Graham Farish Spring 2022 Announcements

[woodenhead]

 

2 hours ago, Stuart A said:

Cheltenham Model Centre showing some new items in stock

 

https://cheltenhammodelcentre.com/model-railways/c-1173?sortby=popular&ppview=2&m=[Brands~Graham_Farish|Gauge~N]&minp=0.00&maxp=480.00&check_data=0

Interesting some items are available to order - i.e. in stock with Bachmann but they haven't taken delivery of any directly.  I would have thought a blue newspaper BG would be popular, I was thinking about picking one up if I see one at Doncaster.

[JR_P]

Now that there are images of the actual N gauge version of the Northern 150/2, it looks like Bachmann have updated their tooling for the Farish 150/2 to reflect the blanked-out toilet window where the larger accessible-compliant toilet is…. that being the case, that is a nice touch and shows they are prepared to invest in updating models in their Farish range - that is an encouraging sign (despite the continuing sluggish throughput).

 

Also, I notice that RoS are charging full price for the new DCC ready 08s…. at first I thought it was an oversight, but it is consistent across the range of liveries, so it must be intentional - does that mean they don’t feel there is enough margin in a 15% discounted 08….? Other retailers seem to still be offering the usual 15% discount. The DCC sound did have the usual discount offered…. not sure what to make of this….
 

I like to buy locos from RoS cos of their favourable returns policy…. but being circa £20 more expensive than other retailers, I can afford to pay return postage (even SD1pm) twice over and still not be out of pocket compared to paying the full price at RoS - interesting move from RoS…. guess I’ll be getting my new 08 from elsewhere….

[grahame]

4 hours ago, Crepello said:

. . .  won't the plastic wheels have to be replaced  and isn't painting, gloss varnishing, applying transfers and matt varnishing  required too? 

 

Yep, that's all part of the assembly requirements mentioned. It's what modelling is all about - it's a constructive hobby and pleasure and enjoyment can be derived from the effort. And should you require finer chassis these are also available.

 

[John M Upton]

Didn't Peco upgrade the chassis a little while back?  A couple of the KNR-2## kits seem to be new tooling from what I can see.

[meatloaf]

With the 08 now being sound fitted it should be possible in theory to upgrade any model to sound fitted now.

 

Id love a class 25 or 20

[fezza]

Really good to see the updated 150/2. Hope these sell well and hasten the arrival of the 158s.

 

Does anyone know if a new GWR 150 is planned?

[Paul.Uni]

22 minutes ago, fezza said:

Does anyone know if a new GWR 150 is planned?

We won't know until if and when Bachmann announce one in a future quarterly announcement.

[D9020 Nimbus]

I notice that recently RoS have been asking full price for the Bachmann Baldwin without sound, but giving discounts on the sound fitted version. Perhaps profits aren’t what they once were…

[acg5324]

The two class 150s, Mk1 BGs and Mk2s in stock at Monk Bar Modelshop in York along with the freight stock.

[Pmorgancym]

On 09/02/2022 at 10:49, boxbrownie said:

I have just looked at a brand new (well it was 15 years ago) boxed specs for a Kato 210-100 Loco I have on a shelf here, and the model spec'd length is 123mm the proto dims are 18.2 meters so that makes the model in actual fact 1:148......as near as knat's are bothered.

 

But I know it varies from model to model and source to source.

 

 

I have a Kato 210 of about that vintage and running wise it's Still far superior to anything I have from Bachmann or Dapol

[boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, Pmorgancym said:

I have a Kato 210 of about that vintage and running wise it's Still far superior to anything I have from Bachmann or Dapol

Sad isn’t it?

[Les1952]

On 09/02/2022 at 23:19, meatloaf said:

With the 08 now being sound fitted it should be possible in theory to upgrade any model to sound fitted now.

 

Id love a class 25 or 20

 

I'd like an 03 with stay alive included.  I'm not holding my breath....

 

Les

[John M Upton]

There were supposed to be some new 03's and 04's imminent but they seem to have disappeared.

[Kris]

8 hours ago, John M Upton said:

There were supposed to be some new 03's and 04's imminent but they seem to have disappeared.

Still showing as between April and June depending on exact model. These timings do make a mockery of Bachmann saying that models will be released in 3 months from announcement. 

