Future Thomas & Friends product suggestions and predictions

[Cheeky_ULP]

Would it be too soon to hope that Paxton's face tooling gets revised now that they found a way to change the eye mech for Sidney? Paxton feels like the one outlier now in terms of the Class 08s in the range.

[TrainFan97]

With Diesel 10 finally announced, the next priorities for new toolings in HO Scale are Harvey, Whiff, Hiro and Norman. The number one priority for engine repaints is Splatter and Dodge. Harvey and Whiff are the last engines for HO Scale who appeared in both model and CGI.

For N Scale, as Diesel, Paxton, LBSC Thomas and Origin James arrive in stock later this year, and Henry soon gets shown fully painted, the number one priority is Edward, without question. Rolling stock we need the most are the logoless coal wagon, red coaches, gray van, and most of all, the BR 20-Ton Brake Van. Shame the LMS Brake Van got cancelled. By popular demand, Bachmann could announce the logoless coal wagon in the catalog.

The 2027 catalog has to announce a new Narrow Gauge engine, be it Luke, or a repaint like Smudger or Proteus.

The next engine for Large Scale could be Sidney, Mainland Diesel, Origin James, or Stanley. The former two have HO Scale models coming soon. Stanley would be a good choice for Large Scale, since he'd reuse Thomas' chassis like his HO Scale model did. Could we get Large Scale Stanley announced in the 2027 catalog?

[Awesometrain77]

Thomas and Percy being updated might cause a lot of changes

Thomas Christmas set
Thomas Annie Clarabel set
Thomas quarry set
Sound Thomas
LBSC Thomas
DCC Thomas
DCC Percy

These products will be affected some might be retired .

It's possible they will keep the old Thomas in sets .
Get rid of sound Thomas

And have updated DCC Thomas Percy and LBSC Thomas as 2027 catalog announcements for HO scale

[Cheeky_ULP]

I would have no qualms with Thomas and Percy being updated and replaced in all of these sets, to be honest. If anything, I might just have to double or even triple dip on the Christmas and DCC sets! I would also welcome an updated LBSC Thomas. My wallet aches thinking about it.


If Bachmann wanted to go the extra mile, they could introduce unique expressions in sets, like Hornby did for the Great Discovery set.

[TrainFan97]

Hornby's Great Discovery Thomas set features Thomas with his astonished face.

Anyway, the next wave of loaded wagons in HO Scale should have the ore load, which is still exclusive to the Deluxe Thomas set, and especially with the new Thomas coming, it's only a matter of time before that set gets discontinued. So, they need to start selling separate wagons that have the ore load, so we don't have to pay hundreds of dollars just to get the set specifically for the ore loads. It can't be exclusive to the set for too much longer.

By popular demand, the 2027 catalog must announce the logoless coal wagon in N Scale. Definitely something Bachmann must consider, along with N Scale brake vans. Once N Scale gets Edward, the next engine should be Duck, along with Oliver, Donald and Douglas, Mavis, Spencer, or even Stanley for recycling Thomas' chassis. Mavis can also recycle Thomas' chassis like Toby did, and she can be the first diesel in the N Scale range that isn't a Class 08. Once we get Duck, Donald and Douglas can recycle his chassis. The Scottish twins would be based on their CGI renders, and would look even better than their HO counterparts.

Regarding the next newly-tooled engine for HO Scale, we'd all be good if it was Harvey, Whiff, Norman, or Hiro. Diesel 10 being announced is proof that Harvey is also possible in HO Scale, and his crane isn't as complicated as the claw on Diesel 10. For Harvey, the crane just needs to swivel 360 degrees, and the hook can come up and down by turning the cogwheel. It also helps that his crane arm does not raise or lower. Norman would complete the trio of diesels introduced in Day of the Diesels, plus his tooling can be used again for Dennis, which model series fans would appreciate more. Two characters for one tooling. Whiff would have clear plastic lenses for his glasses, and his front wheels would have to be powered. Adding Whiff to HO Scale would mean introducing a new trash bag load for a waste wagon. Can also make the recycling troublesome truck from Wooden Railway. Hiro can be the next tender engine after Flying Scotsman, using Rebecca's wheels, but configured differently. His patchwork livery is a potential repaint.

