Bachmann Autumn 2022 Announcements inc. Farish headlines

[luke_stevens]

2 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Was the Bachmann one already in works as 043 when accurascale announced theirs ? That’s the only reason I can think for going head to head on a specific loco.

 

 

I would understand if Bac had done tooling for a specific loco but "just" for a livery? Acc announced 37043 in Feb 20. That's 2.5y for Bac to change their planned number. From the Bachmann Collectors Club magazine livery samples are usually 8m or so before production. Bac will already have known that Acc was going to do 043 when they decided to do 043, which is disappointing.

 

Luke

[PaulRhB]

10 hours ago, jools1959 said:

it’s always seems that the West Highland Line one’s are done and missing out the IS based Far North Line versions.

I guess because more people tended to do the Mallaig and Kyle lines on holiday and consequently most books and videos cover those over the far north lines keeping the memories alive. There’s just more exposure and perceived market for them I suppose. 
Certainly it was trips to Oban, Mallaig and the Kyle that got me hooked as that’s where the parents took us to see Skye, Spean Bridge etc. 

[No Decorum]

18 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

I can’t provide you with a video but I already operate both new releases successfully on dc analogue using a Gaugemaster Combi. I get start up.idling,running /accelerating  ,coasting,the odd squeal etc. I made a conscious decision on the strength of recent experience with their new 47.  Worth it ? You bet it is. Adds a new dimension and yes the fan works intermittently…as it is intended to do. Absolutely delighted.

My layout is old and scenically a disgrace. I did wire it so that each section of track could be switched to one of four controllers. Then came DCC. No sooner had I decided that I wanted to start converting easily convertible locos than along came sound and I was a convert. I removed one of my analogue controllers and replaced it with a DCC controller. I have to be careful that I don’t fry an analogue loco by putting it on a DCC powered section but I find I can run analogue and DCC locos together on different sections. There is an awful lot more you can do with a DCC controller than an analogue one. If you like the Bachmann sound, it might be worth having a think about a DCC controller. I have an NCE Powercab. I like it and it is cheaper than a Bachmann 37 or 47 with sound and spinners.

 

What can I do? Driver’s door unlatches, then slams. Imaginary driver turns on cab light to hang up his coat and find his controls. He switches on his running lights and cranks the engine. It grinds away then fails to start. Bachmann hasn’t thought to provide an expletive yet. 😀 More grinding, then, when you want it to, the engine catches and settles down. The driver turns off his cab light, sounds his horn (multiple choices) and goes to his train. Buffers clash (tricky to time this just right) and couples up. He turns off his headlights and swaps cabs. Off go the tail lights and on go the headlights. Carriage doors slam. When the guard whistles, he toots an acknowledgement and eases into motion. There’s lots more such as brake sounds and flange squeals. What is seldom mentioned is that sound can be turned off in DCC so that if you want to do some running in or just set up a scene, you can do it quickly instead of waiting for realistic operation. Then there are the glories of steam.

 

Apologies. Just a thought that got out of control.

[rob D2]

47 minutes ago, luke_stevens said:

 

I would understand if Bac had done tooling for a specific loco but "just" for a livery? Acc announced 37043 in Feb 20. That's 2.5y for Bac to change their planned number. From the Bachmann Collectors Club magazine livery samples are usually 8m or so before production. Bac will already have known that Acc was going to do 043 when they decided to do 043, which is disappointing.

 

Luke

In which case for blue box it's less russian roulette and more kamikaze 

[PaulRhB]

13 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

In which case for blue box it's less russian roulette and more kamikaze 

Don’t forget Bachmann’s retail network is still a lot bigger and those who aren’t web news saturated probably aren’t that aware of Accurascale yet, plus those who missed out on the Accurascale ones. 
Sure it’s a little disappointing for those of us who’d have liked two different locos, like many others I won’t shift my order over, but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem shifting them albeit maybe not as fast as an alternative number. 
I’d also guess some are breathing a sigh of relief with the current squeeze as two desirable £200 locos arriving within a month or two might have forced them to miss out on one. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by PaulRhB

[luke_stevens]

48 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

Sure it’s a little disappointing for those of us who’d have liked two different locos, like many others I won’t shift my order over, but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem shifting them albeit maybe not as fast as an alternative number. 
 

