British Railway Announcement Winter 2023 - the usual guessing and wishlisting.

[NXEA!]

An LNER E4 would be lovely, as would a Thompson BZ but what I would expect are:

 

• A 313. 
• Anglia Railways Mark 2’s to match the DBSO. 
• A reannouncement of a new 168/170/171 - no-brainer. 

• A new privatisation-era wagon. 
• Perhaps the 319 being upsized to OO. 
 

Bachmann seems to have abandoned steam, however it would be encouraging if a new Jubilee did emerge, even if it’s not something I’d purchase personally. 
 

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by NXEA!

[Geep7]

Would it be too much to hope for a OO gauge 4-Cig or 4-Cor? But also still hoping for BR Blue Class 117 and 2-Hap.....

[Jon Harbour]

1 hour ago, Invicta said:

 

Although to be honest, I'd rather see them add a 2F -or maybe an L&Y 0-6-0.

 

I know the 3F has been around for a few years now, and I don't recall whether it has any accuracy issues or not. but is there much wrong with the Bachmann 4F? I certainly wouldn't be rushing out to replace my existing ones with an all-new Bachmann 3F or 4F, though I might add an extra one to the collection.

 

I have no real complaints about either model, except that you can't get them! Even a different running number would make me happy. 😄

Edited October 30, 2023 by Jon Harbour

[Steamport Southport]

57 minutes ago, Invicta said:

 

Although to be honest, I'd rather see them add a 2F -or maybe an L&Y 0-6-0.

 

I know the 3F has been around for a few years now, and I don't recall whether it has any accuracy issues or not. but is there much wrong with the Bachmann 4F? I certainly wouldn't be rushing out to replace my existing ones with an all-new Bachmann 3F or 4F, though I might add an extra one to the collection.

 

Apart from it being a MR version of the 4F rather than LMS?

 

There is only 575 locomotives they can't make from the tooling!

 

I had hoped that Hornby would have updated their version of the LMS 4F, but they have even released that as a MR version in The Railway Children guise....

 

 

Jason

[nightstar.train]

4 hours ago, Markwj said:

I wonder if a revamped 08 is on the cards?

If they announce that along with an NGG16 then I’ll be rapidly bankrupt!

[adb968008]

26 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Apart from it being a MR version of the 4F rather than LMS?

 

There is only 575 locomotives they can't make from the tooling!

 

I had hoped that Hornby would have updated their version of the LMS 4F, but they have even released that as a MR version in The Railway Children guise....

 

 

Jason

Another 574 little black 0-6-0’s to garnish the bargain bins, after the first one is sold.

 

🙂

Edited October 30, 2023 by adb968008

[Invicta]

2 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Apart from it being a MR version of the 4F rather than LMS?

 

There is only 575 locomotives they can't make from the tooling!

 

I had hoped that Hornby would have updated their version of the LMS 4F, but they have even released that as a MR version in The Railway Children guise....

 

 

Jason

 

Ah, yes- I'd forgotten that Bachmann's 4F was the of the RHD Midland variety!

[Steamport Southport]

6 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Another 575 little black 0-6-0’s to garnish the bargain bins.

 

Pointing out one item that you don't personally want whilst ignoring all the rest is a bit daft. I can only see two here. The Railway Children 4F and an unpopular liveried SECR C Class.

 

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c/614/OO-Gauge

 

Loads of those diesels and electrics that everyone seems to ask for though, so should they stop making them as well? They obviously don't sell as they are in bargain bins....

 

 

Jason

[Phatbob]

Some more Bulleid coaches in BR(S) green please Mr Bachmann.  Also, a diag 2406 BCK would be a winner for me.  The Bachmann BR(S) 2-set they have made really shows how grotulent my kit built BCKs are!

[Craig1989]

Scotrail dbso and coaches to go with 47712 or another intercity liveried 90

 

cheers Craig 

[Edge]

As we are guessing, my two cents are:

 

- OO Gauge steam loco - T3 is an obvious choice, but possible replacement for the 4MT? The current model is rather long in the tooth
- an oo gauge coach of some kind - I’m not particularly we clued up on these, but I’d imagine that there are some in demand 

- OO9 - I’d like to say an NGG16, but I think far more likely is something like a simplex in various guises. It was rather ubiquitous after all

-OO9 coach - Hudson toastrack? FR Super barns? 
 

