Bachmann to distribute EFE

[PhilJ W]

It has been announced on a model bus website that Bachmann is to take over EFE and Gilbow Holdings. This is due to the retirement of Frank Joyce the founder of EFE.

[tetsudofan]

Not what it says on the Bachmann website....Bachmann are going to distribute EFE stuff to their trade customers while Gilbow Holdings (owners of EFE) will continue to develop the range and also service their existing trade customers.

 

Reading between the lines it maybe the first steps that Frank Joyce is taking towards retirement... we all have to do it at some stage!!

 

Keith

[RANGERS]

I suspect that the economic situation and the state of the die-cast market may have been a big factor. Costs are increasing and the market ain't anywhere near as big as it used to be.

[Bartb]

I haven't bought any EFE models for a long time, as there is nothing to interest me. Every month I check to see what the new liveries are, and every month I am dissapointed. Just my opinion.

[Xerces Fobe2]

Ready to run tube stock in the future?

 

XF

[Glorious NSE]

Ready to run tube stock in the future?

 

XF

 

Makes modelling a replacement bus service easier... 

[Xerces Fobe2]

Makes modelling a replacement bus service easier... 

 The problem is if there are delays in delivery, you may not see a model replacement bus for months and then they will all arrive together!

[Pete 75C]

Ready to run tube stock in the future?

 

XF

 

Here's hoping.

[orcadian]

As a subscriber to the EFE Collectors' Association (shock! Horror! I'm a Collector!), and as a regular follower of the British Model Bus website, I have not seen any hint whatsoever that this is a 'take over'.  EFE have signed a DISTRIBUTION agreement with Bachmann, opening up the network of Bachmann reps and retailers so that EFE models are more widely seen and more readily available.

 

In a period when all forms of scale model and toy shops are feeling something of the economic squeeze, it seems eminently sensible to keep the sales base as broad as possible and to achieve maximum exposure for ones product - and, even if I'm gullible, I'm prepared to believe Frank Joyce! Scale die-casts are experiencing the same sort of irregularities in production and supply from China as are all our RTR model railway companies who rely on Chinese production.

 

To broaden it out, for those who don't mind buying from good on-line sellers at discount prices, EFE, Corgi, Britbus and Oxford can be found attractively on-line from goldstar stockists or via Peter Turland at ywbc.co.uk - Yardley Wood Bus Club a Birmingham bus preservation group at the museum and former depot of the same name.

 

The usual rider applies - my only connection with these companies etc is as a regular and very satisfied customer!

 

Richard

[Red Devil]

Rumours doing the rounds that Gilbow holdings has been declared insolvent.....

 

http://www.britishmodelbuses.com/

 

News section.

[PhilJ W]

Rumours doing the rounds that Gilbow holdings has been declared insolvent.....

 

http://www.britishmodelbuses.com/

 

News section.

I've heard the same from several different sources. Frank Joyce who founded the company relinquished control a few years ago upon his retirement and it seems to have been in the doldrums since with no new castings and no new liveries in recent years, only re-lettered old stock. Bachmann do not seem all that interested in promoting EFE but I do hope they will continue production of some models under their own label.

[rembrow]

An update on the British Model Buses site advises that the last announced Bachmann commissioned bus from EFE, Leyland Titan prototype in LT colours, was delivered to Bachmann before the insolvency

[RANGERS]

The rumour does appear to be correct and the assets of the business are thought now to be with a receiver for disposal. The tie up with Bachmann looks to have never progressed beyond a distribution and marketing arrangement, in addition to which Bachmann commissioned some models from EFE.

 

If this is the case, the tooling in China is likely to end up with the company who produced the models so there will be some uncertainty as to its future. There are stocks of finished and unprinted models in the UK which the liquidator will now be anxious to dispose of, the existing wholesalers are the likely candidates for those.

 

If all this is confirmed, its a sad end for a company which did so much to develop the market for authentic die-cast models.

[rembrow]

A further update concerning the situation with EFE has been posted on the British Model Buses site, Frank Joyce, the md, has advised that the business is in administration and is up for sale, with a number of the staff having left the company. My thoughts are with them.

