Bachmann announce Blue Pullman

[Savoyard]

No news of it on the Bachmann site at the moment.

 

Peter

[gordon s]

I'm sorry Bob, Olivia's have no one to blame but themselves. The launch of their product was a total disaster with so many questions left unanswered that it left the field wide open for one of the major players. I'm just glad to hear we may have a decent model put together by a more professional organisation. I have no problem with Bachmann's announcement. They needed to instill confidence in their customers and kill off the Heljan/Olivia's half hearted attempt at source.

 

I hope they do a good job and after all these years we get the good quality product that fans of the Blue Pullman have always wanted.

[Guest Max Stafford]

As a silver lining, it will allow Olivia's to concentrate their efforts on the DC electrics they also announced.

 

Me, I'm frothing for a Gloucester 100 or an NBL!

 

Dave.

[Pandora]

I think the 5-Bel is shaping up quite nicely as a replacement.

 

It is probably the better option all round , the Blue Pullman set may have been too optimistic for Olivias.

 

The research is around, JLtRT have it for their 7mm, which has been on the stocks for a while.

 

Perhaps Bachmann may get the 76 too. Kernow switched from Dapol to Bachmann for their Tadpole DMU.

 

A Bachmann 76 might only cost £80-85. According to my Dealer, there were rumours that Bachmann had surveyed the York Museum Class 76 .

[frobisher]

I agree with your sentiments exactly. Personally I don't really understand why they felt it necessary (to the point of rubbing salt in the wound) by including statements like “we are aware of others announcing the possibility of producing this unit" and "We had decided to do so long before the recent announcement from a retailer." which unfortunately come across as pure playground tactics.

 

The less cynical person would perhaps realise that Bachmann were aware because they had been approached in regards the commision, and Olivia's didn't like the price (or response) they got from Bachmann and presumably Hornby as well. Bachmann's would have been an "eff off" price looking at recouping their R&D, tooling etc costs in the first run given they were already going down that route (and I see no reason to believe they didn't). If Bachmann hadn't made those two statements then the announcement would have come across as purely reactionary which would have actually been "bullying playground tactics".

 

Sadly It must as a result of this announcement and very unfortunately put the whole of the Olivia's project up in the air (Heljan were of course to produce it for them, not front it). It is good news, it is however sad that the outcome for the retailer is unlikely to be as good.

 

If Olivia's are sensible, they should be calling a halt to the BP project (and be glad of just having dodged a bullet). Doing a Blue Pullman with a manufacturer with no (UK) track record of multiple units, of uncertain prototype, uncertain price etc was the highest risk part of their plans. Concentrating on the DC electrics without the distracting BP froth is less likely to cause them the same level of grief. Better this announcement happens now than in March when more money would have been spent, more deposits taken etc.

[Gwiwer]

Whether or not this comes out with the same mech as the Voyager we can also take some satisfaction from the knowledge that Bachmann has now got a fair amount of experience in powering and coupling multiple units for both-ways operation. A full-coach heavyweight power unit in one of the centre coaches is my bet and with power-connected bar couplers as well. Reversing the old Tri-ang Hornby version just isn't an option as the couplers over-ride.

 

Will anyone else take up the option to commission "specials"? There is some scope as the BP emerged in no-yellow modified b/g with a Pullman crest on the nose. When operating on the WR the sets had full yellow ends and in their last days were also in reversed white / blue "refurbished dmu" livery with MU jumpers; they sometimes actually operated paired up. And that's before we get to the different designs required for 8-car sets.

[birdseyecircus]

Why is every one faffing about making more models of the BP? There are many more deserving models to make. Hornby & Bachmann have had their chances and decided against it. It just smacks of spoiling someone elses party. I know people would have preffered Bachmann to have made it in the first place , but thats not the point.

I would not mind but it's not as if the BP was painted in many different liverys.

 

 

Paul

[Southernman46]

Congratulations to Olivia's Train's - their cunning plan has worked and finally goaded tempted one of the big manufacturers into doing this mythical beast as a standard issue item

[petethemole]

I wouldn't be surprised if this boosts interest in modelling aspects of the Midland main line in the "transition era", which has always seemed a poor relation as a subject compared to the ECML, WCML and GWR. The BP and forhcoming class 28 "Metrovick" were iconic modern image classes in 1960, along with the original Peaks (class 44) which were starting to take over the expresses. Most of the classes that I saw when spotting are now available RTR (including the Clans), apart from the class 127 units that took over the suburban services to Bedford in 1959, and you wouldn't need those if you modelled north of Bedford (less overall traffic though!). It was a busy line, especially south of Bedford, with four tracks, the suburban service, express and semi-fasts to the Midlands, North and Scotland and long trains of coal up and empties down. Dad and I used to make short visits to the lineside just to see the Midland Pullman or the Condor go by, as long as I'd done my homework.

 

Pete

[Guest baldrick25]

I would not mind but it's not as if the BP was painted in many different liverys.

No , but the original Nanking Blue was an absolute classic of all time- never bettered before or since. You needed to see one in real life to realise the 'auroa' around these trains when new.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Congratulations to Olivia's Train's -

I was just thinking that too.

I just wonder if Olivia's hadn't started this off, would Bachmann really have gone for it?

 

With a diminishing list of D&E prototypes to cover, MU's are now the new fertile ground. The race will be on to bag as much territory as possible before the competitors get there first.