Possible engine repaints of existing toolings for HO Scale include Splatter, Dodge, Fernando, Green Salty, Blue Bill and Ben, Chocolate Covered Percy, and Scrap Oliver. Engine repaints for Narrow Gauge include Smudger and Proteus. Might be better to do Chocolate Covered Percy after his updated model gets released. The first time Percy gets a paint variant would be appealing to model series fans. Same for Scrap Oliver. Right now, since we are getting Diesel 10, we need Splatter and Dodge as the next engine repaints, and are a big possibility for the 2027 catalog. As long as there are Class 08 characters to chose from, Bachmann will continue to make them.

If any off-rail characters were to get the retool treatment, we could get Bertie, Terence, Harold, or even Cranky updated to look much more accurate to the CGI series. Bertie especially needs it so he won't look so weird next to Bulgy. Terence would have a CGI face, and would not need that snowplough that's difficult to remove. Cranky can have a CGI face that actually has his cleft chin. One crane we haven't got before that I think is possible is Big Mickey, who can actually get his first ever real piece of merchandise.

If any engines get announced for HO Scale in the 2027 catalog, it would most likely be repaints, since the earliest I can expect the next new tooling being announced is next NMRA. Narrow Gauge and N Scale should definitely have new engines announced in the catalog.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I would not be surprised if Bachmann announced Fernando, but I can see him being the weakest seller of the Class 08s. He didn't leave much of an impression on the fandom, compared to the Mainland Diesel, whose disgruntled attitude proved to be entertaining to where people wanted to see more of him and his co-workers. I think Splatter and Dodge would sell like hotcakes, and would be the perfect compliment pieces to Diesel 10.

I agree with Bertie; I forgot all about his Bachmann model. Updating his face and headlights would be a big glow-up.




I was talking about this with some friends, and they mentioned an idea I think has been brought up here before, but would still be a good idea: A second shot at Arry & Bert. I feel the biggest reason Arry and Bert sold poorly was because their faces were too identical, giving little incentive for people to buy both models. If people aren't buying both twins, then they probably aren't buying just one twin, either.



Trackmaster is a good example of what the difference is. Each one has their own expression, making them more fun to pair together. Even Lionel gave them unique faces!

In terms of what faces they would have, it's hard to say. Arry and Bert did not have very many speaking roles in the CGI era, so we don't see them do expressions that would make for "fun" unique faces on a model.




Meanwhile, their smug and grim expressions in the model era are much more bold and distinctive:



And there's a lot to choose from, too:




But I can see why Bachmann would want to stick with CGI faces if they want to keep things consistent with the current direction of the range. Either way, I think this would be something very economical for Bachmann to think about if they consider rereleasing Arry and Bert. After all, Grumpy Diesel was very popular!

[jlkhalaf2707]

2 and 3 are my favourite faces here. It was nice to see a peace treaty between the steamies and diesels in Calling All Engines.

[TrainFan97]

Regarding the next Class 08 repaints in HO Scale, it may seem like Bachmann would announce Fernando before Splatter and Dodge because of the fact that Fernando is actually from the CGI series, while Splatter and Dodge only made one appearance in the model series. Bachmann strongly prefers to stick with engines that appeared in the CGI series in order to have good relations with Mattel. Splatter and Dodge would be the perfect models to compliment Diesel 10, and I'm hoping it's possible we can still get them before Fernando. If he gets announced over Splatter and Dodge, then demand for them will really skyrocket. With Sidney and Mainland Diesel hitting store shelves in early 2027, all that's left are Fernando, Splatter and Dodge, and then we'd have basically all the Class 08 characters from the show. Fernando may be the weakest seller of the Class 08s and may sell as bad, if not worse than 'Arry and Bert, while Splatter and Dodge would be much more popular sellers and people would be buying two engines and not just one. Splatter and Dodge will give Bachmann a lot more money than Fernando.

Some people would like 'Arry and Bert to get reintroduced to HO Scale, but they sold poorly because it was too difficult to tell them apart. We may see 'Arry and Bert announced for N Scale, but they should have different faces to tell them apart better, and 'Arry needs far less stubble.

On another topic, once Percy's retooled model is out, HO Scale can get Chocolate Covered Percy, and what no one else mentioned before, Ghost Percy, from Percy's Ghostly Trick, where he's covered in lime. Two possible paint variants for Percy that he never got before, since his original model was so bad. Chocolate Covered Percy would be great with the Mr. Jolly Van, Chocolate Syrup Tanker, and other sweets rolling stock, while Ghost Percy would be the first Halloween model for the Thomas range. Both would be appealing to model series fans. After all, we did get Busy Bee James, which was an engine repaint based on the model series. Another possible repaint for N Scale, but not a high priority at this time.

