Thomas & Friends in 2018

[TrainFan97]

For HO Scale, Daisy's model would probably have the couplers attached to her bogies, and she may not have rear buffers, or tail lamps. Maybe her couplers can be fixed, and not attached to her bogies, so she can still have rear buffers. Since Daisy's CGI model has a much higher front bufferbeam, she can definitely have a front coupler.

If we end up getting Sidney instead, I'll be perfectly okay. I feel like we'll most likely get Sidney, since obviously his tooling already exists, and he would wrap up the Class 08s in HO Scale. Splatter and Dodge were one-off characters from a bad movie, and they were nincompoops, so their chances are very slim. Sidney, on the other hand, is a CGI character with plenty of recent appearances, and a likeable character. Like Paxton, he would also sell better than 'Arry and Bert. I would rather have Daisy, but Sidney isn't bad.

Paxton doesn't have a black cab roof, but Sidney does. Sidney has yellow lining below his rear windows, and a few other places. Paxton has yellow stripes that go around him; one thick, and one thin. Both diesels have orange-red siderods.

If we get Sidney, an HO Scale Diesel with analog sound would be great to go with him. Bachmann announced 'Arry and Bert, as well as Thomas with sound in the same year. Since Percy looks too small, Diesel would be perfect as the second HO model with sound. Maybe Mattel will allow Bachmann to give Diesel's sound model black siderods, like 'Arry and Bert.

Other characters like Porter and Samson don't have much demand. Ryan has a much higher demand than those two.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I don't see why Daisy wouldn't have rear buffers or tail lamps.

[Chaz]

We haven't had a sound model in HO for a long time, which is shocking considering how the Thomas model is still selling so well.  Either way I would honestly bet on Percy happening next, I honestly don't see how his motor would be too small for a sound chip.

I don't see why Daisy wouldn't have rear buffers or tail lamps.

I second that.

[TrainFan97]

So, it is possible for HO Daisy to have rear buffers and tail lamps, along with her coupler.

Once Bachmann makes Daisy, BoCo will be the only Season 2 engine left. Speaking of BoCo, I've been getting more and more anxious for him to return. Season 21 isn't over yet, but only time will tell.

Once BoCo finally returns, that would give Bachmann another idea for who to announce in the future. Of course, we most certainly can't expect him next year, since he's not back in the show just yet. Daisy returned in 2015, and she's really been shining since, with more starring roles than any other returning character in the CGI series.

Daisy is definitely possible for 2018, but she is not certain. I just need to be patient, and find out in mid-February if it will be Daisy's year.

Oliver was a big deal, since after 15 years of the range existing, we finally got engines 1-11.

[Plow_Bender]

So lets talk about large scale red coaches.  These are another addition I would like to see for the large scale range, and I know many people want to see them as well.  The red coaches were in high demand years ago for the HO range, and have proven to be popular sellers by selling out a number of times.

To start off, the red coaches have made numerous appearances with numerous characters, and in many cases you'll see them with engines such as Percy, James, Edward, Rosie, Henry, Duck, etc.  We've also seen in recent seasons (even in the earlier seasons such as season 2) that in some cases the engines are pulling 3-4 coach trains with the red coaches.  This plays out a little later on, but I'll get to that in a moment.  Something that also should be mentioned about the red coaches is that they are/were used on many different parts of Sodor such as the Ffarquhar Branch, Brendam Branch, Harwick Branch, The Little Western, The Main Line, etc.

So is there a demand for the red coaches?  I wouldn't be making this post of there wasn't.  For a couple years now there's been many discussions come up for the red coaches in large scale, and for good reason too.  Years back the red coaches were in high demand for HO, and after being around a few years they're still flying off the shelves.  With the demand now, there's no doubt they would move in large scale.  Some people have even gone as far to make their own as seen below.



Chances are some people would even consider buying multiple red coaches instead of just buying a red coach and a red break coach.  It's also safe to say that considering chances of getting some express coaches in large scale are out of the question, it would be nice to have the red coaches as a replacement to go along with James.

