More model ideas

[Mark Dickerson]

...and yours for £650 for a full set. 🫣 I wonder how many half-sets are being preordered. I "um" and "ah".

[50025]

Having received my Mark 2bs yesterday, I would say all Mark 2 variants! The quality of these coaches takes things to a new level.

 

Oh and obviously some 40s to pull them!

[The Johnster]

6 hours ago, Islesy said:

Your two other points regarding Hattons and Rails are both valid, but to nip any new scuttlebut in the making, that was not the case with the Large Prairie.

The Collet non-gangways and the Large Prairie were part of a combined project, and were meant to arrive at the same time, but the Prairie was delayed in production. The Development team were well advanced with the Prairie when Dapol announced, it was just an unfortunate duplication, just as our Manor and theirs was an unfortunate duplication.

 

All the best,

Paul

 

Well, you're as close to the horse's mouth as I'm ever going to get on this subject, Paul.  But it did look as if the prairie, which one assumes was intended to be released at around the same time as the Collett non-gangways, was held back to prioritise the new Hornby Terrier to get it out in time to beat the Rails model, in which case of course that would explain the delay that coincidentally looked like intentional duplication of the Dapol large prairie.  To be fair to Hornby, the Dapol model was announced a very long time before it appeared, and had the release of the Hornby prairie taken place around the same time as the Collett non-gangways as was presumably the original intention, the move would not have looked so aggressive or cynical.  Sometimes things are not quite as they appear, though, and I therefore unreservedly withdraw my remarks concerning any marketing ploy behind the timing of the Hornby large prairie release, in the interests of nipping any new scuttlebut in the making.

[Hal Nail]

On 01/03/2024 at 13:04, Tim Dubya said:

Was it too difficult/expensive for the target market with the research and tooling costs?

I may be misunderstanding but I dont think you can claim the genesis coaches saved on development cost. The Hatton's thread involved a collosal amount of discussion on what features would be "typical" which they tried to incorporate through many CAD revisions.

 

These were clearly well thought out for the intended market. I suspect that they felt simply producing accurate coaches in fake liveries would have satisfied far less people than what they put a lot of time and effort into doing.

 

Semi-related, I've often wondered what the actual difference in sales are between something brilliant and something decidely average. There are several examples of a really good model and rather obviously poorer alternative and yet both seem equally popular on here. In the middle of a discussion about something having too many wheels, you'll always get someone chip in with "I'm not a rivet counter and they are doing it in fushia, so I'll be getting one".

 

[Dunsignalling]

8 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

 

Semi-related, I've often wondered what the actual difference in sales are between something brilliant and something decidely average. There are several examples of a really good model and rather obviously poorer alternative and yet both seem equally popular on here. In the middle of a discussion about something having too many wheels, you'll always get someone chip in with "I'm not a rivet counter and they are doing it in fushia, so I'll be getting one".

 

 

Surprising what fan-boys will overlook so long as the item comes in the right colour box.

 

And what some others will tolerate if they think they are getting a "bargain".....

 

The don't-know-don't-care brigade are just the flip-side of rivet counting. 🤡

 

Edited March 3 by Dunsignalling

[reddragon]

Ally Pally announcement confirmed, an OO gauge kettle, lol

 

[Tim Dubya]

39 minutes ago, reddragon said:

Ally Pally announcement confirmed, an OO gauge kettle, lol

 

 

G6 then 😕

[Steamport Southport]

7 minutes ago, Tim Dubya said:

 

G6 then 😕

 

Can't see it myself. All gone by 1929.

 

Quite cute if you like that sort of thing....

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Tim Dubya]

18 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Can't see it myself. All gone by 1929.

 

Quite cute if you like that sort of thing....

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

Na!

 

These, one lasted 'til 1962:

 

 

I'd have a pair for starters.

 

Edited March 7 by Tim Dubya
gibbajabba

[XChris]

1 hour ago, reddragon said:

Ally Pally announcement confirmed, an OO gauge kettle, lol

 

I don’t mind a new kettle, just give me one that’s still on the mainline today! A new K4, 8F or a Jubilee…

[newbryford]

Time for them to do a unit.

325 or electrostar is my guess

[younGGuns7]

Warship sorry it needs doing to the new spec 

[wombatofludham]

I noticed a semi-reveal on Facebook today when you uploaded the formation diagram for the Northern Irish Mk2b-c fleet where you mention a forthcoming release of the coaches in the gorgeous but unusual Caribbean Blue and Morocco Red original livery, which makes me wonder if you are about to announce a 101 class Hunslet to go with them.  Given the Hunslets were effectively a revised "Whistling Wardrobe" I do wonder if a Class 20 using the same mechanicals might be in the planning stage?

[66033]

Would love a 325…. 
 

but a Class 86 produced by accurascale… I would be terrified for my bank balance 🙈 would want at least 10 locomotives.
 

The number of liveries carried by over 100 locomotives which operated for 50 years…. Some serious sales to be had by producing the ultimate 86. 

[No Decorum]

14 hours ago, XChris said:

I don’t mind a new kettle, just give me one that’s still on the mainline today! A new K4, 8F or a Jubilee…

Bachmann’s Jubilees are decent models, although some variants would be welcome. However, a K4 has not been produced RTR before. If wide firebox LNER locos which existed in low numbers can be produced, why not a K4?