I doubt that the four new tooling projects announced will all be locomotives, however much wishful thinking is applied. I also think ‘one off’ locos like ‘Russell’, however famous are rather unlikely simply because of the limited number of liveries which can be applied 

[JSpencer]

16 hours ago, nightstar.train said:

Really really hoping for an NGG16. The winter announcement has bought a big 009 release for the last two years (Double Fairlie in 2021 and Mainline Hunslet in 2022) so here's hoping that they continue the trend. The 009 releases certainly seem to have done well for Bachmann. 

 

4 new tooling projects is exciting though.

 With the tender versions of the mainline Hunslets appearing only recently, even if exclusive to the club or the preserved line, I do feel that maybe most OO-9 pockets are feeling a little bit empty right now for yet another OO-9 loco purchase. Especially a big one like NGG16 which will doubtless be getting on for £300.

 

Of course 4 new toolings does not mean instantly locos. They could be rolling stock too. Indeed a follow on from the Dance Hall could be the BR conversion to a Ballast break for example.

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by JSpencer

[JSpencer]

19 hours ago, Mr chapman said:

In terms relivery I wonder if an SECR grey C or N class would be due. It's been long enough to not clash with the limited editions and there is a wonderful range or late wagons, not to mention their own dancehall. 

 

You can pick up SECR grey N class cheap enough (with the SR version) on a certain auction site. A Bachmann rerun would probably cost more than the pair in a wooden box secondhand. The N class has not changed much (a tight inclusion for a DCC chip, maybe they could add sound...). The last releases were not fast sellers it seems.

 

You constantly see the SECR grey C class too, always around £200 and - after  seeing their last C class release - I suspect a new model would be about the same. The original grey version was a club special limited to 504 pieces. 

Missing would be the Maunsell green C class.

 

In grey, we have also had, the Hattons P, Dapol/rails D and D1. 

[nightstar.train]

30 minutes ago, JSpencer said:

 With the tender versions of the mainline Hunslets appearing only recently, even if exclusive to the club or the preserved line, I do feel that maybe most OO-9 pockets are feeling a little bit empty right now for yet another OO-9 loco purchase. Especially a big one like NGG16 which will doubtless be getting on for £300.

 

Of course 4 new toolings does not mean instantly locos. They could be rolling stock too. Indeed a follow on from the Dance Hall could be the BR conversion to a Ballast break for example.

 

I think that an NGG16 might well be north of £300/£400 (DCC ready/sound) if we get it. After all it’s a 2-6-2+2-6-2, so two entire sets of pistons, coupling rods and valve gear that need assembling. You’re right about 009 pockets being fairly well drained. But an NGG16 is such an icon I think hundreds would still be sold. Kits for it, the old Backwoods Miniatures kit that is now out of production, are regularly going for £500+ on eBay. 

[mcowgill]

4 hours ago, Ryde-on-time said:

I wonder if a model of the new Ffestiniog double Fairlie ‘James Spooner’ might be a possibility. It would also be a different livery to previous models

Not sure about this one. 

 

I believe that 'David Lloyd George' was released as Collectors Club only rather than a main catalogue model as the double Fairlie tooling is the 1879/1885 Boston Lodge version.  DLG with that tooling is too small and too short and I understand that Bachmann didn't want to put an incorrect livery on a catalogue model.   'James Spooner' is similarly larger, indeed when stood next to it seems even bulkier than DLG.   

 

On the other hand, the green 'Merddin Emrys' model is very close in appearance to the new JS, if a little undersized, with a representation of the bells/whistles on the forward boiler ring it wouldn't be too far off in appearance.

 

What I'm sure won't appear as my current project needs one, is a pre-preservation JS, shorter than the existing models 🤨

 

Martin

[Wickham Green too]

36 minutes ago, JSpencer said:

... Missing would be the Maunsell green C class. ...

The number of which was ?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

On 27/10/2023 at 19:56, Suzy Sulzer said:

4 new tooling projects will be revealed across all gauges 

One of them might be a TT120 product. How about something twin bogie from D&E which has been fairly recently produced for OO, so all the data is to hand?

[JohnR]

I can't see Bachmann moving into TT120, even if it was something they already had all the drawings for. 