Now it's a question of how Bachmann would do in terms of production of said models.  They honestly have an advantage with the red coaches considering the tooling is already somewhat there.  Starting with the existing Annie and Clarabel/Emily's coaches tooling, alterations can be made to make the red coaches.  The break coach would require the most work, but just the regular red coach only requires the new roof tooling which in turn is used for the break coach anyway.  The only downside I can find with the red coaches is that the tooling for them (even though it exists) needing altered might be asking a little much.  This isn't as simple as just taking an existing van or wagon and recoloring it.  Keep in mind what the large scale announcements have been lately.

So to wrap things up, what are my thoughts on getting the red coaches in large scale?  I'm honestly all for these additions, as I'm sure many others are as well.  Overall they seem simple enough, appealing enough, and would definitely sell better than something like a vegetable van or a raspberry syrup tanker.  It would also be nice to have them to go along with James and/or Percy in the range, and other characters like Edward, Duck, Rosie, Ryan, Oliver, etc when/if they're ever announced.  Now if you'll excuse me, its lunchtime!



-Rusty

[Chaz]

If Diesel takes longer than they expected to get out and they want to skip an engine for next year and make some rolling stock that would have decent sales, then the red coaches would easily be the way to go.  The scenario would be no different than HO and those turned out to be very popular sellers.

[TrainFan97]

If HO Daisy gets de-confirmed, we may end up getting Ryan, or Sidney if Bachmann wants to reuse a tooling.

I remember when we thought Oliver was de-confirmed, yet they did manage to announce him. Bachmann's not allowed to reveal information early, but when they did announce Oliver in 2015, that was a huge surprise. Mattel hasn't made any merchandise of Daisy lately, but there's a whisper of her getting an Adventures model in the near future. Daisy should be marketable, since she's not a black engine, whose merchandise doesn't sell well according to Mattel, with exceptions being Diesel and Hiro. Daisy has the same green livery as Duck and Oliver. Both GWR engines were very popular sellers. Daisy would be the first bogied diesel in the Thomas range itself, and she's a diesel railcar. I wouldn't mind her having silver windows like all other diesels; an easy fix if bothered. Her eye mechanism can be a separate motor.

Even though Daisy would instantly be a huge seller from Bachmann, it's probably best to expect Sidney. Neither diesel is black, with Daisy being green, and Sidney being dark blue. Mattel has made a little bit of merchandise of Sidney in recent years, but he still has yet to get a TrackMaster model. Probably the better idea to keep expectations low, since Paxton is delayed, so Sidney seems to be the most likely candidate. Norman hasn't had any recent merchandise at all, and he rarely speaks. As for Norman, we can't count on him.

Bachmann does listen to fan suggestions on this forum, but what they announce has to be approved by Mattel. It was demand that got Bachmann into making Duck and Oliver. The same could happen for Daisy.

[TerencetheTractor525]

I know that I stated that I would leave the large scale predictions to the large scale people. However, this is a specific topic that I just had to partake in. I must agree that making the Large Scale Red Coaches would be a very wise investment for every reason that Plow Bender mentioned. In addition, as much as I too would love to see a Large Scale Mavis get announced, if Bachmann decides to announce Paxton instead of Arry and Bert for 2018, I personally think that announcing the red coaches along with him would be a fair compromise.

Regarding an HO Sidney, I never shared my opinion on it. However, I think that now is the time since, as Chaz mentioned in the "Large Scale Mavis de-confirmed" thread, Bachmann may be deciding on what to announce for 2018 at this very moment. To get right down to it, I don't believe that 2018 would be the smartest time to announce an HO Sidney for one main reason. Paxton, another diesel of the same class, has not been released yet. It may seem that this reason contradicts the point I am making since Sidney would be the least expensive loco to produce. However, what my mind is thinking is that releasing two locos of the same tooling back to back (especially the second one being less popular than the first) would lead to poor sales. Even so, I do believe that an HO Sidney would be a good idea for every reason that TrainFan97 mentioned. Yet, I think that announcing him a little further into the future would lead to better sales as long as he continues to develop his character in future episodes.

As I mentioned previously, the best decision for a new HO loco would be Daisy for every reason in the pasted link. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,34031.0.html If this means that we have to wait for two years just like Oliver, I'm all for it. When thinking long-term, it is the wisest thing to do.

