Thomas & Friends in 2017

[Chaz]

Much better.

I agree with most of your suggestions, but I don't think they will do all of the large scale rolling stock you mentioned in one year, but one or two of them could work.  

I'm also not sure if Bachmann will bring back the tar tank since it's not in CGI yet and I don't think the sales are really there for it.  I'm not entirely sure if discontinued products being brought back is likely anytime soon as a whole due to the lack of sales/pricing that got them out of production in the first place.  If I could ever see anything being brought back in production it would either be Salty (as a separate sale item) or the express coaches since these are still being used frequently on the current show.  This also includes the red express coaches as these were just brought back in The Great Race.

[UPTODAY]

HI THERE!!!!Very interesting thread we have here.What the heck is CGI???
DUMMY IN PORTLAND
UPTODAY

[DinoNTrains]

Uptoday: CGI is short for Computer Generated Images/Imagery. Since 2009, the Thomas series has been made using full CGI animation, and since the change, some of the rolling stock designs have changed, namely the fuel and oil tankers (where they previously had words on them, now they have symbols/logos on them).

[UPTODAY]

Thank you,Dino,for enlighting me ,I understand the posts now.
UPTODAY

[AJW98Productions]

JLK2707, I would only imagine Paxton or Daisy happening next year, not both. And I don't think Daisy has had enough recent screen time just yet to justify a model of her. I consider Paxton the far more likely candidate, plus he has the benefit of being a recolour of Diesel with a new face. As for Narrow Gauge, I see Peter Sam as having a greater chance as Sir Handel, that's merely my opinion though.

Like Chaz, I only see one of those Large Scale rolling stock options happening in the same year, I also agree on the points he made about Salty and the express coaches.

I just wish I'd beaten Sparks to the punchline there, I have to admit, that joke did amuse me quite a bit.

As someone who doesn't collect LS, but a fan of Bachmann's range, I think Edward, Henrietta and the Red Coaches are the best choices for new rolling stock...or at least the ones I'd like to see most. Maybe not all in the next year, but those are the ones I definitely would like to see in the range.

That's just me though, I recognise my opinions don't represent that of the whole community, nor the most financially viable options for Bachmann. Anyway, beggers can't be choosers in the end, I suppose. It's still fun to speculate though

~Alex

[Trainboy100]

Well i hope that they make:
Engines:
stanley
lady
arthur
Rolling stock:
Gordon's special coaches
the breakdown train
Narrowgauge:
Sir handel, Duke, Peter sam
red coaches, and Blue coaches

[Shawn]

They will not make Lady. Sorry to be that person but it's NGH.  I really think the predictions get out of hand sometimes......

[Chaz]

The biggest issue I see with Lady, is her major lack of appeal since she doesn't really seem to have a strong following from both older and younger fans.  A character like Stanley, Paxton, or even Stepney are are much more likely than a model of Lady.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I can't see Arthur or Stepney being made, since they haven't even been seen since Season 12. Lady hasn't even been seen since Calling All Engines.

[Chaz]

I can't see Arthur or Stepney being made, since they haven't even been seen since Season 12. Lady hasn't even been seen since Calling All Engines.

Keep in mind that I actually said that Stepney was more likely than Lady in my post, not that Stepney actually had a chance.

[AJW98Productions]

No one said it's funny, and there sure isn't any reason to be upset about Lady, calm down. Everyone's entitled to what they want. But I couldn't personally say that I see a Lady model coming out in HO, mainly due to her lack of a large following, and also her lack of appearances. As a character that only briefly appeared in one special, and barely had any screen time as a sentient character in another special, I view a model of her being made as unlikely. Not to mention both specials she appeared in were not very popular, with most people who like either special attributing their thoughts on the specials to nostalgia.
For example:

Personally I don't think Calling All Engines was a good special, in fact, it's probably one of - if not - my least favourite specials in the whole series. As for Thomas and the Magic RailRoad, I don't think it's a good film, it's nothing amazing, and a bit of a mess as a movie, but I loved it a child, I even cared for the human characters despite having not even having any exposure to the "Shining Time" series, prior to viewing. I can still watch Thomas and the Magic RailRoad, I can still enjoy it, but if I threw away my nostalgic attachment, I'd probably have no more attachment to it than Calling All Engines.

As for Henry's "old shape", it's a similar story, major lack of appearances, overall lack of appeal, and another glaring fault I'll touch on soon.
Let's kick things off by briefly summarising his appearances: the first half of Season One, and the classic "nameboards" shots, as his "new shape" never had a "nameboard" shot. That is literally it in terms of the TV Series, which we know Bachmann caters to fans of, but even The Adventure Begins, ignored Henry's "old shape", and as it hasn't been seen since season 1, it just lacks any kind of major appeal with younger audiences. And as for the older audiences, I must say, I think there's going to be few people who will go and spend money on Henry's "old shape" when most would already have the new one to begin with, I mean, some certainly would, but not enough to generate profit.

But the final reason why Henry's "old shape" won't happen, can be summed up in two words: tooling cost.
Henry is a large tender engine, as we all know, and given his large size, even if it reuses the same chassis as his current model, it would still cost a lot for Bachmann to produce, and then combined with the lack of appeal, means it would be hard to generate any kind of sturdy profit from. Meaning that, in the eyes of the company, it's a bad choice.

Whilst I'm sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, it doesn't mean I dislike Lady or Henry's "old shape". I actually quite like Henry's "old shape", almost as much, if not as much, as as his "new shape". I just don't think it'll realistically happen, same can be said for Lady. Don't presume your the only one who likes Lady or Henry's "old shape", and it's certainly nothing to get upset over. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. I just don't think they would realistically be made. I think it would be quite a poor business choice on Bachmann's end, to say the least.

There is of course, hope for those who are willing to go the metaphorical "extra mile" though. I've seen custom models of Henry's "old shape" kitbashed from his new current Bachmann tooling, and I've seen Lady models constructed from parts of Bachmann's Percy, Bill/Ben models, the ERTL model of Lady, and her Bandai Tecs model too. If you really want those 2 models that badly, those are your best choices. Because as it currently stands, I believe Bachmann recognises how silly of a business move it would be to release either Lady or Henry's "old shape", because of the reasons I stated above. But as I said, there is hope for those who'll go that "extra mile" and are willing to make their own models.

~Alex

[Trainboy100]

Oh sorry i just wanted to pull that quote out there but maybe they could make
Engines:
Golden thomas
Shooting star gordon
Harvey
Rolling stock:
Spiteful brakevan
Rocky
Scrap freight car
Narrow Gauge:
Rusty, Bertram, Smudger
White and green coaches
Narrow gauge breakdown train
And Fearless Freddie

[Thomasfan39]

Why is Rosie not on the website anymore???

[donaldthescottishtwin]

Realistically i think Paxton is the best bet for next year, usually Bachmann make 1 modern character and 1 classic character but i can't think of many considering they have done the original 11 now with Oliver coming soon. Daisy perhaps? since she has returned to the series a Daisy model is long over due anyway Hornby missed their chance so come on Bachmann.

[Trainboy100]

Rosie is on the website it's just i guess  maybe it's just a glitch Just go to the search bar type in bachmann rosie and you'll find her