 

I suppose the question is: If Bac had done a different number would you have bought a second one, after the Acc? If "yes" or "maybe" then Bac have missed a trick.

 

Luke

[Delta_Who]

Personally, I don't see the issue of duplicates. More options, and a retailer is just defending their market reach. Would much prefer to be in that situation than having a rarity of manufacturers. 
Part of the reason I'm starting to dislike more of Sam's Trains videos, who seems to relish more in mining at drama lately.

[TomScrut]

1 hour ago, PaulRhB said:

Sure it’s a little disappointing for those of us who’d have liked two different locos, like many others I won’t shift my order over, but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem shifting them albeit maybe not as fast as an alternative number. 

 

I agree, they will sell, just that the market will be slightly limited vs if it was a different loco.

[adb968008]

2 hours ago, luke_stevens said:

 

I would understand if Bac had done tooling for a specific loco but "just" for a livery? Acc announced 37043 in Feb 20. That's 2.5y for Bac to change their planned number. From the Bachmann Collectors Club magazine livery samples are usually 8m or so before production. Bac will already have known that Acc was going to do 043 when they decided to do 043, which is disappointing.

 

Luke

Thats competition for you.

 

tbh 1 number isnt going to hurt, it will prevent scalpers cashing in on 043 from AS though.

[PaulRhB]

2 hours ago, luke_stevens said:

 

I suppose the question is: If Bac had done a different number would you have bought a second one, after the Acc? If "yes" or "maybe" then Bac have missed a trick.

Not really if they sell they’ve got our attention and still got us hooked for the next one. The key will be who announces first and gets the pre orders in on a less desirable model, that’s where Bachmann couldn’t respond immediately to Accurascale’s 37 announcement and carries more risk. 
 

The safer bets would be the un-named locos but I bet the ‘celebrities’ sell much better. 
 

plus there’s 

3 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

also guess some are breathing a sigh of relief with the current squeeze as two desirable £200 locos arriving within a month or two might have forced them to miss out

 

[Dunsignalling]

On 03/08/2022 at 13:16, RANGERS said:

Not a criticism, merely an observation, but I find it interesting that Rails have opted to maintain the full RRP for the SFX deluxe versions of the 37s whilst discounting the others.

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/collections/Bachmann?tags_class_8tf68qt1hibn7922r1q89ey5=Class%2037&sortValue=6&mc_cid=a4c2c44ad4&mc_eid=667d98311c

 

Whilst I appreciate they are in demand, the resultant £80 premium for the SFX one over the SF version makes the tinted cab windows look like a very expensive option. I wonder if it'll help temper the demand?

 

The "everything" models seem to be produced as quite a small proportion of overall output, and if you think you can sell all you are going to receive at full whack, why would you discount?

 

John

[adb968008]

2 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

The "everything" models seem to be produced as quite a small proportion of overall output, and if you think you can sell all you are going to receive at full whack, why would you discount?

 

John

Makes you wonder if the top end of the market is ploughing on regardless, but the bottom end of the market is melting away.

 

 

[Dunsignalling]

40 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Makes you wonder if the top end of the market is ploughing on regardless, but the bottom end of the market is melting away.

 

 

Just as in every other area of life?

 

That said, Bachmann producing a smallish quantity of certain models with additional features and (probably) a higher profit margin may help ensure the viability of the more basic versions.

 

It's unlikely that the larger players, like Bachmann or Hornby, could generate sufficient sales volumes purely from such top-specification models for them to be viable without sharing development and tooling costs with the "bog-standard" versions.

 

John

Edited August 4, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[younGGuns7]

18 hours ago, adb968008 said:

pre-demise of the westerns.

