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Bachmann Derby Lightweight


LTfan

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It has taken me two minutes to scrutinise two of the leading box-shifters' sites - Hattons & Rails. Neither has them in stock. My recollection - and I'm in no way a likely customer - is that a small consigment appeared and were quickly gone. No-one is losing sales if the goods aren't yet available.

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I'm sure this question has already been answered somewhere on RMWeb so apologies! Am I right in assuming that the second run of Bachmann Derby Lightweights will be the build that flooded East Anglia in the late 1950s and 60s rather than their first release?

 

Yes - see post #263 in this thread. (Not my post so I won't link to it.) As one of my non-modelling friends (if that isn't an oxymoron?) is a senior officer of the MNR based at Dereham, we certainly took note of that news item, even if it reveals that I (sometimes) look at another forum - well, you only know that the best is most definitely the best by glancing elsewhere occasionally! :)

 

Richard

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No-one is losing sales if the goods aren't yet available.

 

Unless any orders/reservations a retailer has taken are lost when the purchaser - desperate to get his new toy - then buys from one of the box shifters that got the early stock.

 

Not a lost sale for Bachmann but apparently a problem for the smaller retailer. Of course, it will always be difficult for a distributor to fairly distribute the product if he can't meet all his retailers' demands. I'm pleased to say that I shan't be buying one either, they didn't run on the LNWR :jester:

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Not a lost sale for Bachmann but apparently a problem for the smaller retailer. Of course, it will always be difficult for a distributor to fairly distribute the product if he can't meet all his retailers' demands.

In an era when the smaller retailer is under pressure due to the Internet and box-shifters, one assumes that the best way to survive & retain one's loyal customers is to be on the ball when it comes to the distribution position. If I, as a non-purchaser, living overseas, am aware of what is going on, why isn't the retailer - whose livelihood depends upon the sale? He should be able to know at least as much as me - plus he presumably has a Bachmann rep, with whom he should be playing merry hell until he feels he is being given all the info. I have never been involved in retail in any form (except as a railway booking clerk!) but the present day limited-run market demands a more pro-active approach than the days when Triang and Hornby Dublo churned out thousands of the same item and the order would always be fulfilled sooner or later.

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Guest baldrick25

I understand that the 'seaboard' shipment of class 104's , rather than the air-freighted few that sold quickly , have arrived at Felixstowe in a part-container. Anyone involved in these sort of part shipments, know that they take time to sort, and it depends if it was the first boxes into the container , and hence last out , for onward shipment to Bachmann. That delay is compounded by the fact that Bachmann at Barwell has been closed over Christmas/New Year AND that was followed by a stocktake at the depot. Nothing has moved in , or out , and assuming that the count went well, and finished yesterday as planned, then things should start to move soon , maybe by next weekend or shortly afterwards. Add to that distribution , packing, and invoicing to the myriad of modelshop purchasers, all takes time and manpower. Patience is needed I'm afraid, and that's said as someone who also watches for a card debit every day!

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I understand that the 'seaboard' shipment of class 104's , rather than the air-freighted few that sold quickly , have arrived at Felixstowe in a part-container. Anyone involved in these sort of part shipments, know that they take time to sort, and it depends if it was the first boxes into the container , and hence last out , for onward shipment to Bachmann. That delay is compounded by the fact that Bachmann at Barwell has been closed over Christmas/New Year AND that was followed by a stocktake at the depot. Nothing has moved in , or out , and assuming that the count went well, and finished yesterday as planned, then things should start to move soon , maybe by next weekend or shortly afterwards. Add to that distribution , packing, and invoicing to the myriad of modelshop purchasers, all takes time and manpower. Patience is needed I'm afraid, and that's said as someone who also watches for a card debit every day!

 

class 104's - where did they come from??

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It has taken me two minutes to scrutinise two of the leading box-shifters' sites - Hattons & Rails. Neither has them in stock. My recollection - and I'm in no way a likely customer - is that a small consigment appeared and were quickly gone. No-one is losing sales if the goods aren't yet available.

 

 

I think that was probably the case, Bachmann would have been keen to get some exposure for the product at Warley, I don't think they had too much else but I could be wrong.

 

I'm in no particular rush for mine and as the retailer in question is very close to the box shifters price, and has given exemplarary serviced over the years, so I'll hang fire but as Bachmann are telling him they're not yet available (which they obviously have been) and other potential customers could have bought elsewhere, he's pretty racked off having been through the same scenario with the 3F recently.

 

I spoke to a third retailer today who swore blind they weren't available until I showed him this thread! His information again was from Bachmann and he had some cancellations for pre-orders in late November which he now suspects he can explain.

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It has taken me two minutes to scrutinise two of the leading box-shifters' sites - Hattons & Rails. Neither has them in stock. My recollection - and I'm in no way a likely customer - is that a small consigment appeared and were quickly gone. No-one is losing sales if the goods aren't yet available.

 

I have a Derby Lightweight (and a late crest 3F) - and have had them for some time.

 

Both did NOT come from a box-shifter but from an independant retailer.

 

Certainly, some Derby Lightweights found their way into the general (non-box-shifter) retail market.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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Like this?

 

post-7005-0-84015800-1326063021.jpg

 

That brings back memories !!

 

Living in Cambridge and wanting to model local prototypes, I built the MTK kit back in the 1980s.

 

Despite the reputation of these kits it produced a very nice model that I regret subsequently selling.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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The review in the latest Railway Modeller (Feb issue) shows a green small yellow panels version with Dereham/King's Lynn destination blinds and I must admit, if I can quote Andy Y, it looks indeed seductive, so much so that I am truly tempted. I realise that this was a review sample issued to RM but hopefully these particular variants will be available soonish and I will more than likely buy one.

Just a thought to chuck into the mix. Being of a certain age and train spotting as a lad through the steam/deisel transition era, at the time I gave DMUs no merit or worth. I resented the fact that they were displacing "proper trains" with a steam loco at the head. Now, in 4mm model form, I can't resist!!

A further thought re the Box Shifters versus the "Support Your Local Model Shop" agenda - If you live close to the Box Shifter then fine, buy from them. However, if, as I do, you don't and have to pay the £4 or so postage for a single purchase, like a Bachmann Derby Lightweight say, you will probably find the local shop only a couple of quid dearer and that would be my preference to buy local.

Regards to all,

Brian (Now only about 80 working days from retirement - whoopie doo!!).

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Yesterday the postie delivered a copy of the newly published 'Lightweight DMUs' by Evan Green-Hughes, 96 pages covering the Derby Lightweight & original Metro Cammell builds with lots of b&w and colour pictures.

 

post-171-0-05053400-1327874204.jpg

 

Reading the book has made what has been discussed earlier in this thread a lot clearer and the various batches and where they operated make more sense now. Sadly it has convinced me that the one I want is not yet available, an East Anglian or Lincolnshire variant with whiskers. Hopefully it might make Bachmann's 2012 announcements, otherwise I'll have to look at repainting at least the front end of GSYP one.

 

Martin

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Guest baldrick25

...and I've just had a call from Durham Trains of Stanley for payment , as they have arrived there too... and selling very very fast.

 

A pre-order success this time!

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I had a look at mine this morning. E79044/E79260. Destinations are Dereham and King's Lynn. Slightly disapointed not to see any yellow diamond coupling codes on the vehicle ends. Also, the vehicles have their pre-1956 designations on the inner end (BTO and CO) rather than DMBS and DTC, which they would have been by the yellow panel era. Other than that, it looks good to me.

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