Overall, I may be seen as a hypocrite since I suggested Paxton for the 2018 Large Scale Range, and Diesel was announced for the 2017 Large Scale Range. However, the difference is that at the moment, Paxton is much more popular than Sidney.

[TrainFan97]

Yeah, I think it's a better idea to announce Sidney a little later than 2018, because having two engines of the same tooling released back-to-back could lead to poor sales. Daisy is far more popular. I'd be willing to wait two years for Daisy like I did with Oliver.

It took Bachmann two years to get Oliver out there, but I was patient, since I knew he was coming sooner or later. Oliver turned out to be a huge success for Bachmann, and he even outsold Duck! Daisy will certainly do the same. She will be one of the best models Bachmann would ever make. She's a classic character in the CGI series, with more starring roles than any other returnee character. She will be popular by both kids and adults alike.

Bachmann made Duck and Oliver by popular demand. There's a very good chance they'll do the same for Daisy: Making her by popular demand. We just need to wait 3 1/2 more months to see if she gets announced. Bachmann is far better off announcing Daisy, and saving Sidney for another time.

[TerencetheTractor525]

Yeah, I think it's a better idea to announce Sidney a little later than 2018, because having two engines of the same tooling released back-to-back could lead to poor sales. Daisy is far more popular. I'd be willing to wait two years for Daisy like I did with Oliver.

It took Bachmann two years to get Oliver out there, but I was patient, since I knew he was coming sooner or later. Oliver turned out to be a huge success for Bachmann, and he even outsold Duck! Daisy will certainly do the same. She will be one of the best models Bachmann would ever make. She's a classic character in the CGI series, with more starring roles than any other returnee character. She will be popular by both kids and adults alike.

Bachmann made Duck and Oliver by popular demand. There's a very good chance they'll do the same for Daisy: Making her by popular demand. We just need to wait 3 1/2 more months to see if she gets announced. Bachmann is far better off announcing Daisy, and saving Sidney for another time.

That's exactly right! I'm very delighted and relieved that you agree with me on this since I know how much time and effort you have put into previous posts regarding an HO Sidney!

As I stated before, I am 100% sure that an HO Daisy will be one of the best investments that Bachmann has ever made. Hopefully, they will announce her for next year  

[Falcon]

Yeah, I think it's a better idea to announce Sidney a little later than 2018, because having two engines of the same tooling released back-to-back could lead to poor sales. Daisy is far more popular. I'd be willing to wait two years for Daisy like I did with Oliver.

It took Bachmann two years to get Oliver out there, but I was patient, since I knew he was coming sooner or later. Oliver turned out to be a huge success for Bachmann, and he even outsold Duck! Daisy will certainly do the same. She will be one of the best models Bachmann would ever make. She's a classic character in the CGI series, with more starring roles than any other returnee character. She will be popular by both kids and adults alike.

Bachmann made Duck and Oliver by popular demand. There's a very good chance they'll do the same for Daisy: Making her by popular demand. We just need to wait 3 1/2 more months to see if she gets announced. Bachmann is far better off announcing Daisy, and saving Sidney for another time.

Very good observation. We can expect Daisy to sell just as well as Oliver and there might be a chance that she'll outsell him as well. She could likely be the last Classic Series character Bachmann makes for a long time (excluding the remaining Narrow Gauge characters), so she is sure to be worth the wait.

[TrainFan97]

Of course, Bachmann's not allowed to reveal information on new products early, so all we can do is be patient, and wait 3 1/2 more months to see if Daisy gets announced. Daisy is guaranteed to be a huge success for Bachmann in HO Scale. She may even outsell Oliver.

As I've said a few times before, popular demand got Bachmann into making Duck and Oliver. The same can happen with Daisy. Announcing Sidney immediately after Paxton would not be a wise decision, since that would lead to poor sales, especially with Sidney being less popular than Paxton. Announcing an engine with a new tooling (like Daisy) is a much wiser decision, since that would lead to much stronger sales. Classic characters (like Duck and Oliver) have been proven to be very successful sellers. Daisy will certainly be well worth the wait once she's announced. Oliver was worth the wait. Good things come to those who wait.

