Bachmann Rebuilt Royal Scot withdrawn from range

10904 Views 32 Replies 19 Participants Last post by dwb, Sep 7, 2007

Doug

Discussion Starter · Aug 14, 2007

Bachmann Europe PLC today announced that it has withdrawn the planned Rebuilt Royal Scot locomotive from its range.

Managing Director, Graham Hubbard, said "we have a great affinity to the Rebuilt Royal Scot's, our parent company Kader Industrial has been producing them since 1977, initially for Mainline and since 1997 for Bachmann. We are naturally disappointed, but the market cannot support two brand new models of the same prototype and we will concentrate our efforts on the other LMS 4-6-0 locomotives already announced. The new Jubilee is now very advanced and we are sure our customers and dealers will understand why we have withdrawn this model from our range, allowing Hornby to continue with their project. We have not taken this decision lightly but we have to be realistic and allow our heads, rather than our hearts, to reach the right decision for our company and the hobby in general".

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dwb

· #2 · Aug 14, 2007

I'm in two minds about this. One mind says "less competition, less choice"; the other says "now Bachmann can spend their development money on something else, like an LNER 4-6-0?"

Judging by the prices quoted for the Hornby rebuilt Scot, it looks to be in the high detail league so it is almost certain to be acceptable on my layout. I think my A3 and A4 are very fine models.

So I think Bachmann have made the right decision.

David

ozwarrior

· #3 · Aug 15, 2007

I think they have made the right decision also. With their customer base coming from mainly the serious end of the market maybe they could produce more of the smaller locos that many clamour for.

Thomas

· #4 · Aug 15, 2007

I am very dissapointed by this decision as I want the model from Bachmann, not from Hornby. My recent experiences showed me that Bachmann decoder fitted models to be superior to the Hornby ones and the latest not fitted Bachmann locos are easier to dismantle and fit with decoders than the latest Hornby ones. So nowadays I only buy Bachmann locos. Maybe when Hornby releases models fitted with their sapphire decoder (announced for second quarter but still not available?) and uses better glue for the detail parts (to withstand shipping as I have to mail order all my models) I could reconsider.
There is however something positive: as I stopped purchasing Hornby locos I had more money available for the excellent Skaledale buildings

Thomas

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34C

· #5 · Aug 15, 2007

My fingers are crossed that this 'promotes' the V2 into the now vacant slot for the promised renewal of the split chassis types. Of all Bach's current split chassis models, I reckon this one shows its' age most.

7113

· #6 · Aug 15, 2007

Personally I think it's a wise decision, is there really space for two of the same? This is especially true at the upper end of the UK market.

Regards

Makemineadouble

· #7 · Aug 15, 2007

I'd like to Bachmann tackle the Hornby range which is due for revision:
4F
2P
4P
I think they would make far better job of it

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5696Arethusa

· #8 · Aug 15, 2007

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 15 Aug 2007, 18:34) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>they would make far better job of it

Out of morbid curiosity, on what do you base this assumption.
From what I can tell the new Hornby stuff is every bit the equal of anything from the blue corner, the A3 and A4 which I have personal experience of are perfect and there's nothing extra I'd want from either, The Brit, King Arthur and M7 seem to be generaly regarded as equal to Bachmanns 9F, Ivatt 4 and Faiburn tank, plus Hornby have a 4 coupled loco in their range while Bachmann don't (yet)
Now I'm not saying that because these locos you ask for are or have been made by Hornby they should be considered sacrosanct and under no curcumstance should anybody else think about bringing a new version to the market, I just wonder why you think Bachmann make a better job?
Maybe I've just been lucky and not had the problems others have had with their Hornby locos.

I'm glad a new Ivatt 2 is now available but it makes no difference to me that it's a Bachmann not a Hornby, now for a BR2MT I hope Bachmann do this loco as this will probably be on the market quicker than a Hornby unless the red corner do an "08" again.

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rb277170

· #9 · Aug 15, 2007

The Hornby one will be about £15 more expensive than the Bachmann one would have been. And perhaps more now there's no competition. Watch Hornby sneak the price up!

Russell

80class

· #10 · Aug 15, 2007

I would have bought both, but to be honest I feel Bachmann have made the correct decision. The market is not big enough for both, and Hornby are the bigger brand.

Brossard

· #11 · Aug 18, 2007

QUOTE (ozwarrior @ 15 Aug 2007, 02:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think they have made the right decision also. With their customer base coming from mainly the serious end of the market maybe they could produce more of the smaller locos that many clamour for.

I'm with you there! There are way too many big engines - I suppose they are popular with the "train set" crowd (now I'm in bother). I consider myself serious and for the small layout we need more pre-group types suitable for 3 coach trains and pick up goods.