 

 

http://www.britishmodelbuses.com/News_October%202016.htm

[Coppercap]

Sad to see it, but I had a feeling EFE wasn't going to be in business for much longer. No new castings for years, only new liveries on some now quite dated models. I get the feeling the market has dwindled too, as production numbers per model are vastly reduced compared with just a few years ago. I was once a 'subscriber' but I got little more out of it than advance updates about models I wasn't interested in. Also the prices these days! For me the highlight was the tube stock (big mistake not motorising them... ), glad I bought a few sets.

Other model bus manufacturers have gone out of business, hope someone keeps some of the EFE designs going.

[Guest]

Phil, who started this thread a number of years ago got a lot of "Disagree" ratings (remember those) for getting it a little bit wrong. With hindsight, it's a shame he wasn't correct because the brand might still be with us.

[RANGERS]

There is some speculation on a couple of websites, perhaps more correctly assumptions, that Bachmann will acquire the brand but there's little prospect it'll be sold as a going concern.

[Ragtag]

A shame to see an established name go but it's been a while since they released anything of interest to me (other than the odd reliveried VR or National).

Here's hoping it creates room in the market for someone like Oxford Diecast to produce new quality models at an affordable price.

[rembrow]

A shame to see an established name go but it's been a while since they released anything of interest to me (other than the odd reliveried VR or National).

 

Here's hoping it creates room in the market for someone like Oxford Diecast to produce new quality models at an affordable price.

 

Unfortunately it may be that Oxford Diecasts move into the model bus and coach market accelerated the decline of brands like EFE. Oxford has produced 6 new bus and coach models in the last five years and another just announced, with prices that were about half those of EFE and Corgi, whereas EFE wasn't able to produce any new tooling in that time and Corgi has only produced one new tooled bus.

[SRman]

Seeing as Corgi are a part of Hornby's portfolio, their future may not be on the firmest ground either. Here's hoping they do survive the doldrums.

[rembrow]

There is some speculation on a couple of websites, perhaps more correctly assumptions, that Bachmann will acquire the brand but there's little prospect it'll be sold as a going concern.

 

It would be a good fit though for Bachmann, as they already own Pocketbond who have a range of diecast cars and Bachmann also have some buses produced in 'n' gauge, so could create an integrated vehicle range in both 'n' and 'oo' gauge. We've seen in the last couple of weeks how Oxford are integrating the rail and vehicle ranges, with announcements of several vehicle packs foe use with their forthcoming car rail carrier

[Gwiwer]

I'm sorry to see the EFE marque go down the gurgler and of course the livelihoods of a number of staff with it.  However I do have to concur with the posts above noting that there hasn't been much of note in recent years and there are only so many of each model that any of us could reasonably want.  Even the London RM and RT types do not serve an insatiable market.  EFE is also pricey against others in the market with comparable if not better offerings.

 

There are stocks of many models across the years available at some specialist dealers and a large warehouse in Widnes has a pretty substantial collection on offer as well.  

[PhilJ W]

EFE origionally set out to produce models for model railways, producing just one bus model but several different lorry models, albeit based on the same AEC type. It quickly was realised that the one bus model proved very popular with collectors so the company decided to take that path and cater for the bus collectors market hence buses and coaches predominated in their products. Oxford on the other hand have concentrated on the general market and gradually moving into other genres, such as model railways, as and when they feel it is the right time to do so.

[John M Upton]

The great monumental collapse of the diecast model bus market probably didn't help in the slightest.  Whereas such highly sought after models such as the first release Southdown Harrington Cavalier coach were at one time demanding three figure sums, now like most of the rest of the range you are lucky if you can shift them on Ebay for a fiver with free postage.  The only ones I buy these days are cheap ones for bashing and repainting.

 

To be honest I am amazed they didn't go under long ago.

[BrushVeteran]

I can never understand why EFE didn't expand on their models of larger fleet operators to produce two or three of the same model but with differing fleet,registration numbers and adverts at the same time. I'm sure this would have increased sales and collectability especially if marketed in packs. After all it is alleged that buses always ran in threes!

 

Of late they have chosen to over tampo print some of the slower selling models to get rid of stocks....................which is a more expensive way of production after the event. I wish them well as I know Frank Joyce has put his life and soul into the range.