EDIT: New thread for the Splatter, Dodge and Fernando discussion:
https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,40399.new.html#new

[RailsByRick]

With Henrietta and Hannah now coming to G Scale, I think it'd be great to see them come to HO. Obviously Henrietta already has an HO model, but I'd love an updated version with a face. It'd be strange to have HO Scale be the odd one out as far as Hannah and an updated Henrietta goes. I could definitely see them being announced in the next year or so.

[TEHNewClearwaterFeatures]

I predict Bachmann will retool HO James & Edward so they match their CGI counterparts. While they're at it, they will especially produce Nia in HO scale. All three will definitely ship in 2028, especially Nia since that year will mark the 10th anniversary of Big World Big Adventures.

[Chaz]

I had to give myself some time to process just how mind-blowing the recent announcements were, and honestly, I'm still taking everything in. That said, they've definitely made me more optimistic about what the future could hold, as the possibilities for Bachmann's ranges now seem wider than ever.

With that in mind, here are my thoughts and suggestions for the 2027 catalog and NMRA announcements, starting with HO.

HO/OO

First off, I think HO needs to take a breather from adding more engines. We've just gotten three new engines announced, including Diesel 10 and new toolings for Thomas and Percy, Scotsman was announced last year, Sidney and the Mainland Diesel have just had their painted samples revealed, and we still have the ongoing Salty situation. However, I do think it's fair to talk about characters that additions that have strong stronger odds going for them than before because of these new announcements.


If we do get another engine, however, I think 'Arry and Bert are the obvious candidates for a reintroduction. Their existing chassis and mechanism are still being used for other diesel models, so they should be relatively straightforward to bring back. More importantly, they've become incredibly difficult to find, and whenever they appear on the secondhand market, they tend to command high prices. 

I think there is clearly a market for them now. The main thing Bachmann would need to address is better differentiation between their faces, which I believe was one of the biggest weaknesses of their original release.  Either way I feel like these would be a lot more of a welcome addition to the range than Fernando by a longshot.


The other major consideration is a new model of James. With Thomas and Percy receiving completely new tooling, James is going to stand out considerably more. He would be the only major HO engine without a front hook-and-loop coupler, his face is noticeably outdated compared with the rest of the lineup, and his motor and mechanism will likely be considerably older than those of the new Thomas and Percy.

After James, I personally believe that these three, along with a new face for Paxton, are the only existing models that really need an upgrade at this time. After a new James model, I think Bachmann could start looking at additional new tender engines again, particularly Hiro.


Finally, Diesel 10 makes Harvey considerably more interesting as a possibility. Fans have been suggesting Harvey for years, and I think he would make a very well-received addition following Diesel 10. In fact, I think many fans were expecting Harvey to be introduced before Diesel 10, so the fact that Diesel 10 ended up being announced first only makes Harvey seem like an even more likely candidate going forward.

For HO/OO rolling stock, my thoughts are exactly the same as earlier so I'll just copy/paste the message from my last post:

Troublesome truck #8 (coal wagon)
Slip coaches
Sodor mail car reintroduction
Classic oil tanker reintroduction
Utility van (repaints of the mail car tooling)

Truck 8 was explained earlier in another post.  I like how Bachmann is starting to cater to both model and cgi eras for rolling stock designs. It gives me a reasonable amount of hope that older rolling stock decals can finally make a big reintroduction.  I would especially love a return of the classic oil tanker.  The slip coaches feel like the next obvious new rolling stock tooling. They're an obscure piece of rolling stock in CGI that have been used pretty frequently.  If Bachmann went ahead with a new tooling for a blue open carriage of all things, I can totally see the slip coaches getting introduced soon.  Especially with Duck and Oliver still being top sellers.

Narrow Gauge

I'm going to quote the second half of my recent post in the narrow gauge thread since it explains pretty clearly what I want next with the tippers crossed off:

For one thing, I definitely think more rolling stock is the most likely option, since we're still unsure of Duncan's status. Personally, I'd really like to see them introduce the three-plank wagons used in both the model and CGI series.


More than anything else, though, we definitely need a tan brake van for goods trains. Bachmann revisiting the brake van with a tan livery would be a very welcome addition, and I hope it's something they can announce sooner rather than later.



A close second for me in terms of narrow gauge rolling stock repaints would have to be the narrow gauge coaches with faces. I feel like these would be a very welcome addition for both Thomas fans and OO9 modelers alike, and the expressive faces really seal the deal. They'd not only be fun display pieces but also practical additions to the range, making them something I hope Bachmann seriously considers for the future.

