Why the Oliver model has not yet been revealed?

[Crazy Thomas]

I don't understand why bachmann not yet revealed the Oliver model?

[Cheeky_ULP]

Oliver will be revealed when he is ready. 

[Chaz]

Who knows, maybe we will get to see Oliver at this years NMRA show in July like how I got to see the engineering sample of Skarloey last year.  As an added bonus, we could see the engineering sample of Rheneas and the new slate wagons.  This all comes with time, but regardless of what happens at the NMRA, I'm sure Oliver will be worth the wait.

[TTTEfan1992]

The NMRA is in July this year? Wasn't the NMRA show in August of last year?

[TTTEfan1992]

Thanks for the information. I hope there are items there that we are looking forward to seeing. I hope somebody on here will be able to take pictures of the items that we are interested in seeing. Well, at least myself anyway. Particularly, Bachmann Thomas the Tank Engine products.

[Trainboy100]

I really hope that they finally come out with oliver sooner then you can say stirling single

[donaldthescottishtwin]

Hasn't the NMRA been going for 2 days now? theres been no sign of anything Thomas related but tomorrow is the last day so maybe.

[TTTEfan1992]

No, the NMRA show is in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 8 thru July 10 of this year.

[Shawn]

I feel like I need to post this in multiple threads.


Bachmann obviously has a process.  It's nothing personal against the fans that Oliver isn't released yet.  Allow me to speculate about what goes into making a Thomas model.

1-Some suits around a table come up with some products they'd like to introduce.
2-They get a license from the rights holders, (who probably had a say in who was picked)
3-They go into the design stage.  Blueprints, C.A.D. and the like.
4The designers run it by some suits, who run it by Mattel.
5-It goes through a second draft
6-Repeat step 4
7-One the design is decided on, they prototype it. First, second, third, fourth.
8-Once the long process of prototyping is complete, they will do an engineering sample, to test out the manufacturing process.
9-Along the way, they have to get approval after approval from HiT and Bachmann executives.  They even have to get FCC approval, that it will not interfere with radios ETC.
10-They have to design an insert for the packaging.
11- They have to send instructions to the factory in China, manufacture one, send it to PA, have it approved by all the people, take a picture, and giv the ok to produce more.
12-The factory has to make a batch, test, quality control, package, pick and pack, stick in container, ship it to PA.
13-They then distribute it to stores for us to buy.

It is not a wham-bam-thank-you-mam process. It takes a tonne of hard work and time.  I doubt they are standing around. That is also why they have to be choosy about what products get produced.

It's probably astronomically expensive too.

I'm done hearing complaints about how long it is taking. Seriously.

[Captain Crutch]

I feel like I need to post this in multiple threads.


Bachmann obviously has a process.  It's nothing personal against the fans that Oliver isn't released yet.  Allow me to speculate about what goes into making a Thomas model.

1-Some suits around a table come up with some products they'd like to introduce.
2-They get a license from the rights holders, (who probably had a say in who was picked)
3-They go into the design stage.  Blueprints, C.A.D. and the like.
4The designers run it by some suits, who run it by Mattel.
5-It goes through a second draft
6-Repeat step 4
7-One the design is decided on, they prototype it. First, second, third, fourth.
8-Once the long process of prototyping is complete, they will do an engineering sample, to test out the manufacturing process.
9-Along the way, they have to get approval after approval from HiT and Bachmann executives.  They even have to get FCC approval, that it will not interfere with radios ETC.
10-They have to design an insert for the packaging.
11- They have to send instructions to the factory in China, manufacture one, send it to PA, have it approved by all the people, take a picture, and giv the ok to produce more.
12-The factory has to make a batch, test, quality control, package, pick and pack, stick in container, ship it to PA.
13-They then distribute it to stores for us to buy.

It is not a wham-bam-thank-you-mam process. It takes a tonne of hard work and time.  I doubt they are standing around. That is also why they have to be choosy about what products get produced.

It's probably astronomically expensive too.

I'm done hearing complaints about how long it is taking. Seriously.

At this point we're only complaining about the fact that other things that were announced a few months ago are given release dates yet we know nothing but the price tag for a product that was announced over a year ago. We're not complaining about the time just that other things have taken priority over something we were told over a year ago.

