Bachmann Desiro's

[GordonC]

Are these Desiro's going to sell out quickly? I want to probably get 2 around Christmas time but I'm worried these will sell out!

 

its a bit difficult to tell what is and what isn't going to sell well

 

Interest might be a bit distorted to only be the people interested in these units reading this page to begin with. and a passing interest is quite different to handing over a credit card to buy

[Pete the Elaner]

The 350s are still available. I am not sure if they are from the initial run or not. I expect that 450s will be available for some time.

 

Why did these take so long? The 450 was an obvious development from the 350 but why 6 years to take advantage of the market? I would have thought the 450 would have been out about a year later & the 360 by now?

[SRman]

Are these Desiro's going to sell out quickly? I want to probably get 2 around Christmas time but I'm worried these will sell out!

 

Hard to predict: on the one hand, the livery should prove a very popular one, but on the other, the price may put people off. I hope they last on the shelves long enough to be discounted a bit, but if they sell out, so be it. That's good for Bachmann, then.

[Southernman46]

Are these Desiro's going to sell out quickly? I want to probably get 2 around Christmas time but I'm worried these will sell out!

Do what I'm going to do - same as I did with the 4-CEP's waaayy back - get one now so that I don't miss out and then if they discounted or are still available later one then I will get the 2nd unit

[YesTor]

Why did these take so long? The 450 was an obvious development from the 350 but why 6 years to take advantage of the market?

 

Perhaps the very fact that the 350s have taken six years to sell out is indeed the answer to that question...

Edited July 19, 2017 by YesTor

[newbryford]

Perhaps the very fact that the 350s have taken six years to sell out is indeed the answer to that question...

 

And Bachmann are still knocking them out of the warehouse at clearance prices.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Legend]

And Bachmann are still knocking them out of the warehouse at clearance prices.

 

Cheers,

Mick

I think there is a difference here though. When Bachmann brought out the 350 it was in that bland generic livery that was already superseded by the time the model came out . The other livery was LM which really restricts it. I'm not really surprised it's still around 6 years after introduction. SWT is a much more widespread livery in the South, also dare I say it , it's one of the more attractive liveries . Ironically the SWT livery could also have a short life as they've lost the Franchise , so that may affect sales. We don't know how many of them they are making, my suspicion would be it's not that high , so if you can stomach the price, possibly your best bet is to get one now and wait to see what happens if you want another.

[newbryford]

I think there is a difference here though. When Bachmann brought out the 350 it was in that bland generic livery that was already superseded by the time the model came out . The other livery was LM which really restricts it. I'm not really surprised it's still around 6 years after introduction. SWT is a much more widespread livery in the South, also dare I say it , it's one of the more attractive liveries . Ironically the SWT livery could also have a short life as they've lost the Franchise , so that may affect sales. We don't know how many of them they are making, my suspicion would be it's not that high , so if you can stomach the price, possibly your best bet is to get one now and wait to see what happens if you want another.

 

The blue/silver 350 was in clearance a few months back. The current clearance stock is the LM green. 

 

Going OT

 The 350 isn't unique in it's livery restriction. Pretty much any current passenger livery and stock is restricted to either route and/or area.

For xample - Cross Country Voyagers that are seen from Aberdeen to Penzance - which is a long distance in between, you won't find them on the WCML between Glasgow and Crewe.

 

As with any current livery, there is always the possibility that it will be relatively short-term due to the franchising nature of UK railways. As you say, the SWT 450 may soon be a thing of the past.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Legend]

Pedantic mode on, actually you do see Cross Country Voyagers at Glasgow . I thought some go down the WCML but maybe they only go as far as Carstairs then down ECML . Still much more widespread than an LM 350 though. I always wondered why they didn't do First Transpennine? As it now appears they are reworking some S Stock they might have done the same with the 350s . Maybe someone should make a miniature vinyl system and we could apply as appropriate.

[njee20]

You mean like Electra Railway Graphics...?

