Bachmann - Spring 2023 British Railway Announcements

[westie7]

The rest was pretty underwhelming, again.

No coaches

No re-tooled Poole era rolling stock.
No new tooled rolling stock. Again.

With Rapido tooling a 20'9 AB chassis, I think that killed any chance of certain Poole retools. I did wonder if the V PCA might get a rework especially as at one point there were heaps getting flogged on eBay. Farish might be in danger of getting left behind.

As for the coaches situation, I just shake my head

Mark

[Steven B]

Farish are more than capable of producing a 20' 9" chassis, as seen with their OBA, OCA and SPA. However, not all 20' 9" chassis are the same - what works under an open wouldn't be correct for a van. The OCA chassis could go under an OTA though.


Rapido have hinted to me that they may consider one or more of the VAA, VBA, VDA if the OAA does well. I had expected that Sonic or Revolution would follow on from the VEA with the VDA - both were commonly found together in MoD trains.

Like westie7/Mark above, I'm surprised the V tank PCA hasn't been re-done by someone although Farish and Realtrack had both made later types. The HEA is another low hanging fruit.

That said, I'm probably more surprised that the LMS Crab and 2P haven't been remade.

Personally I think that the Farish N Gauge range got knocked down the Bachmann pecking order when Collin Albright and Dennis Lovett left the company.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at Bachmann UK's planning meetings, particularly the one where they discussed the latch batch of Mk2a and failed to make a Regional Railways Mk2a or Blue/grey TSO. Madness!

Steven B.

[Southerngooner]

I think I'm right in saying that Bachmann had full page ads in the monthly magazines recently looking for a designer for N Gauge. I think that is more likely to be the issue, and until they fill that post and the newbie gets some designing done there won't be anything new. It's got to be much easier to take an existing item and renumber it than design something from scratch. What has there been from Farish in the last couple of years that is truly new? I'm not talking about stuff like the Thompson coaches and 8F that were announced years ago and arrived late. I can only think of the class 90 but as I don't follow modern stuff there may be more. There certainly haven't been any new things for the transition era to my knowledge?

Dave

[eddief83]

I think I'm right in saying that Bachmann had full page ads in the monthly magazines recently looking for a designer for N Gauge.

I have not seen this myself, but I doubt it would be the case, I cannot see Bachmann employing seperate people to work on different sectors - most likely it will be one group who take on different projects, each picking up the next drawing once they finish their current one. Be it N, OO or OO9

[Southerngooner]

This was it......

Job Opportunity at Bachmann – Project Engineer
Are you an Engineer with a passion for railways, who would like to join a team of railway loving colleagues, whilst getting paid to research trains? If you answered yes to any of the above then keep reading as we might have just the perfect opportunity for you!

We have an exciting and interesting opportunity for a hardworking and self-motivated Project Engineer to join our Research & Development team, to help us to develop our award winning model railway products using the latest electro/mechanical technology such as Digital Command Control and sound.

You will be expected to be able to start and follow through multiple new projects to completion while working to deadlines and liaising on a day-to-day basis, both with the other members of the R&D team in the UK and our parent company's engineering team based in Hong Kong.

The successful candidate must have the ability to research, analyse and compile detailed technical briefs and have strong communication skills – both written and verbal. Experience using Autocad or Solidworks is a key requirement.


For a typical project you will be required to:

Compile a brief historical overview of the prototype
Source and interpret original engineering drawings
Arrange site visits to survey full-size prototypes
Liaise with third-party experts, museums & heritage group
Produce free-hand sketches of undocumented features
Create 2D or 3D CAD files of key design elements to assist the Hong Kong based engineering team
Analyse and review the completed engineering design
Evaluate and report on prototype testing
Liaise with the Artwork team with product decoration requirements
A clear understanding of die-cast metal and plastic manufacturing techniques and materials will be beneficial. An interest in railway modelling particularly in N Scale or an association with the railway industry would be seen as an advantage.

This is a full-time position with a competitive salary offered (dependant on experience) plus benefits. The role is based Monday to Friday at our head office in Barwell, Leicestershire therefore the ideal candidates should be within a commutable distance of our European HQ.

