Stepney or Ryan?

[Sodor Engineer]

Honestly Ryan has more of a chance to be made cuz Bachmann just said they were releasing Daisy in 2020 and they are in the CGI show but I really REALLY like Stepney and would want him more.

[Narrow Gauge Collector]

TerrencetheTractor525 has brought up some excellent and valid points for the announcement of a model in early 2020 upon the arrival of the 75th anniversary of Thomas and Friends. I'd like to second the fact that many parents are not going to be purchasing many Bachmann Thomas products aside from the Starter sets and maybe a engine or two like Percy and James. This is why I'd like to take a minute to acknowledge and thank Bachmann's awarness of what the teen and adult Thomas collectors would like to see as evidenced by the fantastic narrow gauge range( a little off topic but what from I see these items also appeal to traditional Narrow Gauge modelers too as they can be easily converted into the real Talyllyn engines!) and items like: the Spiteful Brakevan, Scottish Twins, and the forthcoming Daisy. If Bachmann have produced these items many of which would not appeal to Parents and Children and the sales of these items have been sufficient then I feel Stepney would be a great choice to commemorate the anniversary. The Thomas and Friends Stepney model that was produced by Hornby has been off the market for many years now and is a rare site to see 2nd hand, often fetching prices that are not affordable. I'd like to see Stepney be produced by Bachmann so that Thomas fans, especially in the US, have a chance at getting a engine which is easily recognizable within the confines of the Thomas and Friends show and the real world. Ryan would be a nice addition to the range though among the collectors who I presume are buying many of the character released Stepney would have much wider appeal.

[TheFamousEight]

My pick would absolutely be Stepney, as it would be a cost effective and more universal way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the franchise. Stepney has a wide appeal amongst modelers in and outside of the Thomas fandom, and is still beloved by several modern generations of Thomas fans. His release would also inspire several people who do not normally purchase Bachmann products to start their own Thomas and Friends collection.

Ryan is still a good model nonetheless but his size and details will make him a very complicated and expensive model to produce. As someone who has spent hours cad designing models of Ryan I can say with confidence that he would take a lot of time to design and mold due to all the complicated tubing, shapes, etc... He would be better suited for after the 75th anniversary.

[BGM Reviews]

Hey everyone first post here!

As much as I would love to see Ryan made to go along with Daisy for the 75th anniversary Stepney would make the most sense.  As he is one of the few remaining classic characters we need from the first 4 seasons.

Plus with the level of detail Bachmann has been going to recently I'm sure a Stepney model would look fantastic!

[Chaz]

Have to admit I am surprised that lots of new members have joined recently only to just post in this thread.  But hey if it means supporting Stepney, the more the merrier I say!  It seems that the demand for Stepney has definitely increased a lot more the moment Daisy got announced and it clearly shows how popular a model of Stepney would be and how much of a following this character has despite not being in the CGI series.  It's also nice seeing lots of different perspectives behind why he should be made too, so more power to him.

[TerencetheTractor525]

Extremely happy with the amount of people who on board with seeing Stepney announced next! At this rate, it would be rather disappointing if Bachmann does not announce him for the 75th Anniversary.

Every episode Stepney stars in is brilliant after all  . For instance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-yHoSMEf2M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPGQtz1lvZU

[Kemptown Branch]

I have been waiting for a while to post my thoughts in this thread, but I might as well speak up, since everyone else is. I would also really like Bachmann to do a model of Stepney. It would be the perfect way to celebrate the 75th anniversary, plus it would fit in really well with the recently released Rusty model. I would love to see Stepney announced for 2020.

[TrainFan97]

Ever since Daisy was announced a month ago, the demand for Stepney is higher than it ever was. In other words, skyrocketed. Maybe after Stepney gets announced, the demand for BoCo could also increase, possibly to this level.

With this much demand for Stepney, it would be foolish of Mattel to not let Bachmann make him. That would just be saying no to our money. If Mattel approves Stepney, that means Bachmann can still make characters who have yet to appear in full CGI, and in their model series designs. The two strongest model series characters are Stepney, and currently to a lesser extent, BoCo.

I saw someone mention how detailed Ryan is, and he could be hard to make, despite sharing the same branch line as Daisy.

[Sodor Engineer]

Bachmann if the fans(us)want a character that we will pay MONEY for make us happy with a character we want.

[TheToadTrain]

I love both characters. It's hard to choose one as both are some of the best the Thomas franchise has to offer. However, I would rather Bachmann produce Stepney over Ryan. Stepney is a real locomotive, and an iconic one at that. I would love to see kids be introduced to this engine via the Thomas character, which has been done so in the past. Stepney is the gateway to real-world locomotives; he is beyond a fictional character and enables the illusion that Sodor could exist in real life. I think kids would like Stepney. He would be nice and small--not as expensive as other engines--and his yellow and green color scheme would be sure to gaunter attention. Not only would his small size be more cost efficient to produce, it would allow for a Terrier model to be made and retooled for later usage. Considering that Bachmann plans on introducing their Thomas line to the UK next year, I'm sure Stepney could not only serve as a warm welcome but a reminder of the heritage behind the Reverend's original railway stories. Kids in the UK would especially live Stepney as they would recognize him beyond the show and direct them towards real life engines. Stepney not being in the current show actually works in his favor, as when I was a kid characters like D199 and Culdee that were only seen in the books only amplified my interest in them and encouraged me to research them. I know Hornby has made this character in the past--I actually own the little guy--but he's become virtually impossible to find or get at a cheap price. I think Stepney could sell well and would make a great addition to the line.

[ThomasBachmn94]

As much as a model of Ryan would be amazing, I'm thinking Stepney's model would be best since the Hornby version is very rare to find (So I'm team Stepney)

[ÅngloketThomas]

I Think Stepney whould probably be the best decision for Bachmann to make!

[JLK2707]

I just agree with a bachmann Stepney.

[thesplendidredengine5]

Definitely want bachmann to make Stepney;)

[DinoNTrains]

I'd personally be happy with both engines. However, if I had to pick one, I would vote for Stepney. My reason is that he's a popular nostalgic character, and, as mentioned before, he is a real engine, which I think might add an appeal to any rail enthusiast.