These were still great to see even in this era, I can remember getting excited when the 1V99 or 1V98 was hauled with a Named pre tops Blue. I suppose it depends what you grew up with and what your fondest memories are ❤️

[Ribird]

If one would want to convert 38-916 SECR Brown Dance Hall Van from a pre-1936 livery to a post-1936, where would I find these markings? Or if any key terms to look up on the usual transfer sites?

[rovex]

Wonder when they will finally replace their Collett coaches?

[Dunsignalling]

30 minutes ago, Ribird said:

If one would want to convert 38-916 SECR Brown Dance Hall Van from a pre-1936 livery to a post-1936, where would I find these markings? Or if any key terms to look up on the usual transfer sites?

"1936 wagon markings" ?

[Dunsignalling]

Pity the BR grey one has area-specific "RU" branding, but I have three of the Cambrian kits to build anyway.

 

John

[Downer]

53 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Pity the BR grey one has area-specific "RU" branding, but I have three of the Cambrian kits to build anyway.

 

John

Good luck with them - the roof supports at the ends are a right pain. As for area-specific, I’m afraid your loss is my gain - it’s the Hither Green allocation which has persuaded me to junk my ill-assembled kit and shell out almost fifty quid for a brake van.

[luke_stevens]

1 hour ago, Ribird said:

If one would want to convert 38-916 SECR Brown Dance Hall Van from a pre-1936 livery to a post-1936, where would I find these markings? Or if any key terms to look up on the usual transfer sites?

 

Probably one of these two...

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/sr-freight-vehicle-general-pack-62081

And

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/sr-railway-freight-wagon-markings

[Ribird]

2 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

"1936 wagon markings" ?

Tried that, only GWR show up on Fox transfers

 

1 hour ago, luke_stevens said:

Probably one of these two...

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/sr-freight-vehicle-general-pack-62081

And

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/sr-railway-freight-wagon-markings

Both are for the pre-1936 livery/markings, hence the huge SR

[newbryford]

3 hours ago, rovex said:

Wonder when they will finally replace their Collett coaches?

 

When another manufacturer announces them?

[RANGERS]

7 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

The "everything" models seem to be produced as quite a small proportion of overall output, and if you think you can sell all you are going to receive at full whack, why would you discount?

 

John

Quite agree, which is why I made the observation. It’ll be interesting to see whether there’s enough folks willing to pay the £80 premium for them

[Dunsignalling]

7 hours ago, RANGERS said:

Quite agree, which is why I made the observation. It’ll be interesting to see whether there’s enough folks willing to pay the £80 premium for them

Oh, there will be; and those who want them are fully aware that this isn't a market for ditherers. Look how rapidly (for instance) the cast-body variants of Hornby locos disappear.... 

 

There's money sloshing around in this hobby despite the on-line price-griping. The trick is not making so many of the premium versions as to make discounting necessary, which might actually kill the concept.  

 

There doesn't seem to be a lack of buyers who either aren't troubled by the cost, or who accept that it is what it is and stretch their finances (or do without something else) to afford items they really want. 

 

They, of course, are not the same people who "comment" about prices on-line, or those who only start saving-up for things when they read the magazine reviews....

 

John

Edited August 5, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[Dunsignalling]

9 hours ago, Ribird said:

Tried that, only GWR show up on Fox transfers

 

Both are for the pre-1936 livery/markings, hence the huge SR

Probably on one of the big multiple transfer sheets of wagon markings by HMRS, if you can find them and are willing to buy a big supply for a single project.

 

Bear in mind too that the large pre-1936 markings only disappeared when the vans got repainted which, in some cases, would have been post-WW2 and in a few, might even have been by BR.....

 

However, unless you also want to renumber your van, you only need the small S and R. The rest stayed the same. Try Modelmaster transfers who do small transfer packs for various wagon kits. The letters were a standard size so any SR one should suffice. FWIW, I think their SR sheets include both sizes of letters. Chances are, the Fox ones do, too?

 

A sheet specific to the Dancehall van is therefore not essential, though there might be a Modelmaster one for the Cambrian kit anyway.

 

John

Edited August 5, 2022 by Dunsignalling