[Richard Taylor]

<snip>until they fill that post and the newbie gets some designing done there won't be anything new. It's got to be much easier to take an existing item and renumber it than design something from scratch.</snip>
Dave

I'd say that at this stage it's not a matter of them lacking a designer so being unable to produce "anything new".  It's that Farish aren't even doing what you identify as the easy option: re-running existing items (with or without new numbers) which are core to having a worthwhile model railway. 

After all the money spent on tooling the excellent Thompson coaches, to have only issued one run in teak and then nothing since is just incomprehensible.  The expensive work is done - what is stopping more runs, this time in maroon and crimson/cream, to match the NGS exclusive BGs?

(OT: If Farish *did* do some new tooling a restaurant car would be good, which could be also issued in blue/grey.  Or, if the NGS want an idea for a future member exclusive rtr project then how about catering vehicles? 3D-printed if necessary. They were generally long-lived, ran inter-company and inter-regionally, and you can't have a realistic formation without them. With the demise of Etched Pixels you can't even get kits for them.)

These are items which people buy in multiples.  If you make enough, then retailers have a chance of keeping them in stock for a few months so that modellers can even afford to accumulate a decent rake! Or release one type of carriage at a time, over a year or so.  (The memory of having to shell out for eight Thompsons at once because of the limited batch production system still hurts...)

As I've said elsewhere, all the above goes double for Mk.1s, but they're outside my era of interest (the next thing I'm waiting eagerly for are the Revolution K-type Pullmans) so I'll let others post rants about them 

Richard

[Roy L S]

 

<snip>until they fill that post and the newbie gets some designing done there won't be anything new. It's got to be much easier to take an existing item and renumber it than design something from scratch.</snip>
Dave

I'd say that at this stage it's not a matter of them lacking a designer so being unable to produce "anything new".  It's that Farish aren't even doing what you identify as the easy option: re-running existing items (with or without new numbers) which are core to having a worthwhile model railway. 

After all the money spent on tooling the excellent Thompson coaches, to have only issued one run in teak and then nothing since is just incomprehensible.  The expensive work is done - what is stopping more runs, this time in maroon and crimson/cream, to match the NGS exclusive BGs?

(OT: If Farish *did* do some new tooling a restaurant car would be good, which could be also issued in blue/grey.  Or, if the NGS want an idea for a future member exclusive rtr project then how about catering vehicles? 3D-printed if necessary. They were generally long-lived, ran inter-company and inter-regionally, and you can't have a realistic formation without them. With the demise of Etched Pixels you can't even get kits for them.)

These are items which people buy in multiples.  If you make enough, then retailers have a chance of keeping them in stock for a few months so that modellers can even afford to accumulate a decent rake! Or release one type of carriage at a time, over a year or so.  (The memory of having to shell out for eight Thompsons at once because of the limited batch production system still hurts...)

As I've said elsewhere, all the above goes double for Mk.1s, but they're outside my era of interest (the next thing I'm waiting eagerly for are the Revolution K-type Pullmans) so I'll let others post rants about them 

Richard

A correction, there already have been Blood & Custard Thompsons as part of the initial release, I have a lovely rake of them  .

[Richard Taylor]

A correction, there already have been Blood & Custard Thompsons as part of the initial release, I have a lovely rake of them  .

<facepalm>. Yes, of course they were. I couldn't afford two rakes (one teak & one b/c) at the time, so I went for teak on the grounds that b/c was much more likely to be re-run when they did maroon, which "of course" wouldn't be long as they'd "obviously" want to maximise the return on this tooling. Shows what I know...

I think my main point still stands. Maroon would be the biggest seller I'd guess, but you need blood & custard to mix up with either maroon or teak rakes to model the transition era.
Richard

[Aire Valley]

Like westie7/Mark above, I'm surprised the V tank PCA hasn't been re-done by someone although Farish and Realtrack had both made later types. The HEA is another low hanging fruit.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at Bachmann UK's planning meetings, particularly the one where they discussed the latch batch of Mk2a and failed to make a Regional Railways Mk2a or Blue/grey TSO. Madness!