 

Something like the LSWR T3, while fitting in with the coaches from EFE, is more likely to be done by someone like Rails - after all they have a history of these commissions.

[nightstar.train]

I seriously doubt Bachmann going into TT120. They have proven a good market in 009, in which they are by far the biggest player. The success of TT120 is only really known to Hornby and to a small extent Peco, and I doubt they’d share their numbers with Bachmann! I think Bachmann are happy to be king of 009 and leave TT to Hornby. The fact that Hornby have started to shift TT120 through retailers after having it as an exclusive suggests to me that it’s not selling as well as hoped. 

[woodenhead]

4 minutes ago, nightstar.train said:

I seriously doubt Bachmann going into TT120. They have proven a good market in 009, in which they are by far the biggest player. The success of TT120 is only really known to Hornby and to a small extent Peco, and I doubt they’d share their numbers with Bachmann! I think Bachmann are happy to be king of 009 and leave TT to Hornby. The fact that Hornby have started to shift TT120 through retailers after having it as an exclusive suggests to me that it’s not selling as well as hoped. 

There is the other way to look at the TT120 launch which I believe was Hornby's expressed view - launching TT120 online only meant Hornby bore all the risk (and reward) of a successful launch, it controlled what, how and when.  If they had asked physical shops to share the risk, given how bad some retailers had experienced Hornby's new product stocking of late, then there was a big chance they might not want to take the additional risk of TT120 or worse the launch failed a all those retailers had stock they could not shift leading to closure.

 

I know I am probably of the group of people who previously said all Hornby wanted was to sell everything themselves online, and perhaps that may have been the case at some point, but I'd give them the benefit of the doubt now that perhaps they launched TT120 in the most risk responsible way they could and now that they have an idea of market size they can allow shops to also sell it.

 

That doesn't mean that I expect Bachmann or anyone else to jump into the market right now but that the market is healthy enough for retailers to share in the product success as much as Hornby.

[St. Simon]

13 minutes ago, nightstar.train said:

I seriously doubt Bachmann going into TT120. They have proven a good market in 009, in which they are by far the biggest player. The success of TT120 is only really known to Hornby and to a small extent Peco, and I doubt they’d share their numbers with Bachmann! I think Bachmann are happy to be king of 009 and leave TT to Hornby. The fact that Hornby have started to shift TT120 through retailers after having it as an exclusive suggests to me that it’s not selling as well as hoped. 

 

I'm sure I've seen somewhere on here that Bachmann have categorically ruled out going into TT:120

 

Simon

[Roy L S]

49 minutes ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

One of them might be a TT120 product. How about something twin bogie from D&E which has been fairly recently produced for OO, so all the data is to hand?

From what I understand Bachmann have no plans to enter the TT120 space.

[MikeParkin65]

Bachmann have been retooling their early diesels with some success although they need to control their price point - lots of 24's seem to be still available and the price has now dropped. Likewise 37's have dropped to be on a par with Accurascale (if you shop around).

 

I wonder if they had a new 44/45/46 close to completion but have held back it back to see how the Heljan version fares? The other obvious candidate is the 40.  

 

Wish listing aside agree the most likely new tooling will be 009 and/or some OO rolling stock.

[adb968008]

11 minutes ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Bachmann have been retooling their early diesels with some success although they need to control their price point - lots of 24's seem to be still available and the price has now dropped. Likewise 37's have dropped to be on a par with Accurascale (if you shop around).

I actually wonder if thats clever sales strategy by Bachmann..

 

Afterall they are selling their 37’s at trade price, its the retailers who are the ones doing the discounting.

 

I havent seen anything suggesting Bachmann are lowering their trade prices, so i’m guessing its the retailers giving up their margin in these sales, meaning Bachmann are getting in their coffers a price probably not too different to Accurascale’s, whilst the public see’s a big discount, at a price similar to the other 37.

 

is it the retailer getting squeezed ?

And if they are going out of the door, does anyone care as its a win, win, win all round.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by adb968008

[Shoey]

Now that illuminated destination boards have been manufactured into models ie the class 158’s & and 159’s Bachmann have done, I’m hoping for a newly tooled set of Voyagers 220/221 in cross country livery would do me very nicely 👌🏻