trailer Second

 

Visually (I am not counting close details) I think that one could produce:

 

205 (2H) 2 car (using 1 & 2 - to be released anyway)

205 (3H) 3 car (using 1, 5 & 2 - to be released anyway)

204 (3T) 3 car (using 1, 4 & 2)

416 (2EPB) 2 car (using 3 & 4 - to be released anyway)

414 (2HAP) 2 car (using 3 & 2)

415 (4EPB) 4 car (using 3,5,5,3)

 

Using a standard livery (say blue/grey) the modeller would have lots of choice in what they could model.

 

I know that quantities of each type produced might need to be thought through though surely it's no different to their coaches currnetly produced.

 

Any thoughts on this?

[Tom Bayford]

And a 4-Cig coaches:mellow:

[Oldddudders]

Evening all,

 

It may be worth contacting Bachmann about this but I thought i'd air it here first.

 

What with Bachmann now releasing the 205 (2H) and the 2EPB I wondered whether there was an opportunity to release unnumbered vehicles so that the modeller can choose what they wish to model. Bachmann will be producing:

 

1) 205 Driving Motor Second

2) 205 Driving Trailer Composite

3) 416 Driving motor Brake Second

4) 416 Driving Trailer Second

It is also assumed that they will produce:

5) 205 Trailer Second

 

Visually (I am not counting close details) I think that one could produce:

 

205 (2H) 2 car (using 1 & 2 - to be released anyway)

205 (3H) 3 car (using 1, 5 & 2 - to be released anyway)

204 (3T) 3 car (using 1, 4 & 2)

416 (2EPB) 2 car (using 3 & 4 - to be released anyway)

414 (2HAP) 2 car (using 3 & 2)

415 (4EPB) 4 car (using 3,5,5,3)

 

Using a standard livery (say blue/grey) the modeller would have lots of choice in what they could model.

 

I know that quantities of each type produced might need to be thought through though surely it's no different to their coaches currnetly produced.

 

Any thoughts on this?

If a 3T is a Tadpole, then this isn't gonna cut much mustard. The two ex-Hastings vehicles in a Tadpole were, as the name implies, distinctly narrow-minded, being Restriction 0, and thus utterly slab-sided, with no tumblehome.

[kintbury jon]

You're thinking of the class 206 Tadpole units. When they were dispanded, four of the driving trailers were inserted into (the last?) 2 car 205's. They were still called 3T's though.

 

http://en.wikipedia...._Rail_Class_204

 

EDIT: 3R's were the tadpole units

[Oldddudders]

You're thinking of the class 206 Tadpole units. When they were dispanded, four of the driving trailers were inserted into (the last?) 2 car 205's. They were still called 3T's though.

 

http://en.wikipedia...._Rail_Class_204

 

EDIT: 3R's were the tadpole units

I thought it was too obviously wrong to be right! Thanks!

[Guest Phil]

You're thinking of the class 206 Tadpole units. When they were dispanded, four of the driving trailers were inserted into (the last?) 2 car 205's. They were still called 3T's though.

 

http://en.wikipedia...._Rail_Class_204

 

EDIT: 3R's were the tadpole units

 

 

 

Am I right in thinking that the cab ends were painted blue on the intermediate cars of these units ? I remember seeing one in Southampton once. Didn't they work a Pompey-Salisbury service via Soton ?

 

I know there was something strange about the intermediate cabs.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... What with Bachmann now releasing the 205 (2H) and the 2EPB I wondered whether there was an opportunity to release unnumbered vehicles so that the modeller can choose what they wish to model. .. Any thoughts on this?

They have given me cause to believe thay are not very keen on un-numbered models as the number of purchasers falls significantly short of their minimum batch size. In any case, unless they apply the numbers etc. differently on these models, removal of the numbers is usually so easy as to make the models effectively un-numbered for those of us who wish to fool around...

 

I would imagine they will in time produce some of the pick'n'mix combinations you mentioned, either on their own account or as commissions. But if you can find like minded others with the right requirements, then using your own nomenclature let me offer the following formula:

 

2(1,5,2) + 2(3,4) = 2(1,4,2) +(3,5,5,3)

 

In other words if a group of three people can be found, two requiring a class 205(3H), and one wanting a class 415, then by the purchase of two each of the class 205(2H) and class 416, and a rearrangement of the vehicles, this can potentially be achieved. The fly in the ointment might be where the motors are installed. Since 5 is an 'add on trailer' for the 205 there is no chance of it having a motor, in which case the motor needs to be in 3, and therefore not in 4, for this exchange programme to work.

 

That might be worth writing to Bachmann about, that the motors go in the right vehicles to give maximum potential for the pick'n'mix combinations, just in case they have not thought ahead that far. I would imagine some of the SEMG people may have given this some thought already, may be worth asking around.

[kintbury jon]

I would expect the motors to only be in 1 and 3 (as per prototype). You're probably right in that they may not make as much on this and bog standard purchasers may be put off.

 

It just seems that these unlike the units they have produced (DMU's and the 411) these two upcoming models offer a wider range of classes.

[RFS]

For a 4-EPB you'd really need an unpowered motor coach as with the 4-CEP.

 

Also underframe details could be quite different, plus a 2-HAP will need pick-up shoes adding to a 205 driving trailer.

 

Personally I wouldn't fancy having to renumber coaches - both coach numbers, unit numbers etc.

 

Really can't see Bachmann (or Hornby) producing other than RTR models, and ones that are accurate in all possible respects

[pete_mcfarlane]

There are actually quite a lot of detail differences between BR Mk1 suburban EMUs, mainly depending on whether they have 1951 or 1957 type control gear. 2-EPB and 4-EPB motor coaches have completely different roof and underframes for example*. And then there are at least 4 different batches of 2-HAP.

 

So it's not really a case of making the coaches available separately and then mixing and matching, at least not without a fair amount of kit bashing.

 

 

(* Except for the 4-EPBs that were formed using 2-EPB motor coaches!)

[The Evil Bus Driver]

I thought it was too obviously wrong to be right! Thanks!

 

 

I am sure they have quite a few ex hastings coaches in St Leonards depot. In fact, once I was in contact with them and they sent me some pictures of what is in there, and there are some real gems hidden in the back corners. Also I'm sure they have enough coaches to make a tadpole unit at some point in the future.

 

In fact, two of the power cars were involved in the Appledore derailment of 1980

 

 

[griffgriff]

Am I right in thinking that the cab ends were painted blue on the intermediate cars of these units ? I remember seeing one in Southampton once. Didn't they work a Pompey-Salisbury service via Soton ?

 

 

yes and yes...

 

I can't remember if they painted out the windows rail blue (probably not????) but I do remember them being at least very filthy.

[Flying Pig]

yes and yes...

 

I can't remember if they painted out the windows rail blue (probably not????)

Looks like they didn't.

[kintbury jon]

Looks like they didn't.

 

 

Excellent link. Interesting to see the removed buffers too.