Oxford diecast... whats next?

[64F]

24 minutes ago, RANGERS said:

For some reason Oxford seem to prefer the niche products of any given era so perhaps no surprise that the M Type figures in the range when more numerous (and theoretically more lucrative) types are overlooked.

 

They already have the licensing rights to all of the Plaxton range up to 2014, so it’s possible we might yet see a workaday Elite Express or Supreme, but  Id suspect it would be more likely that the obscure MB0303 or Bedford CF variants of the Supreme will appear first, just as the relatively rare Fanfare was favoured against the more mundane Duple Super Vega or Plaxton Embassy, and with them hundreds if not thousands of potential liveries.

 

Even the Duple Commander they chose was a version with a production life of only a year when there were variants with much higher volumes to choose from.

 

Given that they only seem to release a handful of bus models each year, I suspect that their priority is upmarket/signature types operated by big company operators with a strong collector following.  Southdown seems to be particularly well represented.   At the present rate of release it will be quite a while before they work their way through even the limited number of major operators who took that style/length of Duple Commander new, so they may think there would be no great advantage to doing something more common like a Vega or Viceroy instead.  I'm only surprised they haven't re-done the Harrington Grenadier yet (though that would be welcome given the many shortcomings of the EFE version).  However, Southdown also had plenty of Dominants and Supremes, so we can but hope...

 

On the subject of 1960s coaches, I nominate the Bedford VAL / Duple Vega Major for a model.  Not widely used by the big company operators and not as common as the contemporary Duple Bella Vega/Trooper, but nevertheless an unmistakable and iconic 1960s coach built in fairly large numbers.

[Jon Harbour]

I'd like to see a few more vehicles from earlier periods such as the 1930s.

[37501]

I would very much like a re-run of the British Rail Sherpa van and a Royal Mail one without the Welsh part of the logo.

[ianmacc]

7 hours ago, Jon Harbour said:

I'd like to see a few more vehicles from earlier periods such as the 1930s.

There are loads of Whitemetal kits released over the years that you could turn your hand to. 
 

RTP your era isn’t served fantastically I agree but overall still much better than those of recent history.

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by ianmacc
Ready to place more appropriate than ready to run!

[Mike Harvey]

A bit like the real thing, most of the Sherpas are still in stock with only the two Royal Mail versions and the BR minibus showing as sold out. Oxford's catalogue has a useful code in it which indicates models which will be re-run when stocks run out. A solid red rectangle appears alongside the item description. None of the Sherpas have received this marking in any of the catalogues going back to 2017. All is not lost though, as items without the red rectangle do seem to be re-run from time to time, including some of the items re-released this month.

Edited August 23, 2022 by Mike Harvey
Added info

[PhilJ W]

8 hours ago, 37501 said:

I would very much like a re-run of the British Rail Sherpa van and a Royal Mail one without the Welsh part of the logo.

And the later ones with the 'mouth organ' grill and the longer/wider versions too.

3 hours ago, Mike Harvey said:

A bit like the real thing, most of the Sherpas are still in stock with only the two Royal Mail versions and the BR minibus showing as sold out. Oxford's catalogue has a useful code in it which indicates models which will be re-run when stocks run out. A solid red rectangle appears alongside the item description. None of the Sherpas have received this marking in any of the catalogues going back to 2017. All is not lost though, as items without the red rectangle do seem to be re-run from time to time, including some of the items re-released this month.

Some of those re-releases are from the original manufactured batch and were not good sellers and they need the warehouse space. They will eventually end up in a bargain box.

[Jon Harbour]

14 hours ago, ianmacc said:

There are loads of Whitemetal kits released over the years that you could turn your hand to. 
 

RTP your era isn’t served fantastically I agree but overall still much better than those of recent history.

 

 

Totally agree. There are some really good white metal kits. However, I'm unsure of options for buses. Any suggestions for bus kits of that era?

