It's been a hot minute since I posted anything on here    Anyway, I'm pretty stoked about these announcments. I'm glad we're getting Sidney and the tar tanker. Sidney was a no-brainer, and I know that lots of people were asking for the tar tanker to be brought back (myself included). As for N-scale: I don't collect N-scale trains, but I'm very glad we're getting Henry. And it's neat that we're getting Hannah. Makes you think we might be getting her in HO someday. And if that happens, would they update Henrietta to have her face? Also, I still hope for a G-scale Henrietta, even though I don't collect G-scale either.

These announcements are frankly crazy. Two 08's is something I wouldn't have expected, especially not the Mainland Diesel before the likes of Fernando. Makes me wonder if the nameless Indian Diesel shunter is in the cards, guess it'd depend on requests. The mainland shunter is such a deep cut. I made a joke on my twitter about it but I genuinely really like this announcement. I'm a collector who wants to get one of every character, they're toying with me because I would have completed that goal before this announcement. But I also really love to see more of the world of Thomas get represented. Really can't complain about that. Now some might ask why not 'Arry and Bert? Well, I think it's simple. Salty is in an indefinite hold cause of how they wanted to handle his rerelease. They probably want to wait until he's out of the hold to even think of rereleasing the other two discontinued diesels.

This also tells me we're in for a lock of a new tool next year. Whether catalog or NMRA we'll see. And it might be big given they went with two 08's out of the gate for this year. Now, this would normally be the part where I mention Nia. And I still think she's a good pick. But...with it being the anniversary year, I do want to propose someone else. They mentioned future tender engines are dependent on Rebecca before. Her sales data should be done by than.... what better way to celebrate the anniversary than one of the first CGI characters, Hiro. Bonus points if we got Victor and Kevin announced as well to make the trifecta. I still think Nia is the more likely pick, but hey, I was wrong about getting the 08's this soon. I'm not always right.

Like most others the rolling stock is the highlight for me. I literally wrote an email to Bachmann with my request list, and it included the Tar tanker. They replied with me rather quickly they had no plans for anything I listed. Seems obvious now they were playing coy, really happy about that as one of the discontinued products I missed out on. The flatbed with drums is also an awesome release. Such a staple of the later model series being represented now is so cool. The clay truck is frankly the lamer announcement. However, getting a new load is always cool, hope it looks good. Imagine this means the original red cargo truck will be discontinued here soon, so an immediate new variant with a load is a really cool addition. Wonder if maybe it'll be tweaked to be more like the CGI pink color. Guess we'll see. Model series clay trucks would have been cooler but can't win them all.

Less to say about N scale because it's not my main scale but still really happy with this set. Henry has been one my friends have been asking for a while now, and they're very happy. Edward seems like a lock for next year, probably alongside a LBSC Thomas. Hannah is also really cool to see. I don't think we've been given an ETA for Henrietta so maybe dual release of both sisters? We'll see. The graham Farish 20 ton brakevan is cool for people who wanted a normal brakevan but I don't really, get this announcement. If they ever wanted to make Bradford he'd have to be a new tool I imagine. Seems odd they'd create this potential consistency issue, plus odd there is only one variant announced when there are simply so many in the show. Feels like more could have been done there. Being saved for an HO announcement later perhaps? Either way hope both of these rolling stock pieces, CGI face Henrietta, and the two G scale tankers being brought to the HO line sooner rather than later.

Overall, very happy with these announcements.

After many years, Sidney FINALLY gets announced for HO Scale, alongside a Mainland Diesel. No one saw the latter coming, and I can't believe it took this long just to finally announce Sidney for HO Scale. Better late than never. The Tar Tanker is getting reintroduced, along with another use for the flatbed, which will have diesel drums, and there's going to be a China Clay Wagon, which isn't exactly accurate to the show.

N Scale Henry was announced at last! Despite no update on Diesel or Paxton, Bachmann decided it was finally time to announce Henry for N Scale. I certainly hope N Scale Edward gets announced for the 2025 catalog, which would not only be fitting for the 80th Anniversary, but also because that would complete the original Steam Team in N Scale. The LMS 20-Ton Brake Van is at least another brake van that isn't Toad, and Hannah is the first character in N Scale that doesn't already exist in HO Scale. She's another good use for the Henrietta tooling.