As for the next engine, well... I think it's anyone's guess at this point. It seems pretty clear that it'll be either Luke, Millie, or Victor.



Personally, if I had to choose between the three, Luke is the only one I'd be genuinely excited for. I don't really feel one way or the other about the other two. Luke, on the other hand, feels like a much more natural addition to the range and would probably be the best received of the three.

N Scale

This is where I'm going to be more direct.


I understand why Bachmann hasn't announced another N scale engine this year. Henry only just had his engineering sample shown, and there are already several engines awaiting release dates. When the time comes, however, Edward and/or Duck should be at the top of the list based on their consistent popularity in fan requests, the sales of their HO models, and their continued relevance to the brand throughout Mattel's various rebrands, including the new 2026 series.

N scale rolling stock is where I have considerably more concerns.

Bachmann has made N scale rolling stock choices that seem to go against what fans have consistently requested. This is regarding the the brake van and coal wagon.


If another brake van is introduced, I strongly believe it should be the LNER 20 ton brake van. Fans have repeatedly expressed a preference for this over the LMS brake van, and Bachmann already has experience with this type in HO and large scale. With very limited brake van options currently available in N scale, this seems like the obvious choice, especially with the several liveries and variants that could be offered to help justify the tooling cost, including the Spiteful Brake Van.  With the LMS brake van thankfully getting cancelled, this does leave the door open for a LNER brake van to be reconsidered. 


That said, I'm even more disappointed that the original coal wagon with load was skipped in favor of the Sodor Coal Co. car and mining wagon. Fans have repeatedly asked for the original coal wagon, which was actually used on the show and continues to be a popular seller in HO. Many fans have also specifically said they would prefer it over the other two options we actually received, including on this forum. This alone speaks high volume of how much this was a poor decision.

This isn't simply a case of Bachmann choosing something different from my personal preference. Fans have been unusually consistent about what they wanted here, which is why I hope the original coal wagon with load is prioritized if another N scale repaint is considered. At this point, I would personally put it ahead of virtually any other repaint, regardless of whether it's a wagon repaint or a different tooling.



My third request is a new tanker tooling. The existing tankers inherited from Graham Farish have never been particularly accurate compared with the show, and Bachmann hasn't introduced a new tanker in N scale since 2020, more or less implying that they were not good sellers.  It also doesn't help that these are the most expensive freight rolling stock currently in Bachmann's N scale lineup.  A new N scale tanker tooling would give them plenty of options, not only allowing them to reintroduce the same three from earlier, (fuel, oil, and water), with an accurate tooling, but also finally giving them the opportunity to add new tanker variants to N scale that could sell very well in the future including milk, tar, toffee, and several others.


This seems like a particularly worthwhile investment, especially given what Bachmann has already done with the large scale tankers.  I'd say this is a very close second behind the LNER brake van in terms of new tooling considerations for N scale rolling stock.

I realize this is probably one of my more critical posts, but I'm not expressing these opinions in particularly out of personal frustration. I've seen many other fans express similar concerns, particularly regarding the recent N scale rolling stock choices. The red express coaches were the only ones fans seemed to openly welcome, but the rest have been mixed.  I hope Bachmann considers some of these alternatives going forward.

Large Scale

I'm not expecting a new tooling in large scale in the immediate future, so I'm primarily looking at repaints and upgrades.

My biggest request would be factory-installed DCC and sound for James, Emily, and Toby, as well as a reintroduction of Percy with DCC and sound. The existing sound modules already have sounds for these characters, so this seems like a relatively straightforward way to expand the DCC side of the range without requiring completely new tooling.

As someone planning to get into large scale myself, I would much rather purchase models with DCC and sound already installed than have to buy the modules separately and pay for installation and speakers. I think factory-installed options could also make the range more accessible to newer hobbyists. 

For rolling stock, I'd like to see the tar tanker return with the updated decals from the new HO model, as well as the gray 12-ton van and the Sodor Fuel tanker in large scale with the model era decals, similar to the large scale Tidmouth Milk tanker introduction this year. I'd also welcome a reintroduction of the original coal wagon with load.

And that's about everything I have to say for now.

Despite my frustrations with some of the N scale rolling stock decisions, I'm actually feeling more optimistic about Bachmann's future than I have in a long time. The recent NMRA announcements have opened up a lot of possibilities, and the new Thomas and Percy tooling demonstrates that Bachmann is willing to make significant investments when the opportunity is right.

Whether these suggestions happen in 2027, 2028, or further down the road, I hope Bachmann will consider them. There's a lot of potential here, and I'm excited to see where the ranges go next.