[rob D2]

There’s lots of units to go at, but can they be produced at a price point that sells ? Bachmann eye watering EMU prices are a case in hand .

 

If I was Accura I’d watch and see how the revolution 321 goes first 

[BVMR21]

If it were a kettle, a Stanier 8F would make some sense given the 16 ton mineral wagons, but I do wonder if it's more likely we'll see a new coach tooling announced or, possibly more likely, wagons...

[reddragon]

33 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

There’s lots of units to go at, but can they be produced at a price point that sells ? Bachmann eye watering EMU prices are a case in hand .

 

If I was Accura I’d watch and see how the revolution 321 goes first 

Based on the AS prices for Irish units, I think we're fine.

 

If they're the quality of the Mk 2Bs, they'd sell and with AS sales model, they'd manufacture to demand in batches.

 

The Electrostar would be the best for this, livery after livery and new liveries to follow in the real world.

[Dunsignalling]

59 minutes ago, No Decorum said:

Bachmann’s Jubilees are decent models, although some variants would be welcome. However, a K4 has not been produced RTR before. If wide firebox LNER locos which existed in low numbers can be produced, why not a K4?

 

Below Hornby's minimum number of wheels? 😉

 

[farren]

16 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

Below Hornby's minimum number of wheels? 😉

 

The LNER P1 has enough wheels but is it shiny enough. 
 

The Jubilee is a good candidate but would Bachmann also realise this and be working on a new model, same as the 8f in Hornby’s case.
The humble Jinty could be upgraded Hornby’s model must be close to 50 years old and Bachmann’s is knocking on now and is lacking the in some detail. 
 

Has im concentrating on 1980/90s for now at least. A class 86 would be good, 

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

Below Hornby's minimum number of wheels? 😉

 

 

Hornby already do an LNER 2-6-0 though!

 

Got two of the things and I don't even model the LNER....

 

 

Jason

[rob D2]

1 hour ago, reddragon said:

Based on the AS prices for Irish units, I think we're fine.

 

If they're the quality of the Mk 2Bs, they'd sell and with AS sales model, they'd manufacture to demand in batches.

 

The Electrostar would be the best for this, livery after livery and new liveries to follow in the real world.

In your opinion of course , How many times do we hear “ they’d sell” which roughly translated means “ It’s what I want “.

I hear electrostar a lot - is this purely a london area unit ?( besides the rainbow colours with each franchise change ), if so how many people model the contemporary third rail railway ? 
 

A fraction of a fraction I’d guess at .

 

As a model manufacturer surely you go after the most popular stuff , financial gambles not really needed ?

[Dunsignalling]

5 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Hornby already do an LNER 2-6-0 though!

 

Got two of the things and I don't even model the LNER....

 

 

Jason

 

Hence the 😉

 

I'm allergic to steam locos with numbers beginning with a 6 (curly or otherwise).

 

(Note the absence of a 😉).

 

John 

Edited March 8 by Dunsignalling

[reddragon]

1 hour ago, rob D2 said:

In your opinion of course , How many times do we hear “ they’d sell” which roughly translated means “ It’s what I want “.

I hear electrostar a lot - is this purely a london area unit ?( besides the rainbow colours with each franchise change ), if so how many people model the contemporary third rail railway ? 
 

A fraction of a fraction I’d guess at .

 

As a model manufacturer surely you go after the most popular stuff , financial gambles not really needed ?

As far as I know, Kings Lynn, Peterborough, Bedford, and Cardiff are not in London. Nor Brighton, Dover or Southend.

 

You can model most Southern Routes, LTS, Great Eastern, Great Northern, Midland and Great Western. No other unit type offers this, so that's half the British population covered!

 

In time these units will spread North, but as tested on the WCML from Crewe (not in London), anyone could model them.

 

PS - Southern class 401,402,403,410,411,412,414,416,419,423,450,466,438,491 units have sold well enough, so clearly plenty of Southern DC modellers out there!

Edited March 8 by reddragon

[wombatofludham]

1 hour ago, rob D2 said:

In your opinion of course , How many times do we hear “ they’d sell” which roughly translated means “ It’s what I want “.

I hear electrostar a lot - is this purely a london area unit ?( besides the rainbow colours with each franchise change ), if so how many people model the contemporary third rail railway ? 
 

A fraction of a fraction I’d guess at .

 

As a model manufacturer surely you go after the most popular stuff , financial gambles not really needed ?

Given Irish Railway Models are progressing Iarnrod Eireann's 3,4 and 6 car Rotem Inter City units in a much smaller market, which is a design that as I've said before is a bit "Marmite" with fans of the Irish scene having effectively killed off most loco haulage in the country, I think what modellers consider an economic case and what the likes of Accurascale (and Revolution and Cavalex) consider they can make a go of aren't the same.

A carefully tooled Electrostar would open up an untapped market.  Don't forget too they regularly (i.e.are timetabled) work into Wales on Cardiff-Paddington services off peak, and at the moment no-one knows where the ex Anglia units will rock up which are in storage following their replacement by Flirts on West Anglia, so despite me not wanting one, I can see there would be a market and given their experience in making affordable Marmite units for the Irish market, I can see Accurascale not sharing your observation.