They also announced an N Scale Roundhouse, which is technically not a Thomas product, but would be the tooling they use for Tidmouth Sheds in N Scale.

Hannah's sample is at the show! Confirmed for a 2025 release, not the same time as Henrietta like I proposed. Samples of Rebecca, the vans, N scale Emily and her coaches, N scale Gordon, Topham car, 3 of the slate trucks (no tan), the high side wagon, Black Tallylyn, one of Tallylyn's coaches, and Henrietta. The narrow gauge figure pack is apparently stuck at UPS but should be shown off over the weekend. Unclear if anything else will be there or not.

According to staff Hannah is actually slightly modified compared to Henrietta, so it isn't a 1 to 1 recolor.

I suppose they weren't kidding when they called this a catch-up year. After they said the same thing last year and then blew everybody away at NMRA later on, I wasn't quite ready to take them at their word, ha ha. Given these circumstances, I think this year's additions are fairly pleasing.

I'm surprised Mattel allowed Bachmann to make a nameless character like Mainland Diesel for the line. Part of me wonders why they would bother making it alongside Sidney, since Sidney as a lone release would have been perfectly acceptable... But the part of me that adores weird, niche picks for the line is quite taken by the move, ha ha. New HO Scale 'Thomas' rolling stock is nice as well, very happy to see the Tar Tank make a come-back and the Diesel Fuel flatbed looks very nice as well.

N Scale really shone in this mid-year announcement batch, in my opinion. Both in terms of the standard range and 'Thomas' range. The inevitable Henry has finally been announced, and the two N Scale-original rolling stock offerings are a welcome surprise. Hannah looks excellent and it is interesting to see her already sporting a painted sample. Even if she isn't making it to release this year, she definitely seems like a sure shot for 2025... I'm also quite please to see a generic brake van, even if it wasn't the exact model everybody had been clamoring for. I wouldn't be surprised if this choice was made so that a future Spiteful could co-exist with this brake van in the line up at the same time, and its inclusion also lays groundwork for a future Bradford from the same tooling... Said tooling seems like it will be the same as the Graham Farish LMS 20-tonner, given the brochure says its merely 'new' as opposed to 'new tooling', which is fine by me. That brake van is a beautiful model and I won't mind having a few in screen-accurate 'Thomas' colors, ha ha.

The main range Roundhouse migrating to N Scale well before Tidmouth Sheds is interesting, especially with the various detail changes being made to make it resemble Tidmouth Sheds less... I think it is a smart move, since that means its development (hopefully) won't interfere with the 'Thomas' pipeline, and it can be retooled into better resembling Tidmouth Sheds once the 'Thomas' pipeline is ready. And as a non-'Thomas' product, I think it has potential to be a more approachable roundhouse kit for starter-level hobbyists, at least compared to other kits on the market...

Overall a good show this year. I wish we could have seen some 7-Planks in N Scale but the exclusive rolling stock offerings more than make up for their absence, ha ha.

Lovely announcements! I hope they are not discontinuing anything though...

I love that when they are reintroducing the TAR Tanker, they are giving it updated details, so they are different from the original TAR Tankers. I am also glad that we are finally getting the diesel barrel flatbed.

I hope they would be willing to upscale the new N Scale rolling stock for bigger gauges.

I am glad Sidney is finally being made!

If they are willing to make the obscure Mainland Diesels, then maybe at some point in the future, if the CGI Mandate gets lifted, they would be willing to also make Splatter and Dodge. As I have said before they already have the correct chassis and body shell. ('Arry and Bert) Given that Splatter and Dodge always appear onscreen with identical faces to each other, all Bachmann would have to do would be design a single face mold that both models could use. And given that Splatter and Dodge have more characterization than the Mainland Diesels, and the fact that on a lot of these Thomas Tuesday livestreams show that modelers often make custom Splatters and Dodges, I think Splatter and Dodge would sell quite well. This could also be presented to Mattel as an incentive for lifting the CGI Mandate. And given that a lot of people are asking for Diesel 10, it would be fitting for Splatter and Dodge to be made as well.

