Bachmann 2014 ...for those with crystal balls....

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

"Truly amazing"? I think not! Could that neglect be due to the fact that the LMS was hi-jacked by the Derby faction, causing the LNWR branch of the locomotive evolutionary tree to be rapidly pruned...

Gratned, but nonetheless, LNWR Coal Tanks and 2F 0-6-0s did kick around in reasonable numbers in early crest. (By BR times, such classes had more scrapped than entire original builds of SR loco model subjects that have been produced. Given the scale of availability of models of LMS standards there must be a large enough market buying these, who might just also be interested in what was a character item of the WCML and its offshoots?

[298]

Buy old Lima DMUs off Ebay and use those.

I'd agree with you if we were talking about a Railroad-spec reintroduction, but unless someone is stocking a layout with just pre-1998 models, a Derby Suburban unit to modern standards would be very welcome.

[MJI]

I'd agree with you if we were talking about a Railroad-spec reintroduction, but unless someone is stocking a layout with just pre-1998 models, a Derby Suburban unit to modern standards would be very welcome.

 

Mine look good, Laserglaze, brass handrails ect, corrected windows.

[Stanley Melrose]

I moved to Harpindin (Harpenden) in 1970 and travelled daily to St Pancras in the Class 117s for many years.  By the end of their time their engines had to be kept running overnight because all the fitters had long since left for better jobs and if the engines were turned off, it was highly likely they wouldn't start in the morning.  The service deteriorated the longer the delays in finishing the electrification which, if I remember correctly took five long years.  It was not without its funnier moments, though.  It seemed that every morning as our train lumbered over the pointwork at the entrance to St Pancras, there would be an announcement that "Delay to the service was due to operational difficulties".  One memorable morning the announcement was that the "Delay to our train was caused by an exceptionally high tide at Fleetwood".  Since most commuters were still dozing as they left the train, I think I was the only person who collapsed in laughter.

 

On another occasion, as our train left St Pancras, a large gentleman standing in the middle of the carriage suddenly announced, "Hallalujah, Jesus, I've come to save you all!"  There was a rustling of Evening Standards and a city gent said in a loud voice, "I say, could you do that somewhere else?"  There was silence from then on.

 

Yet again, one evening there was a very drunk man on our train who was annoying everyone and when the train stopped at Mill Hill, he asked to all and sundry if this was Snorbuns (St Albans).  He was told that it was and left the train to the great amusement of the rest of us.

 

Interestingly, Harpindin was the home of quite a few BR managers and there was a morning and evening loco-hauled service (Bedford - Harpenden - St Pancras and return in the evening) especially for their convenience - a kind of company car, I guess, as there was a small first class section for their use.  It was a bit of a game to escape the crowded remainder of the train by travelling  in the first class section.  The occupants never actually voiced their displeasure but their body language spoke volumes.  There were occasional sad days when there was a ticket inspector on board who demanded we move or pay the first class fare, despite our protestations that there were no seats elsewhere.  That produced smug grins on the faces of the BR staff who waved their passes to the inspector.

 

Then came the electrics and although the service improved significantly, it was time for a new job and I ceased to commute into London.

 

Over 30 years ago now . . . .

 

Stan

[petethemole]

Dad commuted on that line from 1946 to '81, first from Ampthill and when that closed from Flitwick. Later he tended to drive to Luton because there were more trains an hour from there including loco-hauled trains, and later HSTs, either of which he preferred to the 127s. During the electification works the service got so bad he would often drive as far as Finsbury Park, park  near the station and get the tube. Finally the stress got too much and he took early retirement.

[tomparryharry]

Having recovered from someone mentioning 'Aberdares'... "Aaah, nurse, thats better...."

 

I'd like to see an Aberdare, seeing as Bachmann actually make most of it already.

 

It's Great Western, so liable to be in demand, witness the platitudes heaped upon the Dukedog.

 

However, here comes the problems...

 

None left, so it's difficult to scan one. Most were gone by the mid-fifties. This brings it's own particular problem....

 

How many people actually remember one? How many remember a Metro? (Large or Small). As the pool of clients grows ever smaller, where does Bachmann go to retain it's client base?

 

Q6? Wasn't that Spike Milligan?

 

Now, where's that door?

Ian

[Craigw]

Having recovered from someone mentioning 'Aberdares'... "Aaah, nurse, thats better...."

 

I'd like to see an Aberdare, seeing as Bachmann actually make most of it already.

 

It's Great Western, so liable to be in demand, witness the platitudes heaped upon the Dukedog.

 

However, here comes the problems...

 

None left, so it's difficult to scan one. Most were gone by the mid-fifties. This brings it's own particular problem....

 

How many people actually remember one? How many remember a Metro? (Large or Small). As the pool of clients grows ever smaller, where does Bachmann go to retain it's client base?

 

Q6? Wasn't that Spike Milligan?

 

Now, where's that door?

Ian

 

 

The last of the Aberdares were withdrawn in 1949 and the metro disappeared around the same time. 

