Bachmann Branchline announcements for 2015/6

[Mark Dickerson]

Perhaps rising prices of RTR items will encourage more kit building.  Probably just as expensive, but expenditure can be staged, and so much more satisfying.  As I model in P4 any RTR would have to be converted anyway - perhaps an area for Bachmann and Hornby to make some further sales would be to offer unfinished/unassembled body mouldings - this would certainly interest me and I suspect many others.

Rather like the US Bachmann parts service, in fact. But to make such a suggestion would be akin to asking for at least the *consideration* of less detail or less fitted detail on some models in order to offer a range of prices, and might be seen as "whining about prices", mightn't it?

[Fat Controller]

The Dapol Presflo kit is £5.40 now! When it was introduced under the Airfix Brand it was 15p in the 60's. That is 36 times more expensive how many of todays RTR models can claim that?

 

Loconuts

Wasn't the Presflo kit one of the 'Series 1' kits, which retailed at 'two bob', or 10p in today's currency? The biggest increase must be on the 'Lowmac and JCB', which I think were 3 shillings; they're now sold as two kits; £6.19 for the wagon, and the same again for the JCB.

[Legend]

I agree, but suspect that the new-chassis J72 (etc.) will become the nearest thing we get from Bachmann. The irony of course being that the US market effectively has an extensive "basic" (and no doubt highly-profitable) Bachmann 00 range with Th*mas...

Not at £95. Hardly Railroad price. But it is the price Bachmann think you will pay for the item

[Legend]

I think they may have already factored in next year's increase on this one to get the criticism out of the way now.

 

That way everybody will heave a sigh of relief and snap them up when they do arrive.

 

Cynical? Moi?

 

John

Good one John! But I doubt it. God knows what the price of a Stanier 2-6-0 is , ever assuming it leaves the drawing office. Three years away 15% each year! going on for half again!

[Legend]

I think they may have already factored in next year's increase on this one to get the criticism out of the way now.

 

That way everybody will heave a sigh of relief and snap them up when they do arrive.

 

Cynical? Moi?

 

John

Good one John! But I doubt it. God knows what the price of a Stanier 2-6-0 is , ever assuming it leaves the drawing office. Three years away 15% each year! going on for half again!

Why must they?

 

So long as they generate the profit required to satisfy their parent company, it is of no importance to them whether they make it from 15,000 expensive items or 15,000,000 cheap ones.

 

It doesn't matter if their customers buy fewer items provided that what they do buy brings in the required income.

 

Basic economics dictate that customers who can't or won't pay what any business needs to function will not be catered for. Equally, our lives don't depend on the products in question so we are not forced to buy them irrespective of price or perceived value.

 

Hence, Bugatti don't produce cars in my price range and I don't buy cars in theirs.......... 

 

John

 

And Bachmann are going the same way.

 

Good news for Oxford though, whose prices seem to be in the territory Bachmann has left behind. Haven't seen the models yet of course, but I doubt they will be howlers! Also good news for Hornby. With their new manufacturing capacity they can come in and undercut Bachmann. With little in the way of new coaches this year(not sure if the FO is new or not),no wagons except for the rather specialist steam crane , I think Bachmann will become an increasingly niche player with some nice high priced models, leaving the main market behind,

[GordonC]

But look at the rubbish Hornby have been churning out for D+E era coaches

[Jol Wilkinson]

Good one John! But I doubt it. God knows what the price of a Stanier 2-6-0 is , ever assuming it leaves the drawing office. Three years away 15% each year! going on for half again!

 

And Bachmann are going the same way.

Good news for Oxford though, whose prices seem to be in the territory Bachmann has left behind. Haven't seen the models yet of course, but I doubt they will be howlers! Also good news for Hornby. With their new manufacturing capacity they can come in and undercut Bachmann. With little in the way of new coaches this year(not sure if the FO is new or not),no wagons except for the rather specialist steam crane , I think Bachmann will become an increasingly niche player with some nice high priced models, leaving the main market behind,

It is possible that Oxford have lower overheads owing the their company structure, but they may also beholding the price down to an artificially low level to establish themselves in the market. Will they be subject to the same financial influences that affect Bachmann, Hornby and others or are they immune to them?

