Having seen the LBSC Thomas and Busy Bee James, I've got mixed feelings. I love the paintwork on Thomas, especially the glossy sheen, but I'm very disapointed about the face. It's notoriously one of Bachmann's least accurate faces, and if I'm going to buy a second, brand new Thomas, I shouldn't have to replace the face with something that resembles Thomas. It's similar with James, though his face is a bit better than Thomas's. I have to say though, I'd be WAY more likely to but a black James than a busy bee James. I'm a little baffled by the repaint choice.

Honestly, I think what the 75th anniversary really deserves is a new tooling, not just repaints of the range's earliest models. A landmark year like this only comes around every so often, and I think it deserves a really special character. I would absolutely LOVE to see a Stepney. I can guarantee I would buy that IMMEDIATELY! Considering I already have a Thomas and James, I don't think I can bring myself to buy second versions. But a new tooling of Stepney the Bluebell Engine is something I would absolutely jump at. I think they would fly off the shelves; there are many people who love Stepney, even beyond the Thomas fandom! Getting a Stepney would be an absolute dream come true, especially if he's produced at the right size. He should be about the same length as thomas, but smaller in proportion. His diminutive stature is a huge part of his charm! Nail that, and make him look as he does in the show, particularly the early seasons, and you can expect me to PREORDER that model. Repaints are all well and good, but brand new characters, especially fan favorites like Stepney, are what I jump at! Similarly, if Daisy looks accurate to her current CGI series design, I am absolutely getting her. You're on the right track with Daisy Bachmann, please make more new toolings of characters whose roots are in classic Thomas! Stepney. Will. SELL!!

Hello! I've never posted on the Bachmann forums before (though I've read them intently), and this is a topic I really wanted to weigh in on! Stepney vs. Ryan; I love them both, but Stepney is the easy choice to me, especially for the 75th anniversary, and I'll explain why:

1. His Significance - Stepney is a very special character. Unlike most of the engines in Thomas and Friends, many rail enthusiasts will know that Stepney is based on a real locomotive. In the heat of modernization in the British Isles, Stepney was rescued from scrap by the Bluebell Railway, and essentially served as the "founder engine" for one of the most famous preserved steam railways of all time. He is famous, not just in the Thomas Fandom, but in rail fan circles too.
Because of Stepney's real world fame, his appearance in the Television Series was a momentous occasion for the show. He is perhaps the most notable "celebrity guest appearance" in all of Thomas and Friends.  Seeing as his introduction was such an important milestone for Thomas, I think releasing him for another Thomas milestone, the 75th anniversary of the franchise, makes perfect sense!

2. He's a gateway into the hobby - As mentioned earlier, Stepney essentially serves as a mascot for the Bluebell Railway, and railway preservation in general. Now that Bachmann is selling their Thomas models in the UK (CONGRATULATIONS BACHMANN!!) this could not be better timing for Stepney. Stepney would SELL OUT in the Bluebell Railway gift shop. I can easily imagine many parents who love the Bluebell Railway for its rich history buying their child a Bachmann Stepney as a gateway to the railway hobby in general, as Stepney is a real engine with deep ties to a real railway, but he is also a character from Thomas and Friends! The perfect intersection between general model railroading and Thomas fandom! Don't underestimate the Bluebell Railway connection, it WILL help sell this model!

3. He's a fan favorite – In the decade or so that I've spent in this fandom, I've seen a LOT of "favorite character lists". There are a lot of popular engines, but some appear a lot more often than others. They're an unusual bunch; James, Diesel 10, Duck, Duncan, Bill and Ben, and Stepney all come to mind. And let me tell you, Stepney is the DEFINITION of a fan favorite. For many reasons. People identify with his small size and underdog story, the fact that he's a real world engine, his debut episode Rusty to the Rescue is on countless Top 10 lists (and seeing as you've made Rusty recently, people will be dying to recreate the episode with your Stepney), and perhaps most importantly, Stepney was only a visiting engine, meaning that his limited appearances gave him intrigue and left fans wanting more.

Now as for Ryan... He's got a pretty cool design, and he would go well with Daisy. But while Ryan is well liked, Stepney has a whole FANBASE all his own. Ryan simply hasn't been around long enough to build a reputation like Stepney's. He's still a relatively new character, and while he is in the current show, they have done little with him. I'd love to see a Ryan from Bachmann one day, but I don't think he's as high a priority as Stepney, a character whom fans have been wanting a decent model of for literal decades. Ryan is a great character, but when it comes to celebrating the 75th anniversary of this franchise, who is the better choice? An engine that has existed for five years, and whose introduction was fairly run of the mill, or a real world rail icon who joined the franchise before the TV Series even STARTED, and has been winning the hearts of railfans and Thomas fans alike before Ryan was even thought of?