Bachmann and Farish Winter Announcements Nov 4

[bluedepot]

that's a real shame about scenecraft.

i suppose it was getting too expensive to produce and not profitable enough for bachmann?  the prices were getting extremely high as well.

[Suffolk Rob]

Good to see some more steam releases, even if not for me.

Little surprised to see another 2 150s, been a fair few farish DMUs in bargin bins for a while now.

Bit sad to see Scenecraft on the way out, found a few bits and pieces useful over the years, but again, bargin bins seem to suggest it's getting harder to produce them at an acceptable retail price.

But 3 20s and a 4mt in my pre orders and coming soon apparantly so enough to look forward to

[bluedepot]

it's a shame central trains 150 isn't in the early livery (white, blue stripe, green) because they haven't done this version before

[sedge]

I'm sad to see the Scenecraft range go, and I might pick up one of the GWR "standard stations" for future use (repainted to pre-nationalisation colours). They're convenient and look good, though they are frighteningly expensive.

I finally did the scenics on my first layout this summer, after years of prevaricating. I've used a few Scenecraft buildings, with small bits of repainting. But there are more and more 3d printed buildings available with exquisite detail. I reckon if I'd done the scenics 8 years ago, I might have used double the amount of Scenecraft-type buildings; if I do another layout in 5 years time, I would expect 3d printed models will cover at least 90% of my needs.

[Hailstone]

I have pre ordered a GWR station which is the only item that I want from this latest set of announcements - nice to see the 8F and the Fairburn tank issued again but I already have them. here's hoping for at least one new steam loco for 2027.
N2 or N7? either or both would be nice.

Regards,

Alex

[Roy L S]

I have pre ordered a GWR station which is the only item that I want from this latest set of announcements - nice to see the 8F and the Fairburn tank issued again but I already have them. here's hoping for at least one new steam loco for 2027.
N2 or N7? either or both would be nice.

Regards,

Alex

With the only surviving N2 recently returned to traffic on the North Norfolk Railway and looking splendid, a model in N would be fabulous, there have been kits (I have built a Langley one) but an RTR model never.

That said, I am pleased to see a return of the 8F and will definitely buy another to add to my roster, and a further version of the Fairburn in BR Late Crest is also looking tempting alongside a sound fitted 20 in BR green with the tablet catcher..

To be fair to Bachmann, nobody can say that they aren't doing their level best to support the scale, over the last few years that has been self-evident, but they'll never please everybody - who could?

Roy

[montyburns56]

Little surprised to see another 2 150s, been a fair few farish DMUs in bargin bins for a while now.

It is funny how often they announce items that you just know are destined for the bargain bins and then they wonder why their warehouses are full of unsold stock.

[Railbank]

Ditto cattle wagons destined for the bargains bin and a very long sales period.

I wouldn't be surprised if the HNRC 20's go the same way - they seem too niche just like the LUL set previously.

[Roy L S]

Ditto cattle wagons destined for the bargains bin and a very long sales period.

Why do you say that? The Peco one has been around and selling for long enough and the Farish one is a decent model on the correct wheelbase chassis. Cattle wagons were a staple traffic on railways right into the 60s and they were also used for other things like beer in barrels too. There hasn't (as far as I am aware) been a production run of the Farish model for a while.

[Railbank]

Nobody said that the model wasn't good.

As to if they will sell out, or following the usual 15% initial discount period they will end up in the bargain bin in the new year, then that's my opinion. Time will tell.

Currently there are numerous 12t wagons being sold off following on from many 16t minerals of which I have bought up many.

[Roy L S]

Nobody said that the model wasn't good.

As to if they will sell out, or following the usual 15% initial discount period they will end up in the bargain bin in the new year, then that's my opinion. Time will tell.

Currently there are numerous 12t wagons being sold off following on from many 16t minerals of which I have bought up many.

According to the Bachmann website the cattle wagons won't even arrive until December/January so the 15% period won't be up until March/April. That initial restricted period is intended to level the "playing field" so that the big box-shifters don't undercut the smaller retailers for the launch of new products.

However those of us with longer memories recall that some years ago before that restriction was imposed, the likes of Hattons very often discounted by 25% - 30% right from first release relying on volume of sales for their margin, so what may these days be regarded as "bargain bin" prices, very often happened from the outset where the big "box shifters" were concerned back then.

Don't get me wrong, I have no crystal ball and wouldn't care to predict how well the cattle wagons will sell, but they haven't been run for a while and they are new liveries so I would think they'll probably do OK.

As to there being a lot of wagons on the inventory at Barwell, just looking at what they have available in N, including those just announced but not yet in stock, they are showing a total of 166 items currently which actually, given the overall size of their N portfolio and tooling suite is to me surprisingly few.

Regards

Roy

[Steven B]

Little surprised to see another 2 150s, been a fair few farish DMUs in bargin bins for a while now.

Maybe, but now Central and Great Western modellers get a chance to buy one.

It's an interesting problem of privatisation. A green, blue or blue/grey DMU doesn't look out of place anywhere (particularly if you can't read the destination boards!). A Transport for Wales unit in Birmingham on the otherhand looks odd.

I'd happy have another class 158 (of which there are plenty left), but it'd have to be in West Yorkshire red and cream rather than Scotrail which leaves the stock on the shelves.