 

Someone has said it before, but I would have thought a Bulldog is probably the most logical of the outside frame GWR locos to do. That, or a decent Saint.

 

Not sure where this notion that you have to make things people see or remember comes from. There still seems to be an extremely healthy market for German WW2 AFVs and books relating to them. Pretty certain that is not all down to people remembering them.

 

Craig W

[tomparryharry]

The last of the Aberdares were withdrawn in 1949 and the metro disappeared around the same time. 

 

Someone has said it before, but I would have thought a Bulldog is probably the most logical of the outside frame GWR locos to do. That, or a decent Saint.

 

Not sure where this notion that you have to make things people see or remember comes from. There still seems to be an extremely healthy market for German WW2 AFVs and books relating to them. Pretty certain that is not all down to people remembering them.

 

Craig W

 

Hi Craig,

 

My notion comes from a product being relevant, in the present day. Most likely, people will buy model trains, because they remember that era, either that, or they do research.

 

Your point about AFV's is correct, However, there's at least one programme a week on TV somewhere, where I can see a King Tiger, and know the difference between a Char B,  an A34 Comet, and a Sexton. This media background fuels the desire for further research, and leads on to 'the client' buying books, models, etc. Germn AFV's are sometimes 'sexed up'. Why, I don't know. There's nothing funny about a 'brew-up' especially when you're on the inside....

 

Model railways are more sedate, so I'm told. Can't see it myself, what with all the hot air sometimes expelled, because a rivet is in the wrong place on a locomotive, for a '36 model XXXX.

 

As the client age group advances, less people retain relevant memories, and the possible 'must have' recedes further into the past. Disposable income moves to a younger age group, and they remember BR blue, etc.

 

Where would you put your investment? Forgotten loco, or well remembered? A lack of Toplights might clinch that one....

 

I'd love to see a 26xx from Barwell. To their credit, they already make most of the loco, in one form or another. However, there's the 94, 15 & 16xx classes that they can produce, as well as the steam railmotor.

 

Steam Railmotor? Mmmmmm

 

Regards,

Ian

[Neal Ball]

..... Where would you put your investment? Forgotten loco, or well remembered? A lack of Toplights might clinch that one....

 

 

.......Steam Railmotor? Mmmmmm

 

Regards,

Ian

 

I'm still hoping for some coaching stock - Toplights would be good....

 

As for a Steam Railmotor - Yes Please :-)

 

Not long now to wait - just over a month....

[Oldddudders]

As for a Steam Railmotor - Yes Please :-)

 

 

Even I would be tempted by a Railmotor, despite its absolute lack of relevance to any of my other modelling - beyond being a self-propelled single car, a configuration for which I have a weakness. One of the most uplifting pieces of restoration/recreation of recent years, surely, and I'm inclined to think a model would sell well.

[Purley Oaks]

a unit with a buffet car in formation is a bit special.

Agreed - from southern EMUs such as BEPs to the humble 4 car 101. Would be good if they were available separately, although a better selling bet for Bachmann would be the full set, I imagine.

Mal

[GordonC]

I would absolutely love to see a Class 126, but I just cant see it happening. Pretty restricted area of use and a 3 coach unit. A Class 120 would surely be produced first and even that might be iffy at the moment with the way prices are going up

[ThaneofFife]

if Bachmann have ruled out a reversed grey and blue blue pullman set as it would now cost around £600 i doubt the 6 car trans pennine dmu has made it onto the radar for similar reasons.at least not yet....

[gc4946]

Bachmann measured up the East Kent Railway's 4BEP unit so they could have produced drawings of the buffet car for tooling up.

 

Whether they'll announce one this July is another matter as it might encourage more sales from those wanting a full CEP/BEP/CEP formation (also 4BEPs also worked solo to/from Portsmouth Harbour on London Victoria services)

 

I think with a limited number of tooling slots available this year they'll go for something more eye-catching...

[Ozexpatriate]

Where would you put your investment? Forgotten loco, or well remembered? A lack of Toplights might clinch that one....

 

Steam Railmotor? Mmmmmm

I'm still hoping for some coaching stock - Toplights would be good....

 

As for a Steam Railmotor - Yes Please :-)

 

Not long now to wait - just over a month....

Even I would be tempted by a Railmotor, ...

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

 

The GWR steam railmotor in plastic RTR is as inevitable as sunrise.

 

It ticks almost every box: (relatively) inexpensive to make, ran in multiple liveries, one-off* wow factor, runs in preservation, desirable for collectors, add a trailer and make a train-pack / train-set etc. The only boxes it misses is the 'ran during nationalization' and had a wide operational range, big ones I'll admit, but not insurmountable in this case.

 

* it really isn't a one off, the GWR made lots of them, but I think you know what I mean.

[tomparryharry]

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

 

The GWR steam railmotor in plastic RTR is as inevitable as sunrise.