[surfsup]

Don't forget that the livery sphere of the LM 350s are wider than just out of Euston. Some of the 350/1s have worked on hire to Southern and ran as far as at least East Croydon in the south, to Glasgow Central & Edinburgh Waverley for First TPE when the new 350/3s were hired in for the Commonwealth Games extra services.

 

And if you really wanted to expand your options away from the WCML, one 350/1 has visited Siemens Northam Depot - hauled down and back by one of the NR Yellow 57/3s - Giving you a change to have an LM 350 next to a SWT 450.

[scottrains29]

Pedantic mode on, actually you do see Cross Country Voyagers at Glasgow . I thought some go down the WCML but maybe they only go as far as Carstairs then down ECML . Still much more widespread than an LM 350 though. I always wondered why they didn't do First Transpennine? As it now appears they are reworking some S Stock they might have done the same with the 350s . Maybe someone should make a miniature vinyl system and we could apply as appropriate.

You are correct, there is regular XC services from Glasgow down the WCML as far as Carstairs, then along the extension to Edinburgh where they continue down the ECML before crossing back towards the west again. I don't quite get the point Newbryford is trying to make. A XC voyager would not look out of place on a Scottish, EC, WC, Midlands, West country, South Wales, Southern layout, etc, etc. Whereas a London Midland 350 is fairly restricive.

 

I am surprised Bachmann haven't released the Transpennine 350 yet. They only have a couple of years left before the TPEx 350's are replaced with the class 397. It would therefore make sense for Bachmann to get them out ASAP. Yes the TPEx 350 is restricted to the Manchester to Scotland routes, but I don't think ANY model manufacturer has ever had any issue selling models for the Scottish modern scene. Modern Scottish loco and DMU models have all sold very well. I doubt a TPEx 350 would be any exception.

[newbryford]

You are correct, there is regular XC services from Glasgow down the WCML as far as Carstairs, then along the extension to Edinburgh where they continue down the ECML before crossing back towards the west again. I don't quite get the point Newbryford is trying to make. A XC voyager would not look out of place on a Scottish, EC, WC, Midlands, West country, South Wales, Southern layout, etc, etc. Whereas a London Midland 350 is fairly restricive.

 

 

I almost typed Carstairs to Crewe, but thought that Glasgow wasn't served by XC anymore. I stand corrected - thanks.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that virtually all modern stock including LM 350s and SWT 450s is limited in area/routes and operation and that something even apparently widespread as a XC Voyager doesn't actually stray too far from diagrammed routes. Maybe the XC example was too broad a brush.

 

The joys of current and recent day modelling.

 

Anyway - back to Desiros - I'm awaiting my bargain LM 350 from Kernow for a future layout project

 

Cheers,

Mick

[jjb1970]

The 350's do range reasonably widely, they're not just London commuter trains. I've used them to go between Crewe and Liverpool a few times. And as has been pointed out they operated the Southern services between MK and Croydon for a while.

UK railways may now be in a similar position to North American railways. People tend to think all NA railways use the same locomotives but those standard locomotives tend to have road specific features. At one time US rtr manufacturers (even brass in early days) just offered generic types but now they have to do road specific versions. Given that EMU and DMU models are already expensive to produce it must make them even more problematic if you need to re-tool the pantograph car as for the class 450.

[Red Fox]

Some nice picture of the weathered release on Nigel Burkin's blog  https://nigelburkin.wordpress.com/2017/07/18/desirable-desiro/

 

Bachmann looks to have applied lots of nice little details to the units including correct SWT style no smoking signs and painted the seating the correct colours - red for standard and blue for first.

[PaulRhB]

Some nice picture of the weathered release on Nigel Burkin's blog https://nigelburkin.wordpress.com/2017/07/18/desirable-desiro/

 

Bachmann looks to have applied lots of nice little details to the units including correct SWT style no smoking signs and painted the seating the correct colours - red for standard and blue for first.