[grahame]

On 23/08/2022 at 01:43, Jon Harbour said:

I'd like to see a few more vehicles from earlier periods such as the 1930s.

 

The R Parker kit range has a good choice of vehicles from that era.

 

[grahame]

8 hours ago, Jon Harbour said:

 

Totally agree. There are some really good white metal kits. However, I'm unsure of options for buses. Any suggestions for bus kits of that era?

 

Yep. N'Tastic have a couple of buses in their range from that era.

 

[richierich]

On 22/08/2022 at 22:51, RANGERS said:

For some reason Oxford seem to prefer the niche products of any given era so perhaps no surprise that the M Type figures in the range when more numerous (and theoretically more lucrative) types are overlooked.

 

They already have the licensing rights to all of the Plaxton range up to 2014, so it’s possible we might yet see a workaday Elite Express or Supreme, but  Id suspect it would be more likely that the obscure MB0303 or Bedford CF variants of the Supreme will appear first, just as the relatively rare Fanfare was favoured against the more mundane Duple Super Vega or Plaxton Embassy, and with them hundreds if not thousands of potential liveries.

 

Even the Duple Commander they chose was a version with a production life of only a year when there were variants with much higher volumes to choose from.

Yes it depressing how model manufacturers pick the niche models rather than mainstream with many many liveries.

 

I'd love to see the Plaxton Supreme III and Supreme IV in 11m format. Especially the NBC spec variant with Bristol dome and grant doors. 

 

Westwood Models did the white metal kit 255, which was later produced by ABS, but even in the late 80s was hard to obtain. I hear the MBF got the moulds from ABS, but no mention of kit 255.

[Mike Harvey]

Good to see Mk1 Fiesta, Mk5 Cortina, Mk3 Capri and Mk2 Escort added to the N range in tonight’s annoucement. And A Metro, Rover P5B, MG Midget, and current ford Ranger in 1/76 car range, plus a modern Dennis dust cart in 1/76.

[acg5324]

7 minutes ago, Mike Harvey said:

Good to see Mk1 Fiesta, Mk5 Cortina, Mk3 Capri and Mk2 Escort added to the N range in tonight’s annoucement. And A Metro, Rover P5B, MG Midget, and current ford Ranger in 1/76 car range, plus a modern Dennis dust cart in 1/76.

Glad I was sitting down, new toolings in n gauge too!……that duplicate ones that are already available as rather good 3D prints.

[BernardTPM]

1 hour ago, Mike Harvey said:

Good to see Mk1 Fiesta, Mk5 Cortina, Mk3 Capri and Mk2 Escort added to the N range in tonight’s annoucement.

That will nicely fill a late '70s/early '80s Ford Cartic-4.

[64F]

Just now, BernardTPM said:

That will nicely fill a late '70s/early '80s Ford Cartic-4.

Yes, eventually...  I don't fancy repainting N-gauge cars though (not if I want them to look brand new at any rate!).  Maybe once the Cartics are available Oxford might do some multipacks of different coloured versions of the same model (preferably without number plates).  Personally I'd sooner have had a Cortina estate than a Capri, but it's a great announcement for N gauge modellers of that era.

[Roy Langridge]

10 hours ago, Mike Harvey said:

Good to see Mk1 Fiesta, Mk5 Cortina, Mk3 Capri and Mk2 Escort added to the N range in tonight’s annoucement. And A Metro, Rover P5B, MG Midget, and current ford Ranger in 1/76 car range, plus a modern Dennis dust cart in 1/76.

Oh yes, MkIII MG Midget with round rear wheel arches - perfect. My first car, which I still own after 35 years….

 

Just need one in the right colour now…

 

Roy

[acg5324]

The spring / summer catalogue is now available on line….https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/9369/0011/files/FEB_-_AUGUST_23_low_res_bfb218c6-2f09-4cd2-bea9-a4a93bb6a8d3.pdf?v=1681235927

 

2024 for most of the new casting announcements.

