Bachmann announce Mk2f's

[ThaneofFife]

look up and watch the  handy and  numerous videos from the mid to late 8-s at Carstairs where you will a greatd of wcml rakes of differing types.  very interesting stuff.

[E100]

I spoke to Bachmann at Model Rail Scotland about the lack of TSO's and the need for more. Apparently they had just been doing similar amounts of each type but going forward they do recognise that people generally want several TSO's and therefore this will be incorporated into future runs.

[montyburns56]

19 hours ago, E100 said:

 Apparently they had just been doing similar amounts of each type but going forward they do recognise that people generally want several TSO's and therefore this will be incorporated into future runs.

 

Jeez. How long have these people been producing model railway rolling stock!!!

[Matt]

Hmm not sure about this. Several yrs back when Bach ran the Mk2as for

a second time I went “big” on TSOs (20 I think) but no BSOs or FOs on basis they would be plentiful later. And guess what…? On that run they did way more TSOs and I couldn’t get the others later. Maybe Bach are relearning something which isn’t

uncommon in big Corps…

[stationroad]

I suspect it’s quite hard to guess. If you assume everyone is doing full rakes then the real railway gives you the answers, but once people only have room for say 4 coaches which ones would they get? if you assume a typical cross country rake is 4 TSO + BSO + FO, would you take out 2 TSOs or drop a TSO + FO? it muddies the water further on a second run as you then have people buying stuff they couldn’t get in the first run. 

 

You could probably assume 2-3x TSO as the others would hit the mark, but I wouldn’t want to be the one who has to get it right!

 

Ironically the preorder model could help here, but only if you announce way ahead of production so you then have an idea on how many to make. 

[adb968008]

When I was running  4’s…. usually it was FO, 2x TSO, and BSO, or FO, Buffet, TSO, BSO.

nowadays with a bit more space I can creep 6-9.. my formations are more likely for

7: BSO, 3x TSO, Buffet, 2x FO

and maybe swap an FO for a CK, and drop an SO for 6 car

and maybe add a ck for 8, and 1 each of an so/fo for 9.

 

obviously coach versions may vary/substitute depending on what i’m doing, but generally i try to keep balance in region 1/3rd more seats of 2nd than 1st.

 

ive never been an overall fan of composites, in brake or full forms… as a kid of the 1980’s I never saw many of them doing much in daily use, beyond sidings, railtours or general dereliction, if I came across one in a train, it was just exactly 1, and assumed it was there to make up the numbers as I never saw anyone sat in the first class part of one.

 

So my purchasing is usually 1 of each, and more than one Second, but then increases FO/SO thereafter.

 

Things like BFKs tend to be a 1 off too, Ive really only 2 of these, for WoE rakes with my 50’s, one blue, one nse.

Edited April 15, 2022 by adb968008

[E100]

Managed to get a Blue and Grey TSO with DCC chip (39-675DC) for £100 on eBay to complete my rake. 

 

However, I watched one on eBay auction which just ended at over £200 for one!

[40002]

On 01/05/2022 at 07:40, E100 said:

Managed to get a Blue and Grey TSO with DCC chip (39-675DC) for £100 on eBay to complete my rake. 

 

However, I watched one on eBay auction which just ended at over £200 for one!

Wow that's way too expensive for me I'm reluctant to pay £60 for a coach never mind £100.  I have some Airfix MK2d's which were good for their day I will be keeping those, and I have just got some Hornby which as has been pointed out the windows are slightly too high but look ok if you keep the 2 types separate.

 

The Bachmann Mk2's are lovely but just too expensive for me even the non DCC version. 

[E100]

2 hours ago, 40002 said:

Wow that's way too expensive for me I'm reluctant to pay £60 for a coach never mind £100.  I have some Airfix MK2d's which were good for their day I will be keeping those, and I have just got some Hornby which as has been pointed out the windows are slightly too high but look ok if you keep the 2 types separate.

 

The Bachmann Mk2's are lovely but just too expensive for me even the non DCC version. 

Yeah that's fair enough. I have already got a TSO/FO/BSO and just needed the one to finish the rake. Otherwise I would have bought the normal ones and done the lighting myself. I figured if Bachmann brought new ones out they'd be around that anyway...

[ThaneofFife]

im hoping accurscale jump on the 2F bandwagon........£60 for a detailed mk2f with lighting yes please

[GordonC]

13 hours ago, ThaneofFife said:

im hoping accurscale jump on the 2F bandwagon........£60 for a detailed mk2f with lighting yes please

 

I really cant see another manufacturer taking on the 2F when we've already got both Bachmann and Hornby's version. now a 2D .... possibly

[XChris]

On 10/05/2022 at 20:24, ThaneofFife said:

im hoping accurscale jump on the 2F bandwagon........£60 for a detailed mk2f with lighting yes please

for £60 with lights? Where’s this from, I thought the DCC ones were more £75…

[Dungrange]

1 hour ago, XChris said:

for £60 with lights? Where’s this from, I thought the DCC ones were more £75…

 

A reference to the forthcoming Accurascale Mark 2b coaches, which are £59.95 each and the specification states that they have magnetic wand controlled interior lighting.

[McC]

9 minutes ago, Dungrange said:

 

A reference to the forthcoming Accurascale Mark 2b coaches, which are £59.95 each and the specification states that they have magnetic wand controlled interior lighting.

 

Correct, with track pickup and super-capacitor stay alive.

Edited May 13, 2022 by McC

[E100]

I had started my mk2f mini-rake before the 2b announcement.

 

Got a fair few of those on order. I think the wand control is far superior as there's a good chance a lineside electromagnet could be used in a tunnel to turn them on / off from the fiddle yard, which is much better than using DCC.

