KR Models Fell 10100

[red_death]

The trouble is that "Ready made 4mm market has almost zero interest in supporting N-Gauge, they can be two very different beasts.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make or whether we're agreeing/disagreeing? Of course they are very different beasts - that was my point!

In OO a market exists, in N it doesn't or rather it isn't large enough. No amount of wishing that things were different will change that, I'm sceptical that even a well-conceived marketing campaign would work for some items (I include the Fell loco and GT3 firmly in that category).  For some items I just don't see where you're going to get approx. 1000 one-off sales from in N.

Cheers Mike

[PennineWagons]

If KR have abandoned GT3 in N Gauge then maybe Colin Heard at Union Mills could do it? 4-6-0 tender locomotive with a fairly simple bodyshape - sounds right up his street. Oh go on Colin, you know you want to.
Somehow I can't see him taking on the Beyer Garratt though.
PW

[Steven B]

KR Models timing couldn't have been worse; They anounced the GT3 project around the time that DJ Models collapsed leaving lots of modellers very wary about a new entrant who (on RMWeb at least) wasn't making the best of first impressions.

Personally, I feel that if there's a market for 2000 Deltic DP1 then there's a market for GT4, Fell and any other one-off prototypes that you might mention.

KR Models do need to do a bit more work on their marketing though. I signed up for the N Gauge GT3 (would look great on a rake of Intercity coaches!) but have heard nothing since, not even an email saying the project has been shelved.

Steven B.

[red_death]

Personally, I feel that if there's a market for 2000 Deltic DP1 then there's a market for GT4, Fell and any other one-off prototypes that you might mention.

This is very much my personal opinion, but to me DP1 is much more iconic than GT3 or Fell and would definitely fall into one of the few one-offs that I think are feasible.  I don't know if DP1 shares a chassis with the production Deltics but if it does then that significantly de-risks the production.

I think that you raise another interesting point which is something that we talk about at Revolution towers a lot which is the reach of the "traditional" manufacturers to a widespread retail network vs a direct sales or limited retail network. There are pros and cons of each, but although a larger manufacturer may be more conservative in the models that they pick the huge advantage they have is the sheer size of their retail network.  I can't remember how many retailers Farish supply but it is in the hundreds at least - you only need the majority of them to order 1 or 2 models (plus the larger retailers to order a lot more) plus a willingness to hold some stock for repeat trade orders and you can suddenly reach a reasonable quantity of models.

Cheers Mike

[railsquid]

Personally, I feel that if there's a market for 2000 Deltic DP1 then there's a market for GT4, Fell and any other one-off prototypes that you might mention.

DP1 has the advantage that it is a recognizable locomotive in an attractive livery which worked top-flight express trains, and which still exists. It's vaguely on my to-purchase list (I saw it when it was in the Science Museum in London). As for the Fell... I've heard of it because it was a running joke on another forum. If I had a pot of lottery winnings looking for a good home I'd stump up for one, but as-is with finite resources I'd rather have a DP1.

[NGS-PO]

I'd wager a substantial amount of your lottery winnings pot that the majority of modellers wouldn't have heard of a Fell locomotive.

[njee20]

I hadn't, FWIW, and still couldn't tell you what it looked like. I had heard of both GT3 and the Bayer Garrett though. Whatever significance that holds!

[emjaybee]

I too hadn't heard of it, and now I've seen it, I really wish I hadn't.

You can't unsee things unfortunately.

[njee20]

I have just the thing...

[NGS-PO]

FYI

https://flic.kr/p/23Dk2Bm

[emjaybee]

I have just the thing...

[njee20]

FYI

https://flic.kr/p/23Dk2Bm

Yes, I'd read the press release with the picture, clearly my brain had suppressed the image. It's no beauty is it!?

[emjaybee]

You'd have to cover it in bacon grease to get a dog to pee on it.

[exmouthcraig]

I have definitely never heard of it and it's all well and good a few people on here saying "I want one" "I'd support it".

Tank and Co. Have and do do a fantastic job with this forum. Yesterday had the most number logged in at 1786. So if what numbers suggested are to be true "2000 DP1" and every single member on the forum wanted one youd still be 15% short.

This, in no way scientific research suggests EVERY n gauge modeller is on the forum and that the forum only has 1786 members but if last month we ran a poll of "suggest the next loco N gauge would love to run" I 100% guarantee that no more the 50 of the 1786 would of even suggested a "Fell"

A company that a few months ago appeared and offered the GT3 apparently pulled the plug on it last weekend. This week they suggest an equally oddball machine like this one.

With the best will in the world I doubt you would EVER get more then 500 wanting to buy one, it's fine saying "yeah I want it as something unusual to run" but is the N gauge world full of people with £250 (top dcc sound suggestion) burning holes in their pockets waiting for some outlandish loco to come to market??

The Bayer Garrett, equally of no desire of mine to own BUT they built more then 1 and people have memories of it running, built by a huge name in the railway modelling world but still struggling for numbers.

It's easy to blame poor marketing and no information readily available but if were honest is it another loco that only a handful genuinely want to buy???

[RailGooner]

You'd be lucky if more the 50 would of even suggested anything!