Bachmann Thomas & Friends in 2019

[Plow_Bender]

Everyone is gonna hate me for this because everyone says large scale is dying.
but I at least want Edward, since he is not that far of a remodel from James
and the red passenger cars that would go with James (since they are JUST a repaint of Annie/Clarabel)
really, any engine past that (since its not ever possible for Henry and Gordon), isn't really worth having anyway, there is bill and ben which would be easy to make, and other small engines like that, like Oliver, Duck, Mavis, lady(even though you never see her in the show anymore), ect
but i still have hope, if not then its time to make a custom Thomas large scale engines

As much as I too would like to see Edward in large scale, chances of him happening seem about as likely as kicking a bear without it attacking you.  Considering Bachmann couldn't even make Diesel (a relatively small model) happen, how do characters like Edward or even smaller ones such as Oliver and/or Mavis have a chance?  I can honestly say that if we do get anymore engines in large scale, I would most likely expect to see James, Emily, and Toby with DCC sound just as we have with Thomas and Percy.  I would very much welcome this addition as it would save large scale modelers from the high cost of converting the stock standard models to DCC themselves.

The red coaches would be another great addition, but they're not just a simple repaint of Annie/Clarabel and/or Emily's Coaches.  While all 3 are based on the LB&SCR Stroudley four-wheel coaches (at least in the case of Bachmann's models), the red coaches in large scale would require a new tooling of the roof along with retooling the back of the coach to have the break compartment.  When taking that into consideration, it seems very iffy to me whether or not Bachmann would actually go though with it at this point, considering the fact recolors seem to be the most prominent choice of additions to the range lately.  Again like I said before, large scale has hit rock bottom in my opinion...

-Rusty

[Cheeky_ULP]

I haven't seen this mentioned much:

The Flatbed with Paint Drums has been discontinued for awhile, and when it does come up on eBay, it's for a ludicrous amount. There's clearly still a demand for the flatbeds, so just like the Express Coaches coming back, I feel like they should bring these back as well. The load could be the same or different for all I care, since I really just want the flatbeds themselves. If Bachmann wanted to make a new load however, they could have crates instead of paint drums, or even logs.

[JLK2707]

I'd definitely just want the tar wagon to be troublesome truck #6, but since it hasn't appeared in cgi yet, if ever, I'd say that the oil tanker being resused is most likely....

[TrainFan97]

The paint drum flatbed could also return with oil drums.

The most disappointing thing about #4 was the fact that it was green, just to appeal to kids. Paint is an easy fix.

For #6, I can definitely tell a tanker has the most demand. Like others have said, bringing back the tar tanker with an added face is a possibility, but discontinuing the faceless oil tanker, and replacing it with an oil tanker with a CGI face is the most likely.

A ventilated van also has demand, especially one with an angry face.

[Rickenbacker 325]

I haven't seen this mentioned much:

The Flatbed with Paint Drums has been discontinued for awhile, and when it does come up on eBay, it's for a ludicrous amount. There's clearly still a demand for the flatbeds, so just like the Express Coaches coming back, I feel like they should bring these back as well. The load could be the same or different for all I care, since I really just want the flatbeds themselves. If Bachmann wanted to make a new load however, they could have crates instead of paint drums, or even logs.

Thats why I was so happy to get mine 2 weeks ago for $18! I would love for it to come back out with maybe a pipe load. Plastic pipes would look great.

[TerencetheTractor525]

Thank you very much for your compliment Chaz, and thank you to those who have suggested which troublesome truck you would like to see. Hopefully, Bachmann will indeed do their homework for Troublesome Truck #6 so that fans will be happy with the end product  .

Regarding the flat car, I completely concur that it should be reintroduced. The flat car with paint drums is in such high demand. Therefore, reintroducing flat car with paint drums as well as announcing it with some other loads such as diesel fuel (oil) drums or pipes would please fans immensely.

