N Scale Bachmann Thomas

[Kemptown Branch]

Hey everyone, it looks like Hannah has been added to the web store, although she isn't in stock yet.

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=265_1126_1128&products_id=9278

[travel_is_fun]

Hello!

It seems that N-scale Hannah has been spotted on Ebay. Much earlier than I thought 

[RailsByRick]

We have yet to see samples for the express coaches in N scale. Hopefully in the next Thomas Tuesday stream or in the coming months they will be shown off.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I'd prefer if they were accurate to their CGI models to go with the very accurate CGI engines in the N scale line. If they're going to base the range on CGI, then I'd want them to go all in.

[Chaz]

Well the big, little guy is finally here.  Time share my thoughts on the Bachmann N scale Gordon.  I'll also briefly talk about Henrietta and Hannah here too. 


Picture this: it's Christmas 2000, and you receive an N scale Thomas set by Tomix. Excited, you start collecting N scale and eagerly await future models of Percy, James, Gordon, and Henry. Over time, most were released—except Gordon. Frustrated with the wait, I switched back to HO during Bachmann's first launch of their HO Thomas products and hadn't really touched N scale again until late 2020 during the release of Bachmann's N scale line.  A range, while I was a little skeptical of at first, really grew to love and appreciate over time.


Fast forward to the 2022 NMRA announcements: Bachmann revealed an N scale, ready-to-run model Gordon, finally making this long-awaited model a reality. With all of that being said and seeing the model in person, after over 20 years of waiting, I can confidently say this model was worth it.


Bachmann did a fantastic job capturing Gordon's essence. Whether you prefer the model series or CGI version, this Gordon works for both, with differences being minimal. His blue livery is beautifully painted, and details like separately fitted brake pipes, whistles, and valve gear are impressive. While the trailing wheel placement mirrors Magic Railroad and onward, it allows tighter curves, which is practical for smaller layouts.


The tender's coal detail and printed number look great, matching the CGI series. Gordon's face is another highlight—it's CGI-based, yes, but one of the better faces in the N scale line in my opinion and captures the look and charm of the character really well.


Gordon runs exceptionally well, even at high speeds. On my narrow gauge layout, he handled switches flawlessly without derailing, proving the high quality of this model. While space limits my hauling tests, Gordon pulled a train of my old Bachmann Pennsylvania coaches effortlessly, foreshadowing his potential with the upcoming N scale express coaches.  I am fully aware how absolutely silly and ridiculous this looks, but I guess that's the fun of the hobby, having fun!

Final Thoughts


Gordon is a standout in the Bachmann N scale Thomas line and a must-have for collectors, whether you're new to the hobby or a long-time fan. Bachmann continues to deliver exceptional models, and I'm excited for the future of this range.

Time to talk about Henrietta!



I, for one, appreciate the fact that Bachmann even bothered to make Henrietta at all for the N scale line—which, sadly, is more than can be said for the large scale range. Henrietta is one of those overlooked essentials for Toby that many manufacturers, including Bachmann in large scale, have consistently ignored. Toby just isn't complete without his faithful coach. I wish more brands had made Henrietta while the show was still running, but that's beside the point.


The N scale Henrietta really captures the charm of the character. I love the separately applied railing details, as well as the appropriately placed windows on all sides of the model.


And yes, like in the CGI series, Henrietta has a face. While I understand why this might bother some people, it doesn't bother me at all. As I've said before, I'm just grateful to have a model of Henrietta in the first place. I imagine the face can be removed with a hobby knife for those who prefer her classic look. Otherwise, fans of her CGI appearance will appreciate the face—it's a perfect match.


She looks great behind Toby. Whether they're both traveling alone or pulling a few wagons behind them, having Toby paired with Henrietta and some extra rolling stock just feels more complete and satisfying. She's a solid piece of rolling stock and one I highly recommend.


I also want to talk about Hannah—the first exclusive character in the N scale line. Although she's essentially a repaint of Henrietta with a different face, I admire the decision to make her at all. Reusing the Henrietta tooling to create Hannah shows real commitment. While she's not a character I'm especially passionate about, I still picked her up to support Bachmann for making Henrietta in the first place. Like Henrietta, she runs smoothly on the layout with hardly any issues.


Overall, I truly enjoy and appreciate both additions. Whether you just want Henrietta or are a collector aiming to get both, fans who've been waiting for a Henrietta model are going to be very pleased. They're definite standouts in the N scale line, and I highly recommend either—or both.

That's it from me!  Hoping to share my thoughts on the several new and highly anticipated products on future reviews.  I'll be working on a review of Emily and her coaches next, after that I'll take a look at the figure packs once they arrive, along with Sir Topham Hatt's car.  Thank you, Bachmann, for making Gordon in N scale a reality along with adding Henrietta and Hannah in N scale too. The future is bright for this exciting range, and I look forward to seeing what's next!

[JacobSK]

Great review...erm, reviews, Chaz! Great to see you back in action, too, with fun pictures as per usual.

Before I post my thoughts, may I say, I quite dig your custom model series faces on your N scale models! Lifts the look of them. While Percy and Toby looked decent, Thomas and James had a weird Botox look about them. I applaud your decision to customize them!

I received my N Gordon as a Christmas present to myself and N Henrietta as an early birthday present from a good friend at the start of the year. I echo essentially everything you said about those two. Gordon is one of my favorite characters, so I was particularly excited when he was announced. When I finally got him in my hands, I was all the more excited! According to your review, I get the feeling you were just as excited as I was!

