The annual 'what will they do next year?' thread.

Were you sworn to secrecy, or are you just being coy?

 

The former...

Tom

 

I can remember when I bought my model of 34059 from the Bluebell shop and asked about when the C and Dukedog was going to be ready the guy behind the counter also said that Bachmann took scans of the Adams Radial, H and P class Tanks. Really do hope though that Bachmann produce some Chatham 100 Seater and Birdcage Brake carriages to go with the C class this year.

 

Bachmann take measurments etc. for a lot of locos. They measured A2 Blue Peter and K1 62005 in approx 1993 (my Dad was there when they did it) and it took them until 2009 to get the A2 and the K1 has not yet appeared, they also measured the Q6 0-8-0 when it was at the GCR in 2009. I think they get as much data as possible in one trip to make it worth their while and make sure they have the data if and when needed.

I think we will see some of these engines but their time has not come yet (maybe it will in a couple of months)

 

But they didn't scan 'Birch Grove'.... knickers...

 

Over on RMWeb, Dave Jones from Dapol has said they won't be producing Sarah Siddons or Underground stock in OO, as another manufacturer has plans to release them.

 

I have not seen the article in question but apparently in the latest Railway Modeller there is news that Heljan will be producing RTR 009 gauge models of the three original Lynton & Barnstaple locos to go with the Peco L&B carriages and wagons.

 

It can take upto 3 years from scanning to the shelves.
the scan is the first step, it's not just a case of scaling down to OO (which is slightly off scale anyway)
it needs hollowing out, a design for the motors and gearing, decisions on materials and "how" to reproduce some parts... Is it a wire handrail, or a thin plastic one perhaps ? Etc etc
this also requires a lot of to/ fro with a moulding manufacturer in china with prototypes
then all those moulds have to be made.
the first runs on the moulds will be changed etc.

Also finding a manufacturer, there's not just "one factory"..there's a few across Guangdong province, linked to just a few producers, who make for the world, and getting a production spot
All of the above decides what's in the 2013 catalog as well as "what's hot", during this process something's become "cold" due to different reasons..Lima's range of Peaks existed in prototype.. But Bachmann beat them to the punch, and BR got rid of there examples sooner meaning popularity was lost... The prototypes are are display.
i suspect Hornby's decision on 71000 is a bit ill timed for instance.
Other influences can be the manufacturer for another country...Austrains made a Garatt (and a very nice one), which could influence the path for a British variant etc as some "unknown" problems can have already been solved.

there is a place in Kowloon where a number of "failed" or "yet to be" models, moulds and prototypes exist, I'd even go further and suggest some "end of runs" or slight rejects have made it to market, N7 is overdue, but isn't really hot right now, there's also a company in India offering to make British OO in metal, and there prototypes look good.. (Dont think Wrenn think Brawa).

3D scanning has saved time and increased accuracy, for a cost (remember labour in china is cheaper) but the end result is fantastic, it also deters your competitor doing the same thing, so scan everything save it for later.

 

Indeed. RapidoTrains in Canada had the 3D scan of the FPA-4 at Exporail done in November 2011 (Rapido HO MLW FPA4 Locomotive 3D Scan), and they have still not reached the point where they have released product codes or road numbers as they are waiting until the design and grunt work has reached the point that their factory can confirm costs, produce samples and they are nearing having a production ready product to slot into the factory (which they say is 1st half 2014, over 2 years from the scan!). Obviously Bachmann who controls most of the bigger production sites doesn't necessarily have that problem, but my point was to confirm that while the 3D scan can save a lot of lead time, there is still a lot of work to do to get from the 3D scan to a producible plastic model.

 

I've received an email from the Bachmann Collectors Club stating that the Bachmann and Graham Farish 2013/14 ranges will be announced at the Model and Hobby Show, which is on 10th - 12th March. The show is trade only with Bachmann Collectors Club members allowed in on 12th March.

 

According to the Modelzone facebook page the Bachmann and Graham Farish 2013/14 ranges will be announced from 10am tomorrow.

 

Sort of trying to look forward to this but my guess would be that half the models in the Bachmann 13/14 range will be ones carried over from previous years that have still not been finished i.e. Dukedog (first announced in their 11/12 range!) and the other models we probably wont see until next year or 2015.

 

Info from the Bachmann Website.
New Locos:

OO gauge
LBSCR E4
GWR 64xx
MR 1F
Wickham Trolley
LMS Stanier Mogul
BR Class 43 Warship


N gauge
SR N
GWR 64xx
LMS Fairburn Tanks
GWR Castle
MR 4F
BR Class 25/1 & 25/2

 

Hooray; a Brighton Tank at last. From what I'm hearing there is a Birdcage set coming as well.

 

ETA: repeating a previous post.

 

Good, another Southern tank in the offing.

 

I'm surprised the imagination is so small this year, there are other prototypes in the off'ing out there. My guess is their expecting a bad year (sales being lower, and costs - import due to forex being higher) and so low balling the range.

 

Modelzone have announced some exclusive Bachmann models. These are the BR MK1 CCT & Post Office Brake Stowage Van. They are expected to be released in 2014.

BR Mk1 CCT
39-550Z CCT Parcels Van BR Maroon £19.99
39-551Z CCT Parcels Van BR Blue £19.99
39-552Z CCT Parcels Van BR Blue Express Parcels Weathered £21.99
39-553Z CCT Parcels Van RTC (internal user) (Limited Edition of 750) £19.99
39-554Z CCT Parcels Van Yellow Re Railing (Limited Edition of 750) £19.99
39-555Z CCT Parcels Van BR Red Star (Limited Edition of 500) £19.99


BR MK1 Post Office Brake Stowage Van
39-440Z Stowage Van 1960’s (BPOT) BR PO Red (preserved) £39.99
39-440Y Stowage Van 1970’s (NUX) BR Blue/Grey £39.99
39-440X Stowage Van 1980’s (NUX) Royal Mail (early cypher) £39.99
39-440W Stowage Van 1990’s (NUX) Royal Mail (late cypher) £39.99

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/model-railways.html?limit=32&modelzone_exclusive=10856&pre_order=11811

 

Starting an N gauge collection, does anyone model those hopper wagons that the 9Fs used to lug up to consett and back ?

 

Hope this 'hiatus' is sorted quickly: http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/...article?blocktitle=Latest-News&contentID=1093