Boy, Sir Handel looks like if Nitrogen Studios went to the Talyllyn Railway again and redid their design of Sir Haydn just like when they went there to do measurements for the Blue Mountain Mystery special...! It makes me wonder if this is a testing ground for Bachmann to add the detailing not present from the 2012 CGI models of the narrow gauge characters (and to an extent, hopefully this'll mean if Duncan gets green-lit if a solution to find the balance between TV series model and Douglas' model can be made, just like Large Scale Diesel being uncanceled too)... If that's the case, I definitely appreciate the fact they went above and beyond to make Sir Handel as extra special as he is now...!

For me, if that proves to be expensive, I'd at least like to see them update Thomas, Percy, and James' faces. If Diesel was able to get a new face as a new model from a decade ago, then there's no reason they can't do the same with at least the first 3 engines ever released for Bachmann... By this point, from Gordon & Henry onwards, they at least got slightly more accurate faces to their TV series versions, whereas the First 3's facial designs are from the promos released in the early 2000's. So IF they have the time & resources to be able to change up the faces at least on those models (and again, Diesel being the main reason I'm even saying any of this), then perhaps that'll be a change for the better especially Percy, the worst offender of them all. Plus by this point in time, the synergy of the newer products released these days have CGI faces and seeing engines/characters released from 2002 Thomas being alongside 2024 Rebecca models is starting to feel very awkwardly outdated... Large Scale and N Scale even incorporates the CGI faces into their characters, so again, at some point, if that's what Bachmann is willing to do, then I'd say go for it...!

Quote from: Cheeky_ULP on November 01, 2024, 09:35:16 PMIf Bachmann really wants to make the most of engine tooling repaints, I feel like they should at least try to pitch Norman and Dennis to Mattel before continuing to scrape the barrel for Big World Big Adventures era characters.



Dennis is a model era character, true, but he does have the distinction of being noted several times as a sibling of Norman in Norman's bios and merchandise. To me personally, it makes him "somewhat" of an honorary CGI character, compared to BoCo or Stepney, whom of which were never mentioned in the CGI era in any regard. I really get the impression that had BWBA not jumped in, we could've seen Dennis surface in the CGI era with Norman.



Topping that off, Norman has had a few speaking roles throughout the CGI era, and is often marketed with Paxton and Sidney as a trio (probably because they're each red, green, and blue), so he has a notable presence in CGI. Bachmann has made Paxton, and is now making Sidney, so why not round off the trio? To me, Norman and Dennis is a win-win for Bachmann and its consumers; niche and quirky, but bold and unique additions to the range.

I can see Norman being made, especially if they decide to reuse Rebecca's wheels AND seeing that they're cousins to each other being built from the same designer Bulleid..., more or less.

Hopefully, for my picks of 00 scale: I hope at least Hiro, Stephen (probably w/o moving eyes), or Whiff can be considered for the range, but certainly Whiff would be more likely since he's a tank engine, thus cheaper to make.

For 009 scale: as long as either Luke, Victor, or Millie can be considered, I'm content since they have potential to be amazing models since of their pairings with other potential characters introduced from their respective specials that also can be considered too (Stephen plus the blue open carriage w/ Millie for example).

I'm glad this is the one time his CGI face is used here because while I loved his model series face, his Season 12 face was not so good looking... Like the others back in that season, they were hit-or-misses.....

Quote from: really called Thomas on October 27, 2024, 12:04:03 AM

Quote from: Awesometrain77 on October 26, 2024, 08:36:16 PMIf they do do a classic breakdown train it will probably be a faceless Judy/Jerome expect no modifications . With that being said, I do think it's a good idea.

The faces on the all Troublesome Trucks and Spiteful are removeable (certainly for HO, not sure about the other scales); kill two birds with one stone and design the Breakdown Train with detachable Judy/Jerome faces.