[Killybegs]

The Dapol Presflo kit is £5.40 now! When it was introduced under the Airfix Brand it was 15p in the 60's. That is 36 times more expensive how many of todays RTR models can claim that?

 

Loconuts

 

A pint of beer was eleven old pence in the 60's, say 5p. What's the average pint in the UK now, probably 50 times that. You could buy a decent new 3 bedroom house for £2,000 in the 60's. Probably more than 50 times that now. Just goes to show that you cannot look at things in isolation.

[dibber25]

Chris- the On30 locos I have are not basic by any means, all DCC equipped for less than $100 each. They come with exploded diagrams and several alternate parts such as lamps, chimneys, bogies, etc. Because of the scale they are larger than OO with plenty of exterior detail and substantial die-cast parts. However there are some train set HO locos as well.

Sorry not to be precise enough. I was talking 'HO' of course. I'm aware of the On30 locos - I have several but they are not really capable of direct comparison with the main range HO models. (Some have also suffered serious issues - the drive gears on the Shay often having been split on assembly with the result that the customer has to apply for free replacements from the USA. I have yet to pluck up the courage to try and fit mine.) Several of the 'HO' locos and freight cars are available in my local store, as Barwell tries to widen its sales base, but the majority (while quite attractively priced) are distinctly 'Railroad' end of the market in terms of accuracy and detail and few locos are shown as DCC-ready. As I said, I don't consider them on a par with most of the current British outline Bachmann products.

CHRIS LEIGH

[coachmann]

A pint of beer was eleven old pence in the 60's, say 5p. What's the average pint in the UK now, probably 50 times that. You could buy a decent new 3 bedroom house for £2,000 in the 60's. Probably more than 50 times that now. Just goes to show that you cannot look at things in isolation.

In Oldham or Rochdale etc in 1960, a pint of mild was 1s 4d,  bitter 1s 6d, Black Velvet (guinness & cider) 2s 6d, and Old Tom (Robinsons Barley wine) 2s 6d bottle. Ref :- Misspent yoof...

[farren]

Can someone help us youngsters (born in decimalisation) out what was the average wage back in the dark agees of the 60's so we can put this in contacts

[Fat Controller]

Can someone help us youngsters (born in decimalisation) out what was the average wage back in the dark agees of the 60's so we can put this in contacts

1964 average wage was £16 per week; it's currently about £26,500 per annum, which is close to £500 per week, so about 30 times more.

[coachmann]

1964 average wage was £16 per week; it's currently about £26,500 per annum, which is close to £500 per week, so about 30 times more.

Unless you lived in woollybackland. £16.00 was about right for on Oldham's buses in 1965 but my weekly income dropped to £11.50 when I moved to north Wales. I was lucky to obtain £16.00 even in 1967-8 driving for MacAlpines. When I left Pilkington Optical in 1972 my wage was £36.00, about the best around here. Going back in time to 1958 at CPA, I was on £3.50 in designs reproduction and could make more money playing piano!

[Mallard60022]

Can someone help us youngsters (born in decimalisation) out what was the average wage back in the dark agees of the 60's so we can put this in contacts

Building labourer 1966 and 1967, 40+ hour week = £12.0.0ish. Summer holidays 1968 Co-oP milko = about £18.00 a week.

Best Jobs for me as School 6th Former was Christmas Posty 1965 & 66. I think I got about £10 a week but got loads of Christmas 'tips'. Loved it.

1966 The Waterloo pub in Devonport (near Kings Road) pint of scrumpy, 10d, pint of 'Heavy', 11d. Both out of tap barrels. I'm still recovering...........................