Steven B.

The depressed centre V PCA and HEA would fly off the shelves if they ever retooled them. Both operated all over the UK, lasted 30-40 years in service, had a variety of liveries, could be seen in block trainloads or just as a few forming part of a feeder wagonload service. The cement liveried V PCA would also compliment their more modern Metalair PCA.

It must be frustrating for those modellers wanting to get hold of some coaches. It seems to be that when a release does come to fruition, there doesn't seem to be enough quantity of stock produced of the most common/popular items and liveries.

Tim

[AdrianC]

Very underwhelming and I'm not surprised. I'll add my name to the 'no coaches??' list....

Still can't believe no one has taken a punt on the OTA, although that looks more like the sort of wagon Revolution might pick up.

[Skyline2uk]

The depressed centre V PCA and HEA would fly off the shelves if they ever retooled them. Both operated all over the UK, lasted 30-40 years in service, had a variety of liveries, could be seen in block trainloads or just as a few forming part of a feeder wagonload service.

Absolutely agree, especially regarding the HEA. I would like to get hold of some in the Grey / Red Railfreight combo, but I refuse to pay £20 each for such an old basic wagon (by todays standards) and that seems to be the going rate. Sadly I think a modern one would be North of £30 now.

Almost the same statement for HAAs as well, although there seems to be a tiny bit more of those around due to the three manufactures versions of the past.

Skyline2uk

[jmupton2000]

Now that all the excitement(!) has died down I have relaxed and taken another look at the announced offerings, a nice bog standard blue 08 is tempting and I may give a few Bogie Bolster's a home if they get discounted otherwise, all a bit underwhelming as expected.

One thing though, what is that amateurish piece of junk masquerading as a grounded coach body supposed to be? The roof looks like it is made of badly painted plasticine.  Not even fit for the bin and Bachmann want circa thirty five sheets for it?!?

[Portpatrick]

I like the suggestion of OTAs.  I have c 4 Chivers kits.  I fabricated a couple more by adapting the relevant Taylor van kits.  Some OTAs  were created that way.  But I would not be averse to a few more.  With NEm pockets easisunt couplings would go on the outer ends of those I put at the end of the rake.  Dream on.  Back to reality

[Newportnobby]

One thing though, what is that amateurish piece of junk masquerading as a grounded coach body supposed to be? The roof looks like it is made of badly painted plasticine.  Not even fit for the bin and Bachmann want circa thirty five sheets for it?!?

Methinks it's Bachmann who need grounding as far as that piece is concerned

[NGS-PO]

ALSO ARRIVING THIS QUARTER:

31130 Rf Coal
Ditto Sound Fitted
31466 EWS
Ditto Sound Fitted
31407 Mainline Freight
Ditto Sound Fitted

60044 Mainline Freight Sound Fitted
60096 Colas Rail Freight Sound Fitted
60100 DB Cargo Sound Fitted
60040 DB Schenker/Army Red Sound Fitted
Class 60 Farish 50th Anniversary Collectors Pack Sound Fitted

42 D809 BR Maroon SYP
42 812 BR Blue
42 D820 BR Green

220009 Arriva Cross Country
220018 Virgin Trains Revised

4F 4057 LMS Black Sound Fitted
4F 43892 BR Black BRITISH RAILWAYS Sound Fitted
4F 43931 BR Black Late Crest Weathered Sound Fitted

WORKS REPORT

Livery Samples received or awaited:
158 DMU
450 EMU
47 Crew Cut

In Production:
14 Sound Upgrade
Standard 5MT Sound Upgrade

On Their Way:
60 Sound Upgrade
4F Sound Upgrade

"Whilst there have been no rolling stock releases in N Scale this quarter, there will be many new releases of Graham Farish rolling stock during 2023 and beyond - starting this spring.  As with all new items, these will be unveiled in teh quarterly British Railways Announcements catalogue."

Best

Scott..