Anyway, I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks.

[travel_is_fun]

This is where I'm going to be more direct.


I understand why Bachmann hasn't announced another N scale engine this year. Henry only just had his engineering sample shown, and there are already several engines awaiting release dates. When the time comes, however, Edward and/or Duck should be at the top of the list based on their consistent popularity in fan requests, the sales of their HO models, and their continued relevance to the brand throughout Mattel's various rebrands, including the new 2026 series.

N scale rolling stock is where I have considerably more concerns.

Bachmann has made N scale rolling stock choices that seem to go against what fans have consistently requested. This is regarding the the brake van and coal wagon.


If another brake van is introduced, I strongly believe it should be the LNER 20 ton brake van. Fans have repeatedly expressed a preference for this over the LMS brake van, and Bachmann already has experience with this type in HO and large scale. With very limited brake van options currently available in N scale, this seems like the obvious choice, especially with the several liveries and variants that could be offered to help justify the tooling cost, including the Spiteful Brake Van.  With the LMS brake van thankfully getting cancelled, this does leave the door open for a LNER brake van to be reconsidered. 


That said, I'm even more disappointed that the original coal wagon with load was skipped in favor of the Sodor Coal Co. car and mining wagon. Fans have repeatedly asked for the original coal wagon, which was actually used on the show and continues to be a popular seller in HO. Many fans have also specifically said they would prefer it over the other two options we actually received, including on this forum. This alone speaks high volume of how much this was a poor decision.

This isn't simply a case of Bachmann choosing something different from my personal preference. Fans have been unusually consistent about what they wanted here, which is why I hope the original coal wagon with load is prioritized if another N scale repaint is considered. At this point, I would personally put it ahead of virtually any other repaint, regardless of whether it's a wagon repaint or a different tooling.



My third request is a new tanker tooling. The existing tankers inherited from Graham Farish have never been particularly accurate compared with the show, and Bachmann hasn't introduced a new tanker in N scale since 2020, more or less implying that they were not good sellers.  It also doesn't help that these are the most expensive freight rolling stock currently in Bachmann's N scale lineup.  A new N scale tanker tooling would give them plenty of options, not only allowing them to reintroduce the same three from earlier, (fuel, oil, and water), with an accurate tooling, but also finally giving them the opportunity to add new tanker variants to N scale that could sell very well in the future including milk, tar, toffee, and several others.

I share the sentiment, Chaz. I was very disappointed on the announcements of this year. The only redeeming announcements of the year were the red express coaches and Diesel 10. As for the newly tooled Thomas and Percy, I feel them cannibalizing the older models make sense so that it doesn't take up too much space. The fact that no engine had an announcement this year for n-scale is a first. I wonder how many times Bachmann have to keep postponing Edward. There's still a chance that Edward and/or Duck could be included in the catalog in early 2027 at the latest. Also, the coal wagon should've been the simple green truck without any lettering. That's definitely a letdown after numerous requests for years. A brakevan is ideal as we haven't gotten a single brake van since Toad's release in 2023. I find it hypocritical that the Graham Farish tooling for the tar tankers are still being used while cancelling the lms brakevan. This feels like another catch-up year for both HO and n-scale with most products being mere repaints. I'm looking forward to the red express coaches once they go up for preorder.

I'm going to take a break on the forum until more n-scale items arrive such Diesel and the express coaches. Sorry about that, I needed to vent to preserve my sanity. 

[TrainFan97]

This is the first year we didn't get a new N Scale engine announced since that range started. This had been a catch-up year for N Scale, where all the announcements, apart from Tidmouth Sheds, have been rolling stock repaints, most of which nobody asked for. Almost none of the rolling stock announcements were fan requests, and the only N Scale rolling stock that was well-received were the red express coaches. We wanted brake vans for years, and we don't get any apart from Toad, with no immediate plans for Oliver. Many of us, including myself, were upset that the coal wagons with logos were chosen over the classic logoless one.

We definitely need exciting N Scale announcements in the 2027 catalog, including engines, notably Edward, and possibly Duck. Edward kept being postponed due to the backlog, which is thankfully finally clearing by the end of this year with at least four engines coming, and Henry soon to be shown fully painted. If any N Scale rolling stock gets announced in the catalog, at least make it ones people actually want, like the logoless coal wagon, gray van, red branch line coaches, and especially brake vans. We need logoless options.

It doesn't make sense that no new Narrow Gauge engine was announced either.