 

It ticks almost every box: (relatively) inexpensive to make, ran in multiple liveries, one-off* wow factor, runs in preservation, desirable for collectors, add a trailer and make a train-pack / train-set etc. The only boxes it misses is the 'ran during nationalization' and had a wide operational range, big ones I'll admit, but not insurmountable in this case.

 

* it really isn't a one off, the GWR made lots of them, but I think you know what I mean.

 

 

Yes, I know what you mean. Used to see a Dukedog regularly at Harwich......

 

Ian

[locoholic]

"The GWR steam railmotor in plastic RTR is as inevitable as sunrise." Hmmm... When it appears I shall certainly experience a "wow factor".

[HillsideDepot]

And doesn't the one at Didcot owe it's survival to being converted to an auto-trailer later in life? So that might be another model version if the tooling is cleverly designed (I don't know what changes were made to the real thing, so it might not be possible in a model, but it would help the financial case if it can).   

[brushman47544]

(also 4BEPs also worked solo to/from Portsmouth Harbour on London Victoria services)

 

When I was a lad... well anyway my recollection of the regular hourly Victoria-Portsmouth Harbour / Bognor Regis services via Dorking, which split at Barnham, was that the buffet portion went to Bognor Regis, not Portsmouth Harbour. Peak hours workings may have been different, although most did not split and went to or started from one or other destination as a full train.

[gc4946]

I've definitely seen solo 4BEPs in blue/grey running on Victoria-Portsmouth Harbour services when observing at Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea. in my youth.

 

Michael G. Harvey's and Eddie Rooke's book "Portsmouth" (Silver Link, 1997) has a photo of a solo 4BEP on p.106, quoting from the caption "Unrebuilt 4BEP 7013 cruises through Hilsea on the 14.50 Portsmouth Harbour to Victoria service on 13 August 1981. At this time two such diagrams brought the buffet car unit to Portsmouth, rather than Bognor Regis. The unit will link up at Barnham Junction with 4CIG units from Bognor Regis"

[Coach bogie]

The GWR steam railmotor in plastic RTR is as inevitable as sunrise.

 

It ticks almost every box: (relatively) inexpensive to make, ran in multiple liveries, one-off* wow factor, runs in preservation, desirable for collectors, add a trailer and make a train-pack / train-set etc. The only boxes it misses is the 'ran during nationalization' and had a wide operational range, big ones I'll admit, but not insurmountable in this case.

 

* it really isn't a one off, the GWR made lots of them, but I think you know what I mean.

 

Maybe not nationalisation but it skipped a generation and ran on privatised Network Rail operating the Looe Branch

 

 

Lots of them? No 93 was one of a lot of 16. There is a complex history with 22 other diagram/designs in different lengths from 55ft to 70ft some of which covered just one unit. 

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Oldddudders]

When I was a lad... well anyway my recollection of the regular hourly Victoria-Portsmouth Harbour / Bognor Regis services via Dorking, which split at Barnham, was that the buffet portion went to Bognor Regis, not Portsmouth Harbour. Peak hours workings may have been different, although most did not split and went to or started from one or other destination as a full train.

While Andrew was a lad a few years after me (although I think we discovered we were born only a couple of miles apart) I agree that the portion working, whether the train was 8 or 12 cars, was always intended to put the BEP to Bognor. Peak workings were actually quite limited. In the 1967 et seq WTT there was a 1700 Vic - Littlehampton via Dorking, 8-CEP, and then a 1728 Vic - Bognor, CEP-BEP-CEP, fast to Dorking and with no Portsmouth portion, all 12 cars going to Bognor. After that I think the next service via Dorking was the regular interval 1902. But then there was the 1818 Victoria via Crawley, including a BEP, which I think went to Bognor and Chichester (?), famous for the passengers' club, with chaps all wearing a club tie with clock hands pointing to 6.18! I seem to recall there was a morning service from Bognor to London Bridge (was it 0649?), which may not have had a BEP.

[newbryford]

what chance a transpenine dmu,

 

Yup - a Class 185 would be good....... A logical Bachmann/Siemens progression after the 350 project.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[The Great Bear]

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

 

The GWR steam railmotor in plastic RTR is as inevitable as sunrise.

 

It ticks almost every box: (relatively) inexpensive to make, ran in multiple liveries, one-off* wow factor, runs in preservation, desirable for collectors, add a trailer and make a train-pack / train-set etc. The only boxes it misses is the 'ran during nationalization' and had a wide operational range, big ones I'll admit, but not insurmountable in this case.

 

* it really isn't a one off, the GWR made lots of them, but I think you know what I mean.

 

...and you could use it as a base for the railmotors converted to autotrailers (which lasted into nationalisation), perhaps?

[brushman47544]

With all the bad news coming from china, can't help feeling that the July announcement has more to do with buying time / known anticipation rather than waiting for self back slapping anniversaries.

I might have agreed, except that Bachmann has said it's 2015/16 catalogue will be launched in the Spring as in previous years, so only an eight month or so gap. But looking at the long list of models announced but still outstanding, I can't see anything announced in July appearing before 2015.