woodenhead

I guess though that depends just truly how big the N gauge market is - Accurascale can happily live alongside Bachmann in OO each able to sell product in large volumes to an eager market. Here in N we have Revolution and Sonic in the new entrants market - both started in N (for good reason with regards RevolutioN) but both now produce models in the bigger scale too i.e. N on it's own is not enough. It's easy to imagine RevolutioN doing some mark 2bs in association with Accurascale and that would be welcome. But such a run would be limited in number with an element of pre-payment, there is no way that they would expose themselves to the risk of Bachmann churning out their own Mk2s by a general release of Mk2bs from Revolution. I think Bachmann are well aware of the threat of the newer companies hence the progress of Next18 chassis reworks and the new 47 in OO, who knows what is to come. I think we are all agreed that this year has been lacklustre given the anniversary of GF, whilst a Hornby style celebration was never on the cards I think we all hoped for something. Given all the problems in China (and the world for that matter) I think we can understand that perhaps things are all a little delayed and at some point we will get some surprises in 2022.

That's your view, mine is that better DCC functionality and sound is key to progressing N gauge as a viable scale, especially when that DCC improvement also helps DC modellers allowing sound out of the box for them without any changes to their layout or controllers. N gauge cannot compete with OO on just being able to run longer trains, it needs other whistles and bells to attract modellers to first stay and then for others to potentially downsize. We all have our views and it's not simply a case of there are not enough models, some think more Mk1 and Mk2 coaches are needed, others will believe that better functionality on the locos is a must and others will sit somewhere in between maybe wanting more steam or more very modern stuff. This is why it is difficult for Bachmann/Farish, some voices on here are upset at lack of stock, others will be upset at prices, others because there are not enough EMUs or Southern units. They have to try and satisfy all these demands, it cannot all be done at once and it will be impossible to satisfy every demand. They probably are reading this thread, they know what is coming next and who is going to be happy next time round (and also who may not be so happy), they can only do their best with the resources at hand.

"What did you do today?" "Got followed down the railway by a strange HST" "Was he creeping up on you?" "Yes, but he had a massive yellow panel so I had no trouble seeing him"

If Bachmann didn't understand the market, why is it busy upgrading all it's locos to a suitable standard accepting some of the intricacies of an OO model simply will not scale down to N. Next 18 & speakers is a big step forward, try putting a speaker into the current class 25, 37 or 47 without having to cut something away to make space. They are developing an EMU that can work alongside RevolutioNs OHL trains, they have a class 69 in development, so they do appreciate the modern modeller as well as the BR blue and steam modellers. The market is just so much smaller overall that it cannot deliver all this at one, it would be unsustainable. Why did I mention Accurascale, because it demonstrates how even a new entrant needs a couple of years to bring a model to production, there is no simple off/on switch to producing a model, it takes time and Farish need time to get their models out.

Getting people onto public transport has probably also been impacted by Covid, if you have the choice, do you get into a vehicle with lots of strangers at close proximity or use your own private transport. I've a 7 hour round trip coming up, I have decided to go by car, I simply don't want to spend 4 hours in a Cross Country train or travel in an out of Wales on a train when I can simply drive and not have to face others. In the past the train was first choice for me, I am even contemplating if I do the same to visit Model Rail Scotland in February and I do not like the drive once you're past the M6. Locally, Andy Burnham is promising a London style public transport solution, if he pulls it off then perhaps Manchester will again have an attractive method of getting about rather than drive, but that is a few years away from being a complete reality and assumes it is seen through to completion.

Announcement on HS2 will be made tomorrow - from PMQ

Here's something a little different but related to the RHTT season. The blue HST having some difficulty finding it's feet and getting help from a hand sander, didn't expect to see a chap walking in the four foot towards a HST creeping towards him whilst sanding the track, brave chap. He certainly got a move on when he did the other track.

You don't believe that Bachmann understand their markets? That is like saying Hornby don't know theirs either. New entrants picking off models from other manufacturers doesn't make them know the market better, they are just better placed to select models which they can up scale in terms of fidelity and then sell them to an eager market who take to 'shiny shiny' like they have always done. It's no different in other markets, long term product manufacturers get products picked off by newer more agile companies all the time. Just because Bachmann don't make a song and dance about it like Hornby do just reflects their different approaches to marketing their products - the stuff that Bachmann is producing now shows they are reacting to the changes in the marketplace around them and moving forwards, it just cannot all happen at once. Think how long we have been waiting for Accurascales locomotives to drop, this is an agile company and it still takes time to develop and deliver the product.

Wow, this is a massive restriction on credit cards from Amazon, interesting the Amazon credit card is a Mastercard. One behemoth up against another, who will tough it out, it's a big loss to Visa, does Amazon feel enough of it's customers have Mastercard credit cards in their pockets as well as Visa to mean no impact on their sales? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59306200

Leisure travel - commuting may be down, but leisure is getting back to where it was - people need weekends in London - see a show, drink a pint, eat a meal etc

Given all the leaks about the eastern leg, I would thinkt the western leg looks fairly safe - there's not really much they can do to avoid it - Birmingham to Crewe is congested, Crewe to Wigan is congested and Crewe to Manchester has enough pinch points to ensure a new route is required from Birmingham to Manchester/Wigan where it can join with HS3 or whatever that becomes.