Brossard

· #12 · Aug 18, 2007

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 15 Aug 2007, 17:34) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'd like to Bachmann tackle the Hornby range which is due for revision:
4F
2P
4P
I think they would make far better job of it

Now I second that!

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dwb

· #13 · Aug 18, 2007

QUOTE I suppose they are popular with the "train set" crowd (now I'm in bother).
I have often thought that the ratio of prototypes built to models made is way out of kilter. I mean just how many pacific class locomotives were there? Hornby must have produced a high percentage of the LMS Princess Royal / Duchess classes.

In my case I am a sucker for those big engines and it's going to be a hard job not buying each of the early crest A3s and A4s that Hornby produce. In my defence, I do have two mainlines and if quality small locomotives were available I'd buy those too.

David

34C

· #14 · Aug 18, 2007

QUOTE (Brossard @ 18 Aug 2007, 04:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm with you there! There are way too many big engines - I suppose they are popular with the "train set" crowd (now I'm in bother). I consider myself serious and for the small layout we need more pre-group types suitable for 3 coach trains and pick up goods.
Even those of us who consider ourselves modellers have to be honest about this. I do circa 1960 ECML, so can legitmately have a goodly number of big engines. I would like to be able to buy more 0-6-0's in particular ( tender and tank ) in RTR form, but would have to concede that I would not buy them, class by class, in anything like the quantity of even B1's, or K3's. Whereas every Bach A1 and Hornby A3 and A4 seems to find its' way onto my shelves...

Ravenser

· #15 · Aug 18, 2007

You do realise that you need 11 RODs for every A4 you own , don't you?. And that your life and layout will not be complete without an 01?

34C

· #16 · Aug 18, 2007

QUOTE (Ravenser @ 18 Aug 2007, 14:23) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>You do realise that you need 11 RODs for every A4 you own , don't you?. And that your life and layout will not be complete without an 01?
Location, location, location! For my circa 1960 Southern end of the ECML modelling, I need roughly 2 goods heavies, 2 mixed traffic and 2 passenger tanks per pacific; in actuality I have slightly more pacifics than any of these other groups, although they are 'only' a quarter of the total loco stock. But it is true to say that I feel much better for having bashed an O1 from RTR parts (B1 body, 8F works, both much modified) as a nod to earlier ER freight power amongst the mob of WD's and 9F's.

dwb

· #17 · Aug 18, 2007

I also happen to like the 9F. Now if Bachmann are going to release an early crest model with a different number annually, my hobby is going to become rather expensive. Whilst browsing in Smiffs today I noticed one of the 1:1 steam mags had a feature on 9Fs on passenger duty. Seems like I need some to fill in my bank holiday rosters...

I don't know if I will ever attempt to build locos from a kit. I tried a diesel once years ago but I couldn't finish the body work to my own satisfaction. Until that day comes I will have to rely on what the RTR market provides and be grateful. Fortunately Bachmann and Hornby are producing enough stuff suitable for my area and period to be a constant drain on my wallet.

David

Ravenser

· #18 · Aug 18, 2007 (Edited by Moderator)

QUOTE I tried a diesel once years ago but I couldn't finish the body work to my own satisfaction

That may be a reflection on the kit, not you. Modern image has been blighted by some of the direst kits known to man [SX: thunder clap and organ peal] - MTK and Q Kits. In a fit of madness I bought a second hand A1 Models whitemetal kit for a Baby Deltic with some of the roughest whitemetal castings I've ever seen . "Fit where it touches" - well the problem is that with every possible effort to dress and fit the main castings , they can't possibly be induced to touch along more than 50% of the join. That's after you do everything possible to sort them. You're expected to bodge the gaps with filler.

I don't think there are any kettle kits that bad. Even NuCast in my very limited experience (a Y3 Sentinel) are vastly better castings. DJH and SE Finescast should be an order of magnitude better again

Basically , unless it was a Dave Alexander kit, you were attempting to make a silk purse out of a sows ear

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dwb

· #19 · Aug 19, 2007

QUOTE MTK
How did you guess?

Maybe I will try again.

David

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Colombo

· #20 · Aug 19, 2007

I would very much like to see Bachmann go on to produce an un-rebuilt Patriot as they originally proposed.

The Hornby version has a motorised tender which is too wide and looks wrong. The Bachmann Jubilee chassis cannot be that much different to that of the unrebuilt Patriot.

These locos turned up every day at York in the late 50s; 45517 of Bank Hall was a favourite of mine, a regular performer on heavy parcels and cross country passenger trains from Lancashire.

Colombo

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