New product waits and shortages

Started by macwales, January 25, 2013, 05:08:59 PM

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kester

The rise of 3D printing might help with shortages.  I can imagine a time when we can have UK-produced products and "on-demand" production.  I have been following the excellent 3-D printing work by people here on the forum, and the quality of the printing is getting better all the time (and dropping in cost). I realise it doesn't help with parts of the chassis, motors and some of the other parts - but it is a start.

kester
N scale LMS 1930's and a mixture of modern stuff I could not resist...

PLD

Quote from: class37025 on January 26, 2013, 02:26:47 PM
IIRC, didn't Dapol do a couple of locos without numbers, but with numbers included to add.

seems a good way to go, as you don't need to strip off the old ones, which might deter some, and you could then just add the numbers required.

perhaps even as an additional offering, rather than instead of the numbered ones.

even things like triple grey with no sector markings, ready for the modeller to add sector and numbers to suit.

I don't recall Dapol doing so in N gauge but I think both they and Heljan have done in 00. They were by all reports exceedingly poor sellers - many cries of it being 'too difficult' to do...


4x2

Class 73 in large logo blue - first batch i think...
I bought one and it was fairly easy to do.
If it's got rails... you have my full, undivided attention - Steam, diesel and electric, 'tis all good !

Mike

H

Quote from: macwales on January 26, 2013, 01:10:07 PM

The issue of promised delivery dates and long waits for new items would be less if we as enthusiasts were not at times so focused on minute detail that no one but us can see. Criticised colours and exact scale measurements sometimes seem to cause long delays and must lead to price increases.


That sounds like you are saying we need to accept incorrectly scaled, inaccurate and wrongly coloured models so we get them quicker and cheaper. Sorry, but I don't subscribe to that - I'd rather wait a little to make sure that the product is 'right'.

H.

macwales

Quote from: H on January 27, 2013, 09:13:51 AM
Quote from: macwales on January 26, 2013, 01:10:07 PM

The issue of promised delivery dates and long waits for new items would be less if we as enthusiasts were not at times so focused on minute detail that no one but us can see. Criticised colours and exact scale measurements sometimes seem to cause long delays and must lead to price increases.


That sounds like you are saying we need to accept incorrectly scaled, inaccurate and wrongly coloured models so we get them quicker and cheaper. Sorry, but I don't subscribe to that - I'd rather wait a little to make sure that the product is 'right'.

H.

Not quite suggesting that - just wondering if manufacturers are now too sensitive to these few criticisms when to the majority the model is fine. Perhaps this is all due to magazine reviewers looking for minute defects so as to mark models with a percentage number. I have heard of recent delays of months being due to very minor amendments to designs or colours. Of course I think that models should be to the correct scale and colour but the point about colour is who knows what the correct one is? I feel sympathy with folk who get, say, a new GWR green loco that is a different hue from one they have had for some time but has that one faded or was it incorrect in the first place? There seem no answers to this that are not based only on opinion. My main point remains that new models today are vastly better than of old but are we delaying them coming out by insisting on a perfection that is unobtainable?

However I do support the getting better and better trend.

Cheers

Mac

EtchedPixels

One of the problems the manufacturers face is that they either announce stuff well in time or they risk colliding with the decisions of a rival and both producing the same model.

So at one level its a cynical business technique for "owning" a forthcoming model, but thats also probably helping the range of models a lot.

Dave Jones also said the N market is saturated so they had cut the numbers produced of each model, which in turn drives up prices but is also necessary to get the money back to do new stuff. I can't see that changing until the economy changes and given our national debt is now higher than two years ago, food prices are soarig and we are in a third recession in rapid succession I can't see that changing for some time.

I should probably go and start doing kits of non UK models  :hmmm:

Alan
"Knowledge has no value or use for the solitary owner: to be enjoyed it must be communicated" -- Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden

H

Quote from: macwales on January 27, 2013, 11:09:13 AM

My main point remains that new models today are vastly better than of old but are we delaying them coming out by insisting on a perfection that is unobtainable?


Accuracy (within manufacturing tolerances) is not opinion and is not unobtainable - it is achievable. What is not acceptable to be palmed off with items that don't scale out accurately (like the Farish Scenecraft buses) or have the wrong grille type (like the Dapol class 56) or have fictional detail (like the Farish class 24 roof). I'd rather they were delayed to correct such things.

H. 