Coming to a hump yard near you - wait, we don't have any Coming to a marshalling yard near you - nope, none of them use shunters Coming to a CCE yard near you - maybe Coming to a rolling stock depot near you - probably Coming to an intermodal terminal - bets are off.

I am hoping the 08 with a little extra space than the 03 comes Next18 and a speaker although possibly not as I guess that may involve work on the body too. A capacitor though may be a better option over a speaker as the Hunslet demonstrates. We will see what comes, it’s all musings.

I think the NGS knocked the ball out of the park with the Hunslet. It’s not wishlisting, it’s not on my radar. It’s an educated guess that like the Peak Farish will be working on a J72 again and will announce them when they are ready in line with current policy

Not seen it since EP, just I think an image of the PCB solution. I think Bachmann have solved the J72 conundrum with the 03/04 chassis having DCC compatibility, I look forward to its presentation at some future quarterly announcement.

They can with 'new' evidence, whether they will is another matter, but they rejected the RB appeal because it was manufactured evidence not new evidence. The missing cockpit video should be new evidence that was not available at the time of the incident.

Lack of any form of DCC compatibility in the first EP no 6 pin or next 18 slots, then reluctantly a met with a PCB solution or a factory wired DCC version. It's the wrong direction to take especially with Bachmann expanding the DCC functions.

Had the same one, I wasnt selling when I didn't have to buy something, hardly likely to suddenly buy something to just enjoy not selling anything for a pound.

You'd hard pressed to find anyone who is creating models without some sort of selfish reason be it profit or a model they want to see. They might also argue that developing new models, adding new features and generally supplying product as they do is supporting the growth in the hobby, if all they did was more of the same it would they might argue actually stifle growth. Once Triang and Hornby Dublo became Hornby you could argue it became a quite staid company with respect to the models it turned out - how long did diesels mean a generic model of a class 25, 35, 37 and 47 in either blue or green. It was only when Palitoy and Airfix moved in that changes happened. Bachmann are not staid in their approach to producing models and I would argue Next 18 and speakers is a small development with massive ramifications for N gauge modellers, they have even managed now to fit a socket onto the 03/04 chassis and that opens even more doors and shows up Dapol and their muddled attempts to update the M7 model.

I wasnt talking about making Sheffield a terminus per se, I was referring to is being a destination for long distance HS2 trains from London Euston in place of St Pancras which is already at strain from services.

The FIA did say they would look again once the in car footage was released, I guess is has been released now. Will be interesting to see how they react, if they react at all.

I understand people want more Mk1 and Mk2 coaches in standard liveries and can see why this is an issue. But if Bachmann did set aside regular slots to produce these as 'bread n butter' models, then there would be several issues: Producing models to sit on shelves 'just in case' creates an unsold stock problem. If you were a manufacturer and you had an option to sell something that won't sell immediately versus another item that will sell out quickly which would you choose. I know about the argument of speculating to accumulate, and that lots of Mk1s would then potentially lead to more loco sales which leads to more models being shifted and perhaps new entrants. However, if the stock they are already producing is moving then they have no need to speculate. Setting aside production of regular runs of Mk1 and Mk2 coaches removes other slots to produce other models. Everything is a finite resource, no manufacturer has unlimited resources (unless you are making electic cars and space rockets perhaps ). Every item produced is a decision to produce that particular model instead of another potential model. If they were to set aside production for bread n butter models, eventually sales will dry up and new bread n butter items will be cried out for by modellers. Do you abandon the first set of bread n butter models that are now stacking up and replace with a new bread n butter item - causing eventually another cry out of the first bread n butter item several years later when stocks have gone or plough on producing yet more and more bread n butter models, all the time reducing capacity for new models and taking up warehousing. I agree, there needs to be a balance and no doubt Bachmann are making these choices every day, week and month of the year - which items do we produce, when do we produce them and will they sell - but against a finite schedule of slots to produce models in China an up against all the other parts of Kader also promoting their models to the head office vying to get as many slots as possible.

I was thinking more along the lines that Sheffield may not be the MML terminus once HS2 came on stream, so Derby to Sheffield becomes a HS2 diversionary route. MML mainline services may end at Derby and Nottingham with only locals venturing north, Sheffield becoming more of a HS2 destination than now. Assuming of course that HS2 eastern leg is still delivered in some diluted form. Birmingham via Stenson junction and the existing freight line to Toton to Sheffield seeing upgraded track and additional lines as the HS2 route then up via Chesterfield to Sheffield and then on to Leeds.

No, still awaiting the award but I cannot imagine it is anything but straight electrics. Seems though the 5 shortlisted consortiums are not all happy: https://www.railjournal.com/fleet/siemens-launches-legal-action-against-hs2/ Edit: this is phase one only, nothing on later phases.

LOL - how cheap can we build it, we've got some class 43 locomotives and a load of Mk3 coaches - we could combine the two and make a High Speed Train. I am sure any upgrade to the existing route would include electrification, probably linked with an extension from the current wiring to Nottingham and Derby too. An obvious diversion route would also be Derby to Sheffield. Between that and wiring to Leeds and a whole lot more of the Cross Country routes will then be electrified, MML services would be electric as well. Electrify Bristol to Birmingham and it's winner winner chicken dinner time. I don't think a diesel bi-mode could be in their minds, too close to zero carbon emissions deadlines, it will be battery electric at worst, but that really would be a poor step to make as it would complicate the fleets and change the price of the trains. Not that this has never happened before when the government procures trains.