[Steadfast]

Hopefully these everyday Fords sell well and see the start of Oxford offering us much more of the everyday in N scale. A modern Fiesta,  Golf, Astra, etc ought to far outsell the Jags and ice cream vans on offer already for layout decoration. Of course certain cars could also be done in railway liveries too (eg NR VW Golf, Colas Fiesta vans)

 

Biffa on the 4mm bin truck is a good shout, seen nationwide so pretty much any modern layout can have one.

 

Jo

[Crepello]

On 10/04/2023 at 23:47, BernardTPM said:

That will nicely fill a late '70s/early '80s Ford Cartic-4.

Before you fill your Cartics, make sure your loco can handle the weight of all those cars.

[BernardTPM]

The N Gauge ones are mainly plastic, so not that heavy.

[Covkid]

14 hours ago, Steadfast said:

Hopefully these everyday Fords sell well and see the start of Oxford offering us much more of the everyday in N scale. A modern Fiesta,  Golf, Astra, etc ought to far outsell the Jags and ice cream vans on offer already for layout decoration. Of course certain cars could also be done in railway liveries too (eg NR VW Golf, Colas Fiesta vans)

You would certainly think so wouldnt you.  I am a strong believer in "run of the mill" so would definitely buy average family cars in preference to bigger and more luxurious motors  

14 hours ago, Steadfast said:

Biffa on the 4mm bin truck is a good shout, seen nationwide so pretty much any modern layout can have one.

Jo

 

Agree with that but also need an East Lancs bodied Fleetline or ten 

[Dagworth]

On 10/04/2023 at 22:04, Mike Harvey said:

Metro

YAY, I was saying at the weekend that I wanted them

 

Andi

[steve1]

I did notice a pickup truck in the list (at last!), the Ford Raptor.

 

However, I’m still going to whinge as it is a very contemporary model. Why not the older P100, if it has to be a Ford because of a licensing deal?

 

Would still prefer some 1970s-1990s Japanese versions…

 

steve

[64F]

8 hours ago, steve1 said:

I did notice a pickup truck in the list (at last!), the Ford Raptor.

 

However, I’m still going to whinge as it is a very contemporary model. Why not the older P100, if it has to be a Ford because of a licensing deal?

 

I suspect Ford must be particularly accommodating, as they are very well represented in both the Oxford and Corgi Vanguards ranges.  JLR and the late MG Rover's predecessors are also well covered.  Vauxhall and Rootes/Peugeot on the other hand are not nearly so well represented, and I assume there must be a reason for that.

[ianmacc]

20 hours ago, 64F said:

I suspect Ford must be particularly accommodating, as they are very well represented in both the Oxford and Corgi Vanguards ranges.  JLR and the late MG Rover's predecessors are also well covered.  Vauxhall and Rootes/Peugeot on the other hand are not nearly so well represented, and I assume there must be a reason for that.

Oxford have a better licensing deal with those manufacturers and I have seen Oxford Diecast products in the glass main dealer merchandising cases in JLR showrooms so is suspect it’s a two way thing. 

[RANGERS]

On 09/04/2023 at 12:27, richierich said:

Yes it depressing how model manufacturers pick the niche models rather than mainstream with many many liveries.

 

I'd love to see the Plaxton Supreme III and Supreme IV in 11m format. Especially the NBC spec variant with Bristol dome and grant doors. 

 

Westwood Models did the white metal kit 255, which was later produced by ABS, but even in the late 80s was hard to obtain. I hear the MBF got the moulds from ABS, but no mention of kit 255.

The Supreme IV would be a welcome addition to the range and Oxford have the licence to produce historical Plaxton models. Their record in producing models which represent the lineage of a range is pretty good, Land Rovers, Fords etc, so given they've produced the middle age of Panorama coaches from the early '60s in 4mm, as well as the later Panorama and the 2009 onward Elite in 2mm, there might be some hope that the late 60s-mid-80s gap might be filled with an Elite, a Supreme and or an early Paramount.