Bachmann Peppercorn A2

[brushman47544]

It could also mean that they have arrived in the UK.

Bernard

That would be good, but they haven't appeared in the lists published in MREMag as on their way from China, so I suspect not.

[G-BOAF]

Theories as follows:

Production slot missed or not allocated properly

models manufactured but fault discovered requiring corrective action.

All first batch sold and not available from Bachmann (but would this not still show up on schedule?)

Container lost on dock somewhere

Someone on a ship/Hong Kong has decided to build the Edinburgh/Aberdeen line and requires alot of A2s

 

Does seem very strange for a model to go from 60 days (which usually means production complete and awaiting shipping), to 'awaiting'. I could understand a later production date due to schedule slipping. Seems very strange.

 

The waiting continues....

[Ed-farms]

Bachmann's website also shows them as now having 8pin sockets and not 21pin as before, could this be a reason for delays I wonder?

 

 

[47401]

I think my money is on that they have found a problem.......

[Guest Max Stafford]

In the absence of an official comment chaps, aren't we all getting a bit ahead of ourselves...?

 

Dave.

[The Black Hat]

Bachmann projects like this I find are always worth the wait.

[Guest Max Stafford]

Better to take one's time and get it as right as you reasonably can. If indeed there is a problem which might not be the case!

There's an old saying; "We don't have time for short cuts".

 

Dave.

[Guest TomTank]

Bachmann site updated today, only Peppercorn items showing coming in the next 60 days are A1s Tornado and Great Central

[Guest Max Stafford]

Blue Peter now back in the 60-day slot.

 

Dave.

[davidw]

One I'm looking forward to

[Guest TomTank]

Blue Peter now back in the 60-day slot.

 

Dave.

 

Hmmm and interestingly Blue Peter has taken the place of A1 Great Central on the 60 day list... hopefully in time for Christmas then

[47401]

Interesentingly they have dropped Great Central off the radar.... Didn't they do it a couple of years ago?

 

As for Blue Peter release like you all mine's on order but with a 10 month "imminent" release I am not counting my chickens....

[great northern]

The new A1 is Great Eastern guys, not Great Central, which has indeed already been done. As to the delays, I think these must be down to things outside Bachmann's control - either production slots being changed or shipping problems. I can't imagine that they would want to make themselves open to unneccesary crticism, and appear hopelessly inefficient, by publishing details on the website that they had not been given assurances about at the time. We shall all just have to be patient I'm afraid, though it's not something I'm very good at.

[Ed-farms]

I have heard talk of a problem with the mechanism, if this is the case pushing Great Eastern back would most likely mean they are using parts off that to get the A2 going which makes complete sense to me.

[luton town]

could it be that Bachmann,have the same problem with A2 as they did with the first bath of A1s,the motors where not upto standards,so they re-called them and replaced the motors?

[Guest Max Stafford]

I shouldn't have thought this would be a problem seeing as both models in all probability share a common block. The motor problems have never re-surfaced on the A1 or any other model as far as I know and I imagine the A1 and A2 would also share their motor too.

 

Dave.

[davidw]

Could it just be that there's a problem with part of the tooling? It's unfortunate for Bachmann that it's slipped in and out of the 60 day slot. What I find interesting is that the 7F is Dec/Jan I wouldn't be surprised if it were April/May or June next year

[noakesy123]

I know of someone who phoned to ask of the delay, there was an issue with the wheel metals, so that is why they have been held back.

[Horsetan]

I shouldn't have thought this would be a problem seeing as both models in all probability share a common block. ....

 

Chassis blocks would not be the same since A1 and A2 wheelbases are different.

[Guest Max Stafford]

Didn't know that Horse. I thought it was purely an issue of wheel diameter.

 

Dave.

[Bernard Lamb]

Didn't know that Horse. I thought it was purely an issue of wheel diameter.

 

Dave.

 

 

Dave

A1 6'3"+5'9"+7'3"+7'3"+9'9" =36'3"

A2 6'3"+5'7"+6'6"+6'6"+9'6" =34'4"

Bernard

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I looked at the Bachmann A1 not long after it came out, for 'bashing' potential into A2 form, and came to the conclusion that there was too much to throw away to really contemplate this. Because Bach have the bolier and smokebox as one piece, from their perspective the major reuseable parts which contribute to external appearance would amount to the tender and cab plus backhead, the cylinder block, deflectors, front bogie and rear Cartazzi wheelset, and a few detail bits and pieces. Not a lot considering how similar these two classes look when belting along the main line.

[stewartingram]

I believe the notifications on 'in stock' & 'due dates' on the Bach webpage actually refer to the Barwell stores location? Having said that, I'm eagerly awaiting the 2 green versions of the Cravens unit (yes I know, its not an A2!) which I've pre-ordered with Trains4U; these have been reviewed in all the mags (presumably airfreighted) and are shown as delivered in the last 30 days, yet none of the dealers appears yet to have them delivered!

[AMJ]

Speaking to the owner of a shop the other day they had a document from the maker stating that they are delayed due to a minor problem with one of the moulds.

[G-BOAF]

I looked at the Bachmann A1 not long after it came out, for 'bashing' potential into A2 form, and came to the conclusion that there was too much to throw away to really contemplate this. Because Bach have the bolier and smokebox as one piece, from their perspective the major reuseable parts which contribute to external appearance would amount to the tender and cab plus backhead, the cylinder block, deflectors, front bogie and rear Cartazzi wheelset, and a few detail bits and pieces. Not a lot considering how similar these two classes look when belting along the main line.

Hope I won't be out of place offering a few corrections:

Deflectors won't be interchangable, the front running plate (above cylinders) is lower on the A2 than the A1 (to accomodate the cylinders being lower due to smaller diameter driving wheels). Therefore the deflectors themselves will be taller (head to toe) on an A2 than an A1.

Similarly, I'll be interested to see if they'll reuse the A1 cylinders (just at a different height above the rail head), or if more changes are necessary.

 

My guess is that they committed to the A2 on the basis that they've got major body parts for the A1, and then discovered more work was necessary! I remember a quote on here regarding a mockup at the original announcement in July 08 which was assembled just to 'see if it was possible'.

 

If its the wheels they've corrected, I do hope they've got them round (a number of Bachmann locos have distinctly off-round wheels).

Happy to wait as long as it takes to get a good looking and running model at the end!