[TTTEfan1992]

I feel that Oliver is going to be released any month from now until November of this year, because his release dates online on other shops have changed from "November, or December of this year" to "late October, or November of this year". If no information of Oliver being released is not given out, and his estimated release dates now said sooner than they did after the NMRA show, then that's a good sign that he could be out any time soon. That's what happened to Toad when he was released. Before, Bachmann announced that Toad was being released in April, or May of this year, and it turned out that he was released in early February. I think Oliver is pretty much in the same situation as Toad being released. He could be released any time from now until November. Bachmann usually releases a new product between the 8th, and the 15th of the month every time they decide to release a new product. In other words, if he is going be released just out of the blue like Toad was, then he might pop out of the blue between the 8th and 15th in either August, September, October, or November.

[Chaz]

I feel like I need to post this in multiple threads

That's really not necessary, since you already made this a very clear point by posting this once already.  I agree completely that production issues are not unheard of with Bachmann and it takes a lot of time and money for these models to happen simply because it's true.  The pricing and manufacturing with models in China will always be an issue that Bachmann has to deal with while making these models hence why most of the characters are more "choosey" choices Bachmann have gone with since they aim for characters that have a strong following, while at the same time are affordable and have sales power.  Compared to other recent models, Oliver is taking a lot longer than some of the recent models that have been coming out, even with the lack of the photo.  As I stated before, I'm sure he will be worth the wait, much like Duck and Skarloey were.

However...

I'm done hearing complaints about how long it is taking. Seriously.

Here's the thing, the consumer plays just as much of an important role as people in the production team making the models, if not more.  They are the ones that pay for the model, as well as determining whether or not the model becomes a good seller.  I remember one user on this forum in particular used the arguement for Bachmann "don't bite the hand that feeds". However, it is always on the flip-side, we are the consumers, and we are the hands that feed the production company because we are the ones paying money for the model.   If a model does not sell well, or come slow in production, then we as a consumer have every right to express that concern in the valid way. Sure, it gets tiring, and sometimes beyond frustrating but it's a valid concern.

Think of consumers for these models, as passengers in a railway.  A railway would not run without its passengers, just like how a company can't go on without its consumers.  It's pretty much no different here, and when there is a valid concern regarding how long it's taking a highly anticipated model, I think that concern has every right to be expressed in a civil manner.  I'm not saying that hounding Bachmann for answers is the right approach to this, but again it's an understandable situation.  Even with how long something is taking, if the train doesn't get there in time, want to know what may happen?  They get up and take the bus.  And sadly a small few people gave up on waiting for Oliver and started to rely on alternatives.  Again, even if it's annoying and redundant hearing these complaints, I think it's an understandable situation from both standpoints of Bachmann as well as the consumer.

I would much rather deal with this type of situation then respond to a post such as: "Am I the only one who wants the Bachmann Rosie? "

[Captain Crutch]

I mean we're not really complaining, a few are, but at this point we're more trying to figure out why in the world Rosie has a release date but not Oliver. I personally think it'll be like road who came out of nowhere. I haven't seen people actually complain for a while. But you can also see why we're a bit annoyed that the thing that everyone wants and that we were told about long before new products is the thing we know less about than things people care less about and were announced recently. Now yes that was more of a complain I do think they're just pulling the same thing they did with toad. But if you would please not complain about people who are trying to solve a mystery of what's going on with a highly desired product and focus on the people who don't know what they're talking about. I'm sorry for sounding rude but I don't want to sit here and be criticized because I'm trying to figure out what's going on with a product many people, myself included, want more than a lot of others right now.

[Captain Crutch]

Bachmann is only making TWO Oliver models and Im buying both of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hahahahahahahahah!!!!!
UPTODAY

I highly doubt that and even if you're kidding I wish you would stop as it is very annoying to have a serious question or concern and see you come in only to do nothing to help anyone. If you could please stop joking around and either ask serious questions or help people with various thing than that'd be great. In fact if you did anything with your comment you just freaked a bunch of people out because that didn't take that as a joke. As well to everyone who believed him, don't. He is just trying to joke around and do nothing to help anybody on this form. Please just ignore him if he's responding to you as he will only cause confusion and delay (that's how you make a helpful joke).

[Cheeky_ULP]

Humor is subjective.