[woodenhead]

So despite having a sound 08 now on order I've decided to hardwire my existing 04 and 08 rather than trade in - the values were quite low and I don't fancy a return to ebay so I thought what the hell I should get the soldering iron out, two Zimo chips purchased today.

 

Interesting there is a blue 08 currently on E-bay - not chipped so DC at 165 pound with 8 bids, not sure why so high when Rails had one of 70 quid today at Doncaster.

[Benn]

On 09/02/2022 at 19:47, grahame said:

 

Yep, that's all part of the assembly requirements mentioned. It's what modelling is all about - it's a constructive hobby and pleasure and enjoyment can be derived from the effort. And should you require finer chassis these are also available.

 

 

Hi Graham, 

What are these finer chassis you speak of, please? I'm after some decent 10ft steel chassis for some kits. 

I am aware that Peco are doing new tool N Scale wagons, and I think that includes some new chassis kits as well, hopefully, and all with metal tyred wheels.

The 40odd year old Peco chassis' (9ft ex.) offered with some of the NGS kits aren't great, and the fact you have to butcher them to such an extent to make them appear even remotely prototypical is not something I class as enjoyable... The plastic used isn't easy to work with. It's a shame you cannot buy the excellent NGS body kits without paying for a chassis that you don't really want, or indeed the NGS don't invest in their own, more accurate series of chassis kits. 

Once you have paid around £5 per van for the kit and paid for a new set of wheels and a new chassis because the ones that come with the kit are unsuitable, how much is left before you factor in the cost of the glues, varnish, decals and paint..? Even then, will it look as good as a Farish van after you've spent a few hours working on your kit? Unless you specifically want something that Farish don't do, depending on what level of accuracy you're aiming for and how much time you want to spend on it, I don't think £18-20 for a fully finished vehicle is that unreasonable really. 

[Bomag]

On 09/02/2022 at 19:47, grahame said:

 

Yep, that's all part of the assembly requirements mentioned. It's what modelling is all about -

 

 

Depends if you are modelling the railway as a whole or modelling individual vehicles. I saw a wonderfully modified/weathered Inverness Class 24 on a layout, hauling a rake of Mk2a coaches!

[Roy L S]

On 11/02/2022 at 22:31, Les1952 said:

 

I'd like an 03 with stay alive included.  I'm not holding my breath....

 

Les

HI Les

 

I have hardwired a baby Zimo chip into my 04, and it is hard to see where a stay alive could fit to be honest. It runs OK without on well laid clean clean track but bears absolutely no comparison to the NGS Hunslet performance wise. Personally I would say that in the 03 or 04 any thoughts of stay alive would involve an integral decoder/board in just the same way as the Hunslet. 

 

As a retail "offer" as opposed to the NGS one where the Society members benefits from a model delivered essentially at cost, I am not sure it could be achieved at a sensible RRP, after all the 03/04 are now retailing at £129.95 (£110.45 with max discount) just with a DCC socket, even without lights the price with DCC and stay alive on board would undoubtedly be significantly higher - what would people be willing pay? Another £15 on RRP or more very likely? 

 

As an aside, looking at the bonnet dimensions of the Hunslet, it would seem that there is now a coreless motor around that would fit in smaller tank locos like the J72, but again DCC on board as an integral part of the design seems the only viable way to deliver what the Market is unquestionably now demanding - DCC.

 

Regards

 

Roy

 

Roy

[grahame]

13 hours ago, Benn said:

Once you have paid around £5 per van for the kit and paid for a new set of wheels and a new chassis because the ones that come with the kit are unsuitable, how much is left before you factor in the cost of the glues, varnish, decals and paint..? Even then, will it look as good as a Farish van after you've spent a few hours working on your kit? Unless you specifically want something that Farish don't do, depending on what level of accuracy you're aiming for and how much time you want to spend on it, I don't think £18-20 for a fully finished vehicle is that unreasonable really. 

 

I don't think £18-20 is unreasonable but if you want cheaper (and there seems to be a lot of people clambering for lower prices) then a kit is the way to go. The NGS twin pack of BR/SR vans is £9.40 (so £4.70 each) and the decal sheet is £1.50 and will do at least four wagons (so less than 40p per van). The tiny amount of glue, paint and varnish is almost negligible but say an overestimate of 80p per wagon gives you a total of less than £6. Metal wheelset are around £1.20 an axle so another £2.40. And yes it is easy to make them look as good as a Farish RTR version. But it's horses for courses, you pays yer money and you takes yer choice. 

