Old and Orange Branchline Coaches are something I would certainly be interested in buying.

A few years ago, I made an attempt make my own by altering and painting a few Annie/Clarabels:



Whilst not perfect, I am happy with how they turned out; but it would be nice to have official releases of them.

Quote from: really called Thomas on September 29, 2024, 09:41:37 AMOld and Orange Branchline Coaches are something I would certainly be interested in buying.

They'd be really easy to make. All Bachmann would need to do is simply remove the names from Annie and Clarabel, and maybe have different faces. They could also make faceless versions using the body tooling of the Red Branchline Coaches and the roofs of Annie and Clarabel. Id definitely buy some aswell.

Yeah. Those would look just so cool.

The single problem with the Old Coaches is they are unlikely to have had refence photos Bachmann have access to. I've reiterated before Bachmann only got the license pre 2002, as far as we know they only have reference material for season 8 onwards. Anything not in that or the later seasons isn't necessarily off the table, but does make it less likely to pull from for that reason, at least for a new tool like the old coaches would require. The brown branchline coaches in theory however would not have this problem. Only issue could foresee is not wanting to compete with Annie and Clarabel already on the market cause they would be so similar. I'd like the old coaches, but just seems unlikely they'll pull from them realistically

Quote from: DustyMarie53! on September 30, 2024, 07:08:20 PMOnly issue could foresee is not wanting to compete with Annie and Clarabel already on the market cause they would be so similar.

I think Bachmann could work around this a few ways. For one, they could give them the black running boards so they'd be more accurate to the show, rather than the light gray of Annie and Clarabel. They could also give them different faces, as I suggested before, to help them stand out.

Quote from: NWRLevi on October 04, 2024, 09:55:10 AM

Quote from: DustyMarie53! on September 30, 2024, 07:08:20 PMOnly issue could foresee is not wanting to compete with Annie and Clarabel already on the market cause they would be so similar.

I think Bachmann could work around this a few ways. For one, they could give them the black running boards so they'd be more accurate to the show, rather than the light gray of Annie and Clarabel. They could also give them different faces, as I suggested before, to help them stand out.

But you can buy Annie and Clarabel with black running boards now. The UK versions come complete with black running boards and red buffer housing. They are too similar to Annie and Clarabel, even with "different faces" if they were made I can safely see them being quickly discontinued due to poor sales. The Red coaches, museum coaches and Annie and Clarabel even Emily's coaches stand out from each other. I hate to say it but you've got more chance of recolours from BWBA for rolling stock

The BWBA rolling stock is a intresting idea
Through our BWBA 4 different types of branch lines coaches colors are shown
2 in Indian
1 in China
1 in Italy
Personally out of the four I could see the Italy silver ones and the Indian Blue coaches happening

In the terms of other coaches I could so see happening aside from the much requested Gordon's special coaches
Works unit coaches
Dexter
Ann Ann and Ying Long
Spencer's brake coach  use British GWR collet coach tooling
 

I don't see Bachmann doing BWBA coaches unless they do BWBA engines to go with them. Which, I don't see any BWBA engines being made either, as they would require new toolings, which isn't a smart idea to do for new characters that failed to catch on in popularity. There's already a good handful of CGI (and hopefully someday, model era again) characters Bachmann could and should make new toolings for first, before scraping the bottom of the barrel of late 2010s new characters (see: The Great Race onward).

Okay so on the topic of new engines I think Harvey  needs to be the next engine after what Doug said on a recent Thomas Tuesday . We do know that Harvey could happen and I think next year is the perfect time him and Trevor would be ideal They have been in the franchise for a very long time.
 Also, we have still yet to get a breakdown train. I am doubting if they are possible and it's very likely they have not made a crane rolling stock due to the price you would be paying for something that doesn't even move on its own . I bet you parents would be confused and angry that it wouldn't move . So Harvey is a great solution there you have a breakdown train character who has been used to clean up accidents and he moves.

Trevor is the last Awdry character they could do that complies with the CGI madate. He is also iconic I'm surprised he didn't happen after Terrence in like 2010 or something.

 

For the record I wasn't for a second suggesting BWBA recolours I was pointing out they had a slightly better chance of being made then the orange coaches. I am in no way suggesting that as possible idea for the future. Anyway moving on

Something I hope Bachmann will do would be update their USA HO Annie and Clarabel models so they have the black Chassis of their UK models. They have already updated a lot of their early models with the thicker lamp irons and dummy coupling hooks of the UK versions. Speaking of which, I hope they will also update the US HO Henry, Gordon, and Toby so they have black lamp irons and dummy coupling hooks instead of light gray.

I also just wish for them to update the Milk and Fuel Tanker Wagons in HO Scale to match the CGI counterparts. Does anybody else here agree with me?

really called Thomas, what paint colors and brands did you use for the Old Coaches repaints?

Quote from: [email protected] on October 08, 2024, 03:36:23 PMreally called Thomas, what paint colors and brands did you use for the Old Coaches repaints?

Wilko home brand gloss spray paint.

Antique White
Lawn Green
Black

After Duncan's unfortunate cancellation, Bachmann should make up for this by making Luke in his place. Luke is a CGI exclusive character, and he would make for a good Bachmann model. He can be the next new tooling for the Narrow Gauge range to make up for Duncan's cancellation.

There's always repaints like Smudger and Proteus, if Mattel can make exceptions for the CGI mandate, considering their toolings already exist.