[dj_crisp]

23 minutes ago, E100 said:

I had started my mk2f mini-rake before the 2b announcement.

 

Got a fair few of those on order. I think the wand control is far superior as there's a good chance a lineside electromagnet could be used in a tunnel to turn them on / off from the fiddle yard, which is much better than using DCC.

 

It's going to interesting to see how it works - DCC control still has a few advantages for me in that I can control the brightness of the lights and for depots etc they can be parked and switched off hands free (which can be a bonus especially layouts that are hard to reach). Also I quite like to be able to switch on/off a flashing light.

[McC]

3 hours ago, dj_crisp said:

 

It's going to interesting to see how it works - DCC control still has a few advantages for me in that I can control the brightness of the lights and for depots etc they can be parked and switched off hands free (which can be a bonus especially layouts that are hard to reach). Also I quite like to be able to switch on/off a flashing light.

 

(If it helps, a simple accessory decoder can be super-easily installed in the coaches, since they have track pickups and stay-alive they will also work superbly on DCC should you prefer to pop a chip in.

[dj_crisp]

sounds more intresting!

29 minutes ago, McC said:

 

(If it helps, a simple accessory decoder can be super-easily installed in the coaches, since they have track pickups and stay-alive they will also work superbly on DCC should you prefer to pop a chip in.

 

[ThaneofFife]

ive noticed that the virgin trains versions of the TSO seems to be in plentiful supply still both dc and dcc ob oard and at good prices ........why is that ?    The blue and grey TSOs cannot be found anywhere and when they pop up on ebay youll be paying anything from £100 to £220 for one.......amazed the se virgin TSOs havent all disappeared.im sure there was big calls for the virgin livery when the mk2fs weref irst announced......  

[montyburns56]

14 minutes ago, ThaneofFife said:

ive noticed that the virgin trains versions of the TSO seems to be in plentiful supply still both dc and dcc ob oard and at good prices ........why is that ?    The blue and grey TSOs cannot be found anywhere and when they pop up on ebay youll be paying anything from £100 to £220 for one.......amazed the se virgin TSOs havent all disappeared.im sure there was big calls for the virgin livery when the mk2fs weref irst announced......  

 

Well I get the impression that the 80s blue grey period is currently one of the most popular for modellers, plus the B/G models aren't as regionally/period restricted as the Virgin liveried version is.

[G-BOAF]

If the Virgin Mk2Fs end up in the bargain bin I might grab a few for the charter rake

What I would really like is a Blue/Grey Charter livery (i.e. as per the First Buffet, with CDL lights). What chance Bachmann might be minded. There is of course a full rake on the mainline currently.

[XChris]

4 hours ago, G-BOAF said:

If the Virgin Mk2Fs end up in the bargain bin I might grab a few for the charter rake

What I would really like is a Blue/Grey Charter livery (i.e. as per the First Buffet, with CDL lights). What chance Bachmann might be minded. There is of course a full rake on the mainline currently.

 

maybe as a collectors club model? We might see a Pathfinder Blue/Grey modern rake?
 

Although I have your idea with grabbing a few Mk2F’s in Virgin Livery 2xFO’s, RFB & 2xTSO’s for a pathfinder set and then wait for the anglia Releases…

 

As H****y have just released and appropriate Mk.1 RBR for the set… just an Anglian BSO to do after.

[James Makin]

18 hours ago, ThaneofFife said:

ive noticed that the virgin trains versions of the TSO seems to be in plentiful supply still both dc and dcc ob oard and at good prices ........why is that ?    The blue and grey TSOs cannot be found anywhere and when they pop up on ebay youll be paying anything from £100 to £220 for one.......amazed the se virgin TSOs havent all disappeared.im sure there was big calls for the virgin livery when the mk2fs weref irst announced......  

 

I do wonder if anyone else did what I did and stripped the shelves of the budget Hornby Virgin Mk2Fs TSOs and then just supplemented the rakes with the Bachmann Virgin RBF instead, the cheapskate approach 🤣

 

Cheers,

James

[The Fatadder]

6 hours ago, James Makin said:

 

I do wonder if anyone else did what I did and stripped the shelves of the budget Hornby Virgin Mk2Fs TSOs and then just supplemented the rakes with the Bachmann Virgin RBF instead, the cheapskate approach 🤣

 

Cheers,

James

Not me, I just chopped up the Hornby one to make my RFB (though I havent finished the underframe yet)

[G-BOAF]

On 24/05/2022 at 21:47, The Black Prince said:

 

Perhaps they produced a bit more and the demand wasn't high?

 

I'd also envisage the "target audience" for this livery at the moment probably doesn't have the disposable income to warrant a realistic rake at nearly £400 for 5 coaches -

 

Hornby also ran some MK2's in  the same livery and whilst not "all singing and dancing" they were almost a third of the price, and they don't seem to have sold through either. 

 

I am 90s born so I remember early VT well, and form an important part of my modelling period but the generation before me would appear more interested in Blue and Grey as I guess that was their child hood, there was also the B&G Cargo D rake (s?) a few years ago which could pass those models off as "modern image" so the market for them was perhaps a little broader. 

 

 

Again the recent mainline b&g coaches have all had cdl lights and cantrail stripes so cannot be accurately modelled from the 1970s release. If u r going to that expense better get all the detail you can. That is why I bought the present day RFB (which i sense Bachmann only produced in its modern form because it is not historically correct in original b&g, having been rebuilt during the IC swallow era and only gone B&G in charter use)

Edited May 29, 2022 by G-BOAF
Loads of phone keyboard induced typos!