The sort of scrumpy they sold resulted in Devon Colic (don't ask.....)

Phil

[Combe Martin]

I started work as a 16 and 3/4 year old in september 1964 in a central London office.  My wages were £7 per week, but I got a rise of 10 Shillings (half of £1) after 2 weeks because I cleared the work backlog and it got noticed by the directors !

[Killybegs]

In Oldham or Rochdale etc in 1960, a pint of mild was 1s 4d,  bitter 1s 6d, Black Velvet (guinness & cider) 2s 6d, and Old Tom (Robinsons Barley wine) 2s 6d bottle. Ref :- Misspent yoof...

 

Courage ordinary bitter (from the old Georges Brewery in Bristol) was 11 pence in the college local, 6 pence for a half. in 1962. By the time I left college in 1965, you could still get 10 pints, a packet of fags and have change out of a pound. Odd how beer is now cheaper in the North when the reverse was apparently the case in the 60,s

 

£1,000 pa was considered a good salary for a senior quantity surveyor in the early sixties. They would expect to earn a lot more than that now! Things moved very quickly, I left college in 65 as a part qualified QS on £15 pw, but I was offered jobs in Bristol for £2 and £5 pw!

[Danemouth]

Started in Wales Gas Board in 1965 at £330 p.a.

 

Dave

[dibber25]

Unless you lived in woollybackland. £16.00 was about right for on Oldham's buses in 1965 but my weekly income dropped to £11.50 when I moved to north Wales. I was lucky to obtain £16.00 even in 1967-8 driving for MacAlpines. When I left Pilkington Optical in 1972 my wage was £36.00, about the best around here. Going back in time to 1958 at CPA, I was on £3.50 in designs reproduction and could make more money playing piano!

I started work at Ian Allan in 1963 for £5 a week at age 16/17. No one in railway journalism ever got rich, but publishers did.

CHRIS LEIGH

[wombatofludham]

I was busy filling nappies and puking up Ostermilk in 1963.  I didn't get paid for that.

[grandadbob]

I remember in about 1959/60 my Dad putting up the price of bitter in his pub from11¹/₂d a pint to a shilling. Nearly caused World War 3!!  I started work as a junior clerk in 1966 at £7.00 for a 36 hour week.

[Ian Abel]

Can someone help us youngsters (born in decimalisation) out what was the average wage back in the dark agees of the 60's so we can put this in contacts

Well, scary as it might seem, I started out in '67 as a Trainee Programmer with Shell International at the princely sum of 590 QUID A YEAR, and THAT was considered very good!!!

[farren]

I find Social history fascinating. quite alarming how fast income/costs have gone up in 50-60 years.

[Stanley Melrose]

I started as a graduate trainee at Ford Motor Company in October 1965 on £972 p.a..  That was the second highest graduate salary that year - only the BBC paid more at £1000 p.a.but that was fixed for 2 years before there was any review.  At Ford I was on £1300 p.a. within 9 months and could afford to buy a house and get married in 1967.

 

I admit life has been very good to me and I know my standard of living will almost certainly always be better than my 4 kids no matter how hard they work and they have professional qualifications as well.

 

Stan

 

Well, scary as it might seem, I started out in '67 as a Trainee Programmer with Shell International at the princely sum of 590 QUID A YEAR, and THAT was considered very good!!!

[tetsudofan]

Whilst in the lower 6th at school in the early 60s we used to pop down to one of the local pubs at lunchtime and were able to get half pint of beer and a pork pie for the cost of a school dinner

 

Keith

[Godfrey Glyn]

By we had it tough in them olden days! A school friend who started teaching, having done a Cert Ed at Teacher Training School, in 1969 on £13 6s 8d. I think that was the year when the government realised that they had a severe shortage of teachers and we had a series of good annual pay rises. I started on £70 month a year later as a graduate with a PGCE and an additional allowance. I was rich!
Godfrey