As for large scale, the more that I see gloomy posts regarding where the range is going, the more that I feel sorry for large scale collectors. If the large scale range has really hit rock bottom, then two products that I think that Bachmann should at least consider are Troublesome Truck #3 and Troublesome Truck #4. I can see one of them as a box van and the other as a tanker, as they are two existing toolings in the range. Ironically, the large scale oil tanker has been discontinued, so a good way to reintroduce it to the large scale range would be to use it as a troublesome truck. Overall, I am sure that large scale fans would be much more content with troublesome trucks than a silly toffee tanker.

[Chaz]

Honestly, I'm still shocked that the flat car was not released with logs in the first place.   Either way, the flat car with paint drums definitely sounds like something I could see Bachmann bringing back in the future.  If not that maybe just the flatcar with a new load like logs, pipes, oil drums, or even...

[Angelob6660]

I remember that load, ETRL made one.
I still have that with my collection.

Didn't this flat car with paint drums around a short time because I don't really it being around to one or two years.
Just like the stock van or the short truck before they turned in troublesome truck line.

[Chaz]

In my eyes, the Chinese Dragon would probably work since it's a bright and colorful kid-friendly load which had a lot of toys during both the classic and late model era of the show.  It's something both younger fans would appreciate as well as nostalgic fans of the classic series.  Bachmann would be killing two birds with one stone with that one.

The flat car with paint drums came out in 2009 and was discontinued in 2013, same year the express coaches were dropped, interestingly enough.

[J70Toby]

This is a bit of a long shot, but I would like to see a flatbed with Caroline the Car as a load (like in the end of Train Stops Play).  The inclusion of Caroline would justify the Thomas branding for an otherwise fairly ordinary piece of rolling stock.  It's been a while since Bachmann has made any of the type of characters who would be classified as accessories, and I would scoop up models of Bulgy, Trevor, Caroline, and George.

For the face that I would like to see on the next Troublesome Truck, I'm partial to the one on the van that Oliver come face to face with at the end of the siding in Toad Stands By.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I'd only have hopes for Caroline if we got Bachmann to make Stepney in 2019.

Now -that- would be a dream.

To be fair though, Stepney does have enough of a demand for Hornby to have made a limited second run of Stepney in 2012, so there's definitely a market for the Bluebell engine. To add, he doesn't have any CGI references so if a model was made of him, it'd be based on his charming Season 4-12 model. If Bachmann didn't want to make Daisy, I feel like Stepney would be a good, unique B option.

[Chaz]

If we look past the fact that Stepney's never appeared in full CGI, he has a lot of potential from Bachmann.  A tank engine with a color contrast, classic character with classic design to satisfy older fans, and would honestly feel like a really natural addition to the range after Duck, Oliver, Arry and Bert, and even the narrow gauge engines, Rusty in particular.  

His Hornby model has gone up to pretty steep prices too, proving that people would go out and buy him.  However, if Bachmann really wanted to -wow- the older fans and possibly redeem themselves after this year's announcements I think Stepney is a pretty solid choice.



He's also one of my favorite characters too so I'll admit I'm a little biased...

Honestly if Bachmann went with Stepney instead of Daisy I would be perfectly fine with that.  Not saying I don't want Daisy, but if I had to choose between the two I would personally pick Stepney. 

[TerencetheTractor525]

I would be for Stepney as well! Like Oliver, he has such a unique backstory, and would go wonderfully with the new Bachmann Rusty. http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/Stepney



The bottom line is that announcing anything that was seen in the charming classic model series is all it takes for ALL Thomas fans to look at the Bachmann range with a true smile.

[Cheeky_ULP]

It sounds like we have a potential hot-topic engine to root for the next year, as well as Daisy. Gives Bachmann a good alternative of choices if Mattel doesn't want to do Daisy. Both Stepney and Daisy would be a good way to regain the faith of the older Thomas fans in the range, specially those who import the models to the UK and hold the old characters dearer than Americans do.

I think beyond those two, any other choices for future engines are non-Awdry characters, who all have roughly the same potential level like Hiro, Stanley, Sidney, etc. who don't particularly have any advantages or disadvantages over the other.

[Chaz]

Might just have to do a post with my thoughts on Bachmann making Stepney... Not right now but definetely in the near future.  Probably will look into it sometime this month though.

In the meantime I actually want to hear more thoughts from others on Stepney, I would really like to hear what others have to say about him.