As for Henrietta, I'm glad she exists in N scale. I don't dislike the Brenner era, and that's where I associate her having a face. As I've gotten older, I prefer the model series, but Henrietta with a face is -- for me anyway -- a nice homage to an era of the show where they really did what they could to make it watchable again.

As for Hannah, I didn't and won't get her, but I'm glad Bachmann has decided to put Henrietta's tooling to use. Hopefully Bachmann can reuse the tooling again for a potential Christmas set? There're quite a few homes who do smaller Christmas trees (I know I do), so a N Scale set would be charming and small enough to fit around an elevated table.

The N Scale range has really taken off in the last four and a half years. It's proven to be something worth investing in. I have somewhat high expectations for Henry, Diesel, Paxton and all the rolling stock with dedicated toolings. Here's to the N Scale Thomas line!

[sodorlad]

Great review, Chaz. I logged in for the first time in a while to tell you so! 

What I love about the new N Scale range is the care they've taken on comparative scaling. It's always been a bit hit and miss in the other scales. Gordon looks as imposing as he should be next to Thomas and Percy.

[Chaz]

Well, I figured now is as good a time as any to get started on my Emily review. So here are my thoughts on the N scale Emily, as well as her coaches.


Emily has had quite a fascinating history with Bachmann. Some of you may remember that back in 2006 or so, she became the first HO engine to be delayed. Although she was announced at iHobby in November 2005 alongside Toby and Spencer, she wasn't added to the catalog until 2006 and didn't release until late 2007, a year after Toby and Spencer were released. The large scale version also has an interesting history—some may recall that her coaches were officially announced before the engine herself, in summer 2011 and winter 2012, respectively.


There isn't anything particularly extraordinary about the release story for the N scale Emily, but for what it's worth, I think this is Bachmann's best version of the character yet—better than both the HO and large scale releases. That's especially impressive given the smaller size and the level of detail they've packed in.


Aesthetically, Bachmann once again nailed the look of the character. My favorite aspect is the level of detail—you can see through the spokes on Emily's wheels, something we haven't seen in previous N scale engines, including Gordon. It really makes her stand out and adds appeal for those interested in converting the model into an N scale Sterling Single.


I also really appreciate that, despite the model's small size, the frames are also see through rather than molding them as part of the tender like the HO Emily did.  That little extra touch goes a long way in making the model pop.


Overall, Bachmann did a fantastic job capturing Emily's look, and I admire that they went the extra mile for collectors of both Thomas and British N scale models.


In terms of performance, Emily is a very smooth runner thanks to her thoughtful design. As many of you probably know, her trailing wheels in front of the driving wheels are also powered—just like in the HO and large scale versions—which gives her a bit of extra traction on the layout. This feature helps her navigate switches with metal frogs without stalling and improves overall pulling performance.


Speaking of pulling power, I tested Emily with a few old Pennsylvania Railroad coaches to compare her to Gordon. Unfortunately, she couldn't match his strength. Gordon pulled three coaches with ease (and could probably manage more if my layout had more space), while Emily couldn't pull three and could only handle two—barely—while her wheels began spinning furiously.  I think this has more to do with the gearing of the motor along with the large drive wheel not giving Emily enough strength for heavier loads.  Of course, this isn't a perfectly fair comparison since those are American N scale coaches, not Thomas express coaches, but it was still an interesting test of hauling strength.  Once the express coaches come out I'll do a hauling comparison by then and will make sure to have it on a proper N scale loop on an even surface.  I also want to be clear that the lack of strength is not meant to be a detriment of the model in any way shape or form, especially since the majority will likely let Emily only pull her two coaches or small goods trains.  Again, just a fun comparison worth sharing on the forum that I hope to explore further in the future once the Bachmann express coaches are released.


As for the Emily coaches themselves—there isn't much to say. They reuse the Annie and Clarabel body shell, but with different roofs and wheel frames. Personally, I think they work just fine and accurately reflect how Emily's coaches appear in the show.

Final thoughts:


As they say, "there's no one quite like Emily." I was a little skeptical at first, but I've really warmed up to the model. While Gordon remains my number one favorite N scale engine released so far, Emily is a very close second. The detailing and overall craftsmanship make her stand out, and I highly recommend her.


That about wraps up my review of the recently released N scale products. I'm looking forward to future announcements and updates—we already have plenty on the way, including Henry, Diesel, Paxton, the express coaches, and some repaints. Looking ahead, if my forum signature is anything to go by, I firmly believe Edward and Duck would make excellent future additions to the range. There are also several rolling stock items I'd like to see, but rather than list them all here, you can probably spot them in the image above.

Once again, thank you, Bachmann, for producing these incredibly well-done models in this range. I'm excited for what's next!

[JacobSK]

When it rains, it pours! Another nice review, Chaz.

I echo everything you said about Emily. I feel like she and the large scale model might have more in common than people think. I know there were a few people (mostly YouTube) who were critical of Emily's speed and performance, but I personally have no issues with it. I think they did a solid job on her.

As for her coaches, I think they work. Are they perfect? No. Do I think people are too hard on them? Yes, but I can see where they're coming from. That said, when coupled up to Emily, they look great.

Yes, the future is looking bright for this range. We've got more on the way, and hopefully, we can kick it into high gear moving forward!

[Jake86]

I am looking forward to seeing Stanley Molly Murdoch Neville Nia  Bear Pip Emma Derek Caroline George Stepney Richard Bulstrode Harvey Scotsman Rocky and D199 released in Bachmann HO scale in the future

[Coaltronn]

I have the majority if not all HO scale bachmann and started collecting the N scale trains. i must say the n scale trains my toddler enjoys quite alot and easier to manage with space. having a larger selection of trains like HO i hope develops.