 

  

Edited February 13, 2022 by grahame

[John M Upton]

I am the other end of the equation, I would rather not have to pay for DCC onboard which I have no use for and never will (my HF electronic track cleaner won't like it for a starter), just an unnecessary extra expense for little benefit that I can see.

[njee20]

But you’re not having to pay for it are you? NGS hunslet aside it’s very unusual to have a DCC-only release. Removing PCBs and sockets wouldn’t make models cheaper as you’d have two smaller production runs. 

[Bomag]

1 hour ago, njee20 said:

But you’re not having to pay for it are you? NGS hunslet aside it’s very unusual to have a DCC-only release. Removing PCBs and sockets wouldn’t make models cheaper as you’d have two smaller production runs. 

 

The cost of redoing the chassis for 03/04/08 (and the others which are adding sound) is part of the reason for the increased cost of these models. For those of us on DC its wasted money. Farish would not change the design of a perfectly workable chassis unless they can justify charging a premium.  A chassis for a totally new model would not be to much different with a socket than without but with the 'upgrades' the extra design and manufacturing cost are down to one cause - DCC. To gratuitous and badly paraphrase grahame - a proper modder would not consider waiting for a RTR solution, they would have soldered on a DCC chip many years ago. 

[Benn]

3 hours ago, grahame said:

And yes it is easy to make them look as good as a Farish RTR version.

Is it? Not with the Peco chassis provided I don't think, and that was my point really. The other flat costs, as you quite correctly state, time and ability aside, are minimal, but if you genuinely want something that looks as good, runs as well, is accurate and detailed to the equivalent Farish SR Van standard, from that NGS kit, you do need to put another chassis under them, the two are totally incomparable.

 

I'm not aware of any plastic chassis kits in N that are suitable for the NGS kits, that hold their own when in a rake of Farish wagons. I have a load of kits that I'm building up for wagons that aren't available RTR, so I would be grateful if you can point me in the direction of some, as you mentioned above? I don't have the skills or tools to go down the brass construction route. Sly 70s funk reference there, as well... 

[Les1952]

8 hours ago, Roy L S said:

HI Les

 

I have hardwired a baby Zimo chip into my 04, and it is hard to see where a stay alive could fit to be honest. It runs OK without on well laid clean clean track but bears absolutely no comparison to the NGS Hunslet performance wise. Personally I would say that in the 03 or 04 any thoughts of stay alive would involve an integral decoder/board in just the same way as the Hunslet. 

 

As a retail "offer" as opposed to the NGS one where the Society members benefits from a model delivered essentially at cost, I am not sure it could be achieved at a sensible RRP, after all the 03/04 are now retailing at £129.95 (£110.45 with max discount) just with a DCC socket, even without lights the price with DCC and stay alive on board would undoubtedly be significantly higher - what would people be willing pay? Another £15 on RRP or more very likely? 

 

As an aside, looking at the bonnet dimensions of the Hunslet, it would seem that there is now a coreless motor around that would fit in smaller tank locos like the J72, but again DCC on board as an integral part of the design seems the only viable way to deliver what the Market is unquestionably now demanding - DCC.

 

Regards

 

Roy

 

Roy

 

Agreed.  What a shame there is absolutely no chance whatever of Bachmann/Farish wanting to use the board developed for the Hunslet despite the involvement of Colin Allbright in the design.  It would unlock the thorny problem of doing a J72 in N.  However Dapol are aware of the board and Andy may be more amenable to try one.

 

I have a pair of hardwired 03s available as Werklok 3 and 4 on Bregenbach im Schwarzwald (with a maroon Hunslet now running as Werklok 5).  They cope fine with the Fleischmann points and sharp curves on the layout, though the prototypically steep 1 in 25 gradient limits them to two beer vans each if they're sent out on a transfer trip.  the Hunslet will get its first outing at Crewe in May.

 

All the very best

Les

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Les1952
typos

[woodenhead]

I’ve a a sound 08 on order, but my big plan to sell my existing 08 and 04 took an interesting turn when I bought two mini Zimo chips yesterday at Doncaster and hardwired them into the locos today.

 

Do I want sound that badly that I’ll end up with three shunters or could that couple of hundred go on whatever Revolution announce at Glasgow?

 

Decisions, decisions