And another thing that I like from the non-Thomas announcements is the Two-Stall Steam Era Engine House. It looks like a building a lot of Thomas Modelers would like. I hope it is compatible with the Thomas Range.

I am just so happy that the TAR tanker wagon was reintroduced into HO scale this year. I have been waiting for it for such a long time! I wonder if it will have the extra writing on the front and back to match the one which James crashed into the back of in Dirty Objects/James In A Mess.

Quote from: Armada Starscream on August 09, 2024, 10:38:54 PMAnd another thing that I like from the non-Thomas announcements is the Two-Stall Steam Era Engine House. It looks like a building a lot of Thomas Modelers would like. I hope it is compatible with the Thomas Range.

I totally missed that! So nice. 

These announcements were very interesting . I'm not gonna say what's already been said.
Henry and the tar tanker Suggested so much that I was not surprised . This feels very similar to the 2017 announcements or earlier where they were just announced and they did not announce specific rolling stock categories .

Sidney was cool . I was shocked to see the mainland diesel . Nice use of the paint can load , China clay wagon seems Interesting, Hannah definitely was developed along with Her sister a few months back, the LMS 20 ton brakevan was a shock ,


This is definitely a catch-up year, but these announcements are definitely
exciting no matter what.
I was shocked that we did not get an N scale sheds. But I guess that will happen next year.

Tbh I def feel like arry and Bert were proposed but did not happen . And I think the new choices were a little bit better. I do wish we got troublesome truck 7 but it's not that big of deal I do hope they do it an some point soon tho. 

Does anyone know what happened to display this year and the narrow gauge figures .

Very happy with this summer's selection of new products! It is pleasing to finally see Sidney added to the line of class 08s, and while surprising, the Mainland Diesel as well. Both offer new eye-catching paint schemes and are solid choices while Stanley is still under development.

However, I am most excited about the HO rolling stock, particularly the flat wagon with diesel fuel drums, a piece I fondly remember from the model series. The fact that Bachmann put in the extra effort to add text to the drums as well as offer the flat wagon in a darker gray paint scheme like the show really speaks to how much they care.

The reintroduction of the tar tanker is fantastic too, and as others have stated, I'm glad to see the extra text on the sides to match Season 1.

The china clay wagon is a bit odd, and like others, I would have preferred the classic brown ones from Season 2, as shown here: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/ttte/images/d/d1/TheDiseasel5.png/revision/latest?cb=20230508190117. However, if there will be an exclusive new tooling for the load, I look forward to seeing how that turns out.

N Scale Henry is a given and it is great to see him added to the rapidly expanding line of N engines! One left to go to complete the Original Seven!

As far as rolling stock, I'm glad to see another brake van added, although I am also surprised that they went with the LMS 20 Ton Brake Van before going with the BR one. And Hannah feels like a logical variant of Henrietta's tooling, given that they went the CGI route with Henrietta, adding a face.

Finally, while not a Thomas announcement, it is exciting to see a roundhouse getting added to the N line. As others have stated, I hope that this is foreshadowing an N Tidmouth Sheds. However, the one concern that I do want to point out is that the N Turntable has less tracks leading to it than the HO one. Thus, I would imagine that the angle of the stalls is going to be very sharp. Even so, I look forward to seeing how they tackle this one.

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=258_366_368&products_id=7210

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=265_421&products_id=4909

All in all, a very solid line-up, and with the majority of these as recolors, I have hope that there are even brighter announcements ahead in 2025.

I think these announcements are pretty good, even if the majority of them are recolors.
It's good that they finally got Sydney out of the way, and the other diesel is a nice surprise addition, too! I also think the new rolling stock recolors are excellent picks as well!

The N Scale announcements are probably the highlight for me! I'm glad we're finally getting Henry, and I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually really like the Brake Van that they chose! It appeared a lot in the Brenner era of the show, and it has a pretty nice livery, too. It's also nice that the N Scale range is forming it's own identity from HO and Large Scale witg the rolling stock choices as well. I'm not super excited about Hannah, but at least they're getting her out of the way pretty quickly.

I'll probably make a post over the next week or so about where I think the range could go from here.