Ta for the link. I think that's pretty good for a weathered one and they are printing wear like on the wagons. Nicely done Bachmann

[SouthernMafia]

Oh dear, that does look rather nice doesn't it. I'm not a fan of factory weathering but aside from the overkill on the light clusters that is a job well done, a nice touch with the sun bleached faded roof too.

 

A note on the motor car, did the Bachmann 350 have such a large black block as well? I owned a 350 for a short period of time (in hope of producing one of these on the cheap and then realising how much effort it would be!!) but can't recall the motor housing. It's a shame, seems they haven't learnt from the 150 and actually earlier units like the 158 and 170 had a better aesthetic arrangement! Whatever happened to the lovely underfloor example in the MPV? With a bit of tinkering I'm sure that could've been adapted for future D/EMU use.

[PaulRhB]

If it's like the mpv you can wipe it off things like lights with a light use of cotton bud and some brasso.

[adb968008]

At £89 for a modern 4 car unit at Kernow I don't know why people are umming and arrring for..

 

Your never going to see a 4 car EMU new at that price again.

Even if your not sure you want it, keep it a year and double your money, the SWT one is much more expensive.

 

Put it another way, you can buy three of these for the price of a new unpowered 4TC unit.

Edited July 20, 2017 by adb968008

[Pete the Elaner]

The 350's do range reasonably widely, they're not just London commuter trains. I've used them to go between Crewe and Liverpool a few times. And as has been pointed out they operated the Southern services between MK and Croydon for a while.

UK railways may now be in a similar position to North American railways. People tend to think all NA railways use the same locomotives but those standard locomotives tend to have road specific features. At one time US rtr manufacturers (even brass in early days) just offered generic types but now they have to do road specific versions. Given that EMU and DMU models are already expensive to produce it must make them even more problematic if you need to re-tool the pantograph car as for the class 450.

How many of us have a layout of or based closely on a real main line location & restrict rolling stock to what should prototypically run through it?

Apart from their trips down to Croydon (which they have not done for years), 350/1, 350/2 & 350/3 have never strayed much from the WCML. I don't know much about 450s but do they ever visit sleepy branch lines?

I think it is a reasonable assumption that most 450s will run on layouts which do not reflect their prototype environment.

Units have for a long time formed the majority of trains on BR but they are still in the minority of sales, so I don't think it is correct to assume a unit will sell significantly better because it has a slightly wider scope of operation. People will buy what they like.

A 3rd rail unit may well sell better than one which needs OLE to make it look correct though.

[4630]

I don't know much about 450s but do they ever visit sleepy branch lines?

 

450s do run on the branch line from Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier.

[darrel]

I wish they had done the class 350 in transpennine livery. (The old livery not the horrible new one) they would have sold more than the London Midland livery or the short lived unbranded grey livery.

[Pete the Elaner]

I wish they had done the class 350 in transpennine livery. (The old livery not the horrible new one) they would have sold more than the London Midland livery or the short lived unbranded grey livery.

Possibly. Maybe not. May be we will know one day.

Looking back, Lima used to regularly release locos in new liveries so it can't be as costly as a re-tool into a 450.

[Simon Bendall]

To do the Class 350/4 properly would require another new PTS car to be tooled - the sub-class has got an extra toilet so there's another window missing on this vehicle.

[No Decorum]

At £89 for a modern 4 car unit at Kernow I don't know why people are umming and arrring for..

 

Your never going to see a 4 car EMU new at that price again.

Even if your not sure you want it, keep it a year and double your money, the SWT one is much more expensive.

 

Put it another way, you can buy three of these for the price of a new unpowered 4TC unit.

This person isn’t; I am taking one off Kernow’s hands. I already have a couple. They are stunning models and it is beyond my comprehension that they have been such slow sellers. The 450 will be very welcome too and I hope this version is a success for Bachmann. It deserves to be.

 

The 4TC is just one of those things which has been left off my list in order to finance other expensive stuff.