Our forum posts have made an impact before. It can happen again. Daisy may be bigger than a tank engine or a diesel shunter, but she's really a box in shape, so her tooling would be easier to make. She's definitely not the biggest diesel in the series. She will be the first bogied diesel in the Bachmann Thomas range itself.

Literally the only thing that's holding Bachmann back from making BoCo is the fact that he still has yet to return. His last appearance still remains Season 5, so kids of this generation wouldn't be familiar with him. Sad, but true. At least Daisy is in the CGI series, so both kids and adults would be familiar with her.

[Metal]

Since we're talking about characters I thought I might bring this topic up.
Since the show is being 'air-quote' culturally diverse now. (Even though the show was already was since the start of CGI).

I thought I might as well bring up this character.

Compared to Nia the African Engine, cultural diversity works well with Hiro because he's very organic and unlike many of the S8-16 characters, he actually has depth, considerably a gem that shines in the rocks. The problem with Nia, Rebecca as well as the rest of the material from BWBA is that it seems to be created through political motive. I could be talking about the current events of politics but I'll probably go overboard here, especially on this board.
The cultural trend of political correctness is already dying out.  The producers behind the show are already late for the party.

On a side note; you also have Victor the Steamworks Engine, who's Hispanic, and Millie the French Engine, who also feel natural into the Thomas universe. But since they're narrow gauge that's a completely different story

Moving on

A Bachmann Hiro would be expensive model no doubt, but so are the NG engines and that didn't stop consumers.  
Sounds like a long shot, but there's very few CGI characters to choose from, considering the most of the characters have gimmicky designs. I will talk about other CGI characters that have potential another day.

Hiro is a very popular character was both older/younger fans, as well as one of the most marketable. He's NOT a politically driven character, and regardless of Mattel's cultural diversity, I'd happily welcome this gem of a character, and Bachmann would pull off such and extraordinary model.

Any thoughts?

Perhaps, I'll talk about female characters another time.

[TrainandRockmusicfan97]

For 2018, I can see Bachmann making either Hiro, Sidney (since the tooling is already there) or Daisy in HO. If they announce any Large Scale engines, I can see them making either 'Arry and Bert or Bill and Ben.

[TerencetheTractor525]

Since we're talking about characters I thought I might bring this topic up.
Since the show is being 'air-quote' culturally diverse now. (Even though the show was already was since the start of CGI).

I thought I might as well bring up this character.

Compared to Nia the African Engine, cultural diversity works well with Hiro because he's very organic and unlike many of the S8-16 characters, he actually has depth, considerably a gem that shines in the rocks. The problem with Nia, Rebecca as well as the rest of the material from BWBA is that it seems to be created through political motive. I could be talking about the current events of politics but I'll probably go overboard here, especially on this board.
The cultural trend of political correctness is already dying out.  The producers behind the show are already late for the party.

On a side note; you also have Victor the Steamworks Engine, who's Hispanic, and Millie the French Engine, who also feel natural into the Thomas universe. But since they're narrow gauge that's a completely different story

Moving on

A Bachmann Hiro would be expensive model no doubt, but so are the NG engines and that didn't stop consumers. 
Sounds like a long shot, but there's very few CGI characters to choose from, considering the most of the characters have gimmicky designs. I will talk about other CGI characters that have potential another day.

Hiro is a very popular character was both older/younger fans, as well as one of the most marketable. He's NOT a politically driven character, and regardless of Mattel's cultural diversity, I'd happily welcome this gem of a character, and Bachmann would pull off such and extraordinary model.

Any thoughts?

Perhaps, I'll talk about female characters another time.

Hiro is one of my favorite "CGI-Born" characters because of his unique design, persona, and every other reason you mentioned. However, I personally do not believe that 2018 is the time to announce him. Of course, the main reason is the expense. Hiro would probably be one of the most expensive locos to make due to all of his fine details. Plus, when considering that the large scale range needs something fresh such as the red coaches and considering that we are hoping that there is at least one HO resin building announced for 2018, I still think that Daisy would be the best choice. Yet, I can definitely see Bachmann making Hiro in the future. He was definitely worth the mention.