EDIT: this has got be thinking, as the Engines faces are also removeable, how about a "Faces Pack" for each character? Have 5 different faces or so - neutral, smiley, sleepy, cross, shocked... that can be easily interchanged with the original.

Considering Ryan's face popped off too easily when I got mine, that's actually a pretty good idea! Plus if they want to, especially for the classic characters, they could make either more classic faces and/or CGI faces especially for those characters that were released from 2002 to 2013 (except Diesel who got a CGI style face). That could be something to consider down the line if they wanted to...

My question for future releases: is the CGI mandate only applied to the locomotives and not rolling stock and/or road vehicles? If so, and just going off of some examples of the ones that never showed up in the CGI series EVER, yet Bachmann still made anyways-like Jeremy, the Spiteful Brakevan, Troublesome Truck #5 w/ one of the model era faces, Toby's Museum Coaches, the Funfair Vans, etc.-then perhaps they can make more rolling stock like Hector, a bogie hopper wagon that I could see having some appeal.

IF that doesn't pan out, just like how the above comments mentioned the likes of Judy and Jerome, and just in the off-chance they'll consider doing even some minor rolling-stock characters like the Spiteful Brakevan, perhaps we can see the Slip Coaches too as another alternative option since the only thing that needs changing are the faces and they can pair up with Duck too!

Quote from: JLK2707 on September 28, 2024, 03:51:05 PMDo you feel that the Old Coaches would be popular if Bachmann made them?

It could be possible given that one-off rolling stock models/characters were also made, like the Spiteful Brakevan, S.C.Ruffey, Toby's Museum Coaches, etc. Of course we'd have to wait and see if they get through the previous announcements they've yet to release since there's quite the backlog of them to get through.

I only hope that Bachmann can find a medium of making Duncan look like his Tallylyn counterpart. I mean at the very least adding the detail of Douglas would be ideal especially if they plan on making more Tallylyn railway counterparts of say Dolgoch, Midlander, etc.

Also I noticed that the likes of Beau, despite having the added buffers on his CGI model, doesn't have it on his HO scale model, which I welcome because the added buffers just looks weird on an engine like him. I hope that it's the case with Duncan since if they want to make real-life counterpart to sell in the future, they'd have to utilize the proportions of Douglas, at least in terms of the detailing and the boiler size, maybe as a middle ground to match both the CGI and real-life counterpart-the best of both worlds I'd say.

Here's something I've been curious about when it comes to the packaging for the locomotives:

If the N Scale, Large Scale, and the Narrow Gauge characters got the boxes to properly store them in, why not the HO Scale models? I say this because in this day in age, they're becoming expensive and I'll use Sam's Train YT channel review of Bachmann Ryan as an example of him pointing out the evolution of the range:


He mentions that the range has been evolving to become less like toys and more closer to models because of the separately fitted parts, the complex paint job in the lining, and the pricing... In his model, as you can see in the thumbnail, the "N" got rubbed off due to the plastic cover "bump" making contact with it, messing up the quality of the model. Plus the fact that the RRP is almost $200 should be noted that this isn't just a cheap toy model for youngsters to own unlike the early T&F models of Bachmann.

The reasons mentioned by Sam is why I'd like to have a box, at least for the HO/OO Scale Locos for proper storage. The plastic packaging isn't as efficient as it should be since they end up becoming disposed into the trash/recyclables because once you use a knife/scissors to open that difficult packaging, it's useless...

Heck, with Rebecca coming soon, it'll be nice if sometime in the future a box can be utilized especially seeing that RRP price tag for her model being the most expensive in the present day, so that'll be great if possible. The inner plastic container can still be kept, but the outside one needs to go to ensure that the model survives the transit from warehouse to our model shops/doorstep.

You know what I think could be possible? If Bachmann need to find some filler elements in regards to repaints, Perhaps we can have the following:


Bill & Ben being blue could be an interesting repaint if Bachmann needed some filler to keep the line going. If we got a Busy Bee James, Origin James, Red Rosie, LBSC Thomas, and Yellow BMM Rheneas, then hopefully the blue versions of Bill and Ben can be easier to make since they're tank engines.