Blue Pullman being at the high cost end of the MU menu makes it a valuable prize for Bachmann; even on reduced volumes. They just needed a little nudge to encourage them to do it.

 

.

[PaulCheffus]

Hi

 

I wonder what the chances are of this making it to N. Not really my period but they were maintained at Reddish so there is a link and it might have run over Woodhead.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[frobisher]

Why is every one faffing about making more models of the BP? There are many more deserving models to make. Hornby & Bachmann have had their chances and decided against it. It just smacks of spoiling someone elses party. I know people would have preffered Bachmann to have made it in the first place , but thats not the point.

 

I think the evidence to the contrary suggests that Bachmann did not decide against it and did decide to do it in the first place The details emerging are of a product much further down the line with regards to R&D than Olivia's Heljan project.

[frobisher]

I wonder what the chances are of this making it to N. Not really my period but they were maintained at Reddish so there is a link and it might have run over Woodhead.

 

A whole lot better now I'd say (not my thing either but this might be Christmas 2013 sorted for me now from Farish).

[Gwiwer]

Nanking Blue was an absolute classic of all time- never bettered before or since

 

Always a matter of personal opinion of course but I preferred Pullman Car Co. umber and cream over Nanking Blue any day.

 

the 'auroa' around these trains when new.

 

"aura" is the word you're looking for. Possibly "charisma" would be a better word. I saw them all many times over. There was something special about them. Whether it was the shape and sound, the unique styling, the fact that at least the 6-car sets were only available not just to First Class passengers but to those willing to pay even more for Pullman service .....

 

They are in many ways the precursor to the hugely-successful HST even if the mechanics are vastly different between the types.

[m mcdermott]

can the next race be to release class 123 +124 transpennine units please?

[Hugh Flynn]

hi

well i look at this thread and my heart sunk for olivia trains this man has put a lot of effort and money to start the ball rolling?

how do you all know it wont be better than Bachmann ,how many mistakes has Bachmann done and a lot of people to moan about?

delivery with Bachmann has been a april the first joke eg class 105 here before last christmas put back to feb now aug/sept.

There are plenty of other dmu,s Bachmann could have done ????

 

If olivia trains back out of this project dont give up look at something else keep quiet until its just about to come out.

 

Hugh

[JohnR]

I think it is pretty obvious that this is a spoiling tactic from Bachmann. If this was to be announced in March 2011, it would normally have meant that they would only have been working on it for 9 months or so, based on the lead times from announcement through to being on the shelves. This is, of course different from Hornby who announce things at Christmas that they have been working on for a year or more, so that they come out within the next 12 months.

 

The language used in the press release is similarly provocative. Hopefully Olivia's Trains will not be too down hearted by this (after all they surely contacted Bachmann for initial soundings about doing such a model before deciding on Heljan) and concentrate on the Woodhead Electrics.

[robertcwp]

can the next race be to release class 123 +124 transpennine units please?

That would be good. However, there is a huge family of Modernisation Plan era DMUs for which there is no good RTR model, namely the long-frame suburban units: Classes 115/116/117/118/127. All we have is the 30-year old and rather poor by today's standards Lima 117 effort.

 

And, don't forget the Cross-Country units, which could utilise the same mechanism and possibly some chassis components as the suburban units: Classes 119 and 120.

[orcadian]

This certainly should put the very recent revival of the 'Hornby BP' rumour to bed , and Bachmann certainly seem to be the 'preferred manufacturer' by most wish-listers on this subject.

 

Although Olivia's Trains strategy over their announcements of their own project seems to have been so badly flawed, I do hope that they can back out of their commitments with Heljan without too much financial pain. It seems to be very unlikely for their BP project to suceed now if they have to continue with it. It would be a loss if any 'penalties' incurred by the BP Project prevent them from now concentrating on the Woodhead electrics and bringing both the EM1 and EM2 to earlier fruition.

 

Richard

[The Fatadder]

Good to hear that a top spec model of the blue pullman is finally in the pipeline, the olivia's plans (with no mention of coaches availability and the added expense of it being only available from a sole source) didnt really appeal, but the Bachmann option of a full set on the other hand...

 

Going to be very very hard to resist buying a set when they arrive, even if it is completely useless to the layout!

[Alco]

There may be a bit more to this story. Last week there was some talk that Hornby were dusting off the old Blue Pullman dies and considering a rerun of the old model.

I've just read a tweet from Ben Jones saying "And then there were three". Is the third BP they Hornby offering?

Regards

Bob

[Guest Max Stafford]

... delivery with Bachmann has been a april the first joke... Hugh

 

Hugh, Bachmann are about the only people actually getting stuff out at the moment!

Sure they had a few problems, but they appear to have seriously got their act together in the last few years. Additionally they are running a very ambitious programme and are making supreme efforts from what I can observe to get the products as right as possible before release. Surely the 4 CEP and Autoballaster are evidence enough of the validity of such a policy. It certainly bids well for the 105 and the A2, both of which I'm looking forward to immensely.

 

Dave.

[dibber25]

I think the 5-Bel is shaping up quite nicely as a replacement (quote)

 

Short-term frothing, then, just till December.....

[Gwiwer]

"And then there were three". Is the third BP they Hornby offering?

 

Spotted a very similar comment on MR Mag's Facebook page. I assumed the third was the rumoured inspection of the Hornby tooling so perhaps we may yet have a Railroad range cheapie version as well. Though only with one intermediate car in a 3-car set