BobB

An interesting thread which has prompted me to pre-order a class 33/0 in blue/yellow.

It seems to me that the biggest problem is that those new to the hobby may not be aware of this increasing trend to the extent that they end up paying a fortune (such as using e-bay) or they have to put up with running models that are not typical of their modeled location and/or time.

Having said this, the problem seems to be worse for locomotives (or complete trains such as dmu's and emu's) and to a lesser extent the passenger coaches. Trucks on the other hand seem to be available for quite a long time after their initial release.

I suppose it all comes down to demand. If we buy it, we'll get a second chance to buy it again !

davecttr

Maybe in the not to distant future 3D printing will achieve the quality to make problems with production runs a moot point. The model will be produced on demand as required.

the major manufacturers will have to adjust to this as they might find themselves with a shrinking market as people print their own trains!

H

Quote from: macwales on January 27, 2013, 11:09:13 AM

Not quite suggesting that - just wondering if manufacturers are now too sensitive to these few criticisms when to the majority the model is fine.


So why shouldn't it be acceptable to everyone? Quite often the majority 'miss' errors until someone points it out.

H

Matthew-peter

I have to admit that personally it does frustrate me, I appreciate that problems can arise in production, but if that is expected than announcement should not be made until the prototype has been approved and a date set for production and release from the manufacturer in China ( I think thats where they are made now-a-days)

Another annoying thing for me is that after short runs, ebay floods with the items for extortionate prices  :veryangry:, which suggests that some one has bought them just to sell at a profit. which is obviously annoying for those who ACTUALLY want one of the said items.

Just my two cents.
OK who took my cake?

EtchedPixels

Quote from: Matthew-peter on January 28, 2013, 05:39:31 PM
Another annoying thing for me is that after short runs, ebay floods with the items for extortionate prices  :veryangry:, which suggests that some one has bought them just to sell at a profit. which is obviously annoying for those who ACTUALLY want one of the said items.

Welcome to capitalism   :beers:

This is IMHO probably a good thing in the longer term - its showing there is scope for resllers who sell at RRP to simply "sit out" the box shifters and smooth the market out a bit.

"Knowledge has no value or use for the solitary owner: to be enjoyed it must be communicated" -- Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden

bees

I've just read through this thread, I agree with most remarks but have also realised something that Dapol, Bachfar, etc...... could do to improve.

It's a well known fact that some liveries sell alot better than others, maybe, just maybe, these liveries should be produced with no numbering, ready to apply supplied transfers, or sold separately. I think in this case more modellers would buy multiple vehicles. For example, class 47 in BR Blue. Another issue I notice is that Bachfar/Dapol produce all these wonderful Loco's but just don't appear to produce the correct percentage of rolling stock, by this I mean, a typical loco hauled passenger rake would have much more TSO's. Bachfar appear to produce the same amount of each coach(TSO, FO, BSO, Buffet, etc....). Again, this would be another opportunity to have un-numbered vehicles, especially TSO's, SK's and FO's, and have either a supplied transfer sheet, or what would be more appealing to Dapol/Bachfar sold separately but cheaply!!! This would promote buying more examples and/or detailing your own vehicles (modelling).

On a different note, one thing that has really irritated me is; A company 2 years ago advertising a multiple unit, then showing several months later CAD drawings showing how far they've gotten with their production. Nothing else has been said since and apparently they will not be bringing it out this year either. A question was publicly asked whether they have dropped the planned production but they haven't answered that either! A company, i think shouldn't announce a release if they then later would back out.

Sorry For The Rant!!!
I like to start each day the same, sit up and take a deep breath!
First objective for the day achieved, woohoo!!!

H

Quote from: Matthew-peter on January 28, 2013, 05:39:31 PM

Another annoying thing for me is that after short runs, ebay floods with the items for extortionate prices, which suggests that some one has bought them just to sell at a profit.


Of course, you could always do the same. Or if you don't fancy reselling, just buy one at the launch price and time.

H.

H

Quote from: bees on January 28, 2013, 11:00:23 PM

It's a well known fact that some liveries sell alot better than others, maybe, just maybe, these liveries should be produced with no numbering, ready to apply supplied transfers, or sold separately.


Dapol tried that, as mentioned earlier in the thread, but apparently sales were poor. Seems theres too many people who find it difficult to apply transfers (and I seem to recall they were just simply dry rub down types).

H.

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