Another possibility if needed is Salty, since we never have had a repaint of a diesel before, which should be interesting to see if this can be done.

I'd be curious to see if they did yet another James model as...:


I mean if they made a Busy Bee James and Origins James, I wouldn't be surprised if this Pink Undercoat James was released as yet another filler addition if needed, though I'll admit that'll be too many James' out of the models in the Bachmann range.

Hiya everyone! This is my first post, and I figured I'd put my suggestions for the range:

HO Scale:

Whiff, because I'd imagine not only because of the fact he'd fit the CGI mandate, but also the lack of side rods could be one less thing to consider, making him easier to make compared to the other 95% characters who have side-rods. Granted, he'd also be a new tooling, but it would be nice to have him in HO Scale...

Hiro, hopefully if Rebecca succeeds, in which I'd buy her not only to see a potential model of Hiro to be made, but another SR class engine be made to add to my collection.

Stephen, an interesting project if they do manage to make him since he's the "real-life" Stephenson's Rocket in the TV series, as well as them making the open-topped coach coming soon.

Glynn, similar to if they make another addition to the Estate Railway with Stephen, plus would be fitting to have him w/ Sir Topham Hatt's figure in his cab.

Silver Spencer, to update him to his Season 10 onwards appearance/CGI series model.

Rolling Stock

The Liverpool and Manchester coach, same reason with Stephen/Glynn and the open topped coach, it would be a nice addition for the Estate Railway if they do plan on making them.

Gordon's Special Coaches from Season 10's Emily and the Special Coaches. Perfect pair of Composite and Brake coaches for Gordon to pull and not be one offs ever.

This suggestion might be a weird one, but I was thinking they make James/Thomas's "new" troublesome trucks from Season 9's Thomas' New Trucks, to perhaps make another new face for some troublesome trucks.

Also after the announcement of the 12 Ton Van, certainly another Troublesome Truck #7+ would be fitting for the new tooling, or at the very least the Troublesome Oil Tankers from JBS, whichever one they can go with.

OO9 Narrow Gauge

Victor, to add alongside Hiro if he gets made, but also seeing that after Sir Handel and Duncan are on the way they'll definitely need to make him next.

Luke, probably after Victor, unless if his side rods may need to be retooled a bit to run perfectly.

Millie, if Stephen and/or Glynn get made, another perfect candidate to go alongside the Estate Railway gang.

Open-topped coach (the red one Millie pulls), would be fitting to see people make Ada, Jane, and Mabel from these.

If they run out of the remaining NG characters that appeared in CGI, then we have these options left since these characters at least exist:

Duke/Bertram
Proteus, using Sir Handel, definitely a repaint that's doable w/ an added headlamp.
Smudger, using Rheneas, it can be done even if the model is using Rheneas' CGI model.
Freddie
Mighty Mac

*I don't collect these since next suggestions I only do HO/OO9 models, but ideas are arriving in my mind*

Large Scale

Edward, no question for at least their 80th Anniversary announcement in which they'd just have to modify a bit of James to make him fit.

LBSC Thomas, repaints like the HO scale, as well as 80th Anniversary suggestion.

Origin James, same as LBSC Thomas.

N Scale

Edward, LBSC Thomas, & Origin James: same as the LG scale suggestion.

After them, future suggestions here and there:

Oliver, to go with Toad the Brake Van.

Duck, might as well keep making the numbers consistent after Toby.

Donald and Douglas, to see their CGI variants make an appearance in this scale would be amazing...!

Salty/Mavis, at least another diesel that's not a Class 08 Diesel/Paxton remake for now.

Rosie (red/magenta variant), would be amazing if Bachmann made 2 versions, but knowing them I'd say they'd make the Red version since she's updated to that paintwork...