Future Thomas & Friends product suggestions and predictions

[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.

[Zorran202]

Here's my wishlist at least for the HO scale:

In terms of new toolings, I'd want to see either Whiff and/or Harvey as they're the ones who've both showed up in both model and CGI series. Heck, since Diesel 10 who wasn't released due to Pinchy being a factor, now gave Harvey a chance to be released later on. As for the CGI exclusive characters, to complete the Diesel Trio introduced in DotD, Norman needs to be made at some point (AND if they wanted to, make Dennis to justify making a completely new tooling to even give their bio some relevance since it had been mentioned they were "twins/brothers" or whatever, yet never mentioned that in the show itself). If they really wanted to, and I'm sure it'll make the fans rejoice, Stepney after we heard the announcements for the 2026 Metal Collection, but who knows... Arry and Bert should be reissued because they're easy to recreate, but the wishlist I'd want is for them to make different faces like they did for Bill & Ben, a regular smiling face for Arry and a smirking face for Bert, idk something to differentiate them because it didn't help that they added stubble to both of them even though Bert has the stubble, yet Arry ended up getting the stubble too.

For the rolling stock, there's coaches I'd love to see be made, especially in a similar fashion to Toby's Museum Coaches: Gordon's Special Coaches from Season 10 because just like Toby's, those only showed up once and then never again..., but never say never as we saw...! Another batch of coaches I'd like to see are Duck's Slip Coaches since the 3 of them share a model, just different faces are needed, of course that's assuming they need to use completely new toolings since they're not like the express coaches... AND if they really wanted to, Dexter since they got the Red Brake Coach model already, just needs some modifications to it plus a repainted variant like he got at the end of the episode.

Now to the N Scale line:

Edward first and/or Duck either alongside Edward or after to keep the numbering system going. And then afterwards, assuming if Bachmann were to reuse Duck's chassis, they could make Donald and Douglas to really roll the numbers going...! Oliver too to accompany Toad, which btw is wild to me that they released Toad first and not alongside/after Oliver, but hey, I'm no expert of what goes on... If there were new characters that can be alternatives, maybe Stanley for the fact they can reuse Thomas' chassis or even Arry and Bert since they can reuse Diesel's chassis and body (without the ladders on them).

Also, another brake van is needed, especially the same tooling as the Spiteful Brakevan, like a plain version/NW version like the Large Scale version to spice things up a notch. It would be great to see them make more new Troublesome Trucks being made, like #3 being based off of a cattle truck, which I'm surprised they haven't made more of since the only ones we've seen are Troublesome Trucks #1 & #2, plus S.C.Ruffey being the only ones to exist.

[Luke22]

For me, there's one "themed" set that I'd like to see: if they do a Christmas set, I'd like to see them do Percy instead of Thomas because Thomas himself has appeared in too many sets. As someone that purchased all 4 of the Christmas sets so far, I'd like to see a new engine part of this exclusive themed set like Percy or James even. If they do, I'd love to see Percy's decorated Mail van set as him delivering mail like from that one episode in Season 20, Letters to Santa, like maybe with his mail vans being decorated like the previous rolling stock, but exclusive to Percy, idk.

On the other hand, if they do James, I'd love to see them do a blue and green truck as a Christmas consist with gifts inside them, because they've already done red trucks in two sets, so at least something different, but still easy to do as based off of Season 9's Keeping Up with James when they collect a train of presents at the end. Again, up to them if they want to tackle that bit...

[DustyMarie53!]

I'm in agreement with Chaz. The coal car inclusions are bizarre especially since the sodor coal one was discontinued in HO this year, surely the generic green would be better?

Engines make sense, hope we see edward in winter.

Narrow gauge is the thing really throwing me for a loop. The lack of a new engine makes me wonder if they're waiting for the market to be better to drop right into Duncan. I wouldn't complain about this outcome but do want to see Luke

[TrainFan97]

After Diesel 10, the next new tooling for HO Scale could be Harvey, Norman, Whiff, or Hiro. We can now safely say that Harvey is definitely possible for HO Scale, and will be in many wishlists. His crane is not as complicated as the claw on Diesel 10. Just swivel 360 degrees, and turn the cogwheel to raise and lower the hook.

I'm sure Norman would be worth the tooling investment since there's also Dennis, another engine that can be made from the same tooling. Two engines, one tooling. Bachmann likes models whose tooling can be used more than once. Dennis would appeal more to model series fans. Norman would basically get his third ever piece of merchandise. He may not have had that many speaking roles, but at least he's a CGI character.

With all the sweets-themed rolling stock, we could get Chocolate Covered Percy with the retooled model.

[Luke22]

At this point, I would say if they were able to make an investment, and just like Henrietta and Hannah in Large Scale, they could very well dabble in doing Norman and Dennis as new toolings. HOWEVER, there's some factors to consider: considering that Dennis himself hasn't shown up past a cameo appearance in TGD, it'll be something Bachmann would have to think long and hard about because Norman, while relevant thanks to the CGI era, is also different in not only paintwork, but also his detailing like his face and buffers. Just like Diesel and Paxton, they'd have to create Dennis after Norman since he's the one that showed up more than Dennis, as well as them referencing CGI-based renders, in which Dennis's face would be completely different in size. HOWEVER, if they do say "ehhh screw it" and just slap Dennis's face onto the CGI model of Norman, I wouldn't be too surprised. Plus it'll somehow tie Dennis into the lore of being "Norman's Twin" only heard from magazines or something like that. I think this is where the dillema is the same for Splodge: is it worth it? 

[RailsByRick]

I'm in agreement with Chaz. The coal car inclusions are bizarre especially since the sodor coal one was discontinued in HO this year, surely the generic green would be better?

Engines make sense, hope we see edward in winter.

Narrow gauge is the thing really throwing me for a loop. The lack of a new engine makes me wonder if they're waiting for the market to be better to drop right into Duncan. I wouldn't complain about this outcome but do want to see Luke

I'm on the edge of my seat for the next loco in narrow gauge. I'd assume they're just waiting to figure out their solution for their "best of both worlds" Duncan. I do hope we get Luke at some point as well as Victor. Victor is also a prime candidate for a repaint, but I don't know how many yellow NG engines Bachmann wants to put out there.

Of course I'd love Millie, but she's low on my list unless Bachmann brings out Stephen.

[TEHNewClearwaterFeatures]

I suggest that Bachmann retire their Beau model & replace it with an HO Nia.

[MrNormalDraws]

Since Bachmann is planning to release Henrietta and Hannah for G Scale, I feel like Bachmann could discontinue the original Henrietta for the HO/OO version and replace it with the face version alongside her sister. And considering Bachmann is redoing Thomas and Percy, I wouldn't mind they do the same for Henrietta. Though I'm not sure if it'll be good if there's some fans that prefer the faceless one over the face.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I echo the sentiment that a Bachmann Henrietta revision would be very welcome. It would give them a chance to update the tooling to accommodate her face, and make Hannah too. I feel like that is going to be in the cards in the next few years.

[TrainFan97]

Very likely in the near future, Henrietta's HO Scale model will be updated to have a face, then Hannah will also finally exist in HO Scale, and while they're at it, they could also update Annie and Clarabel's HO Scale models to look like their CGI designs. Don't know if they'll retool Toby, but he could use a CGI face, and an updated chassis with side rods, something his Large Scale model lacked, but his N Scale model has.

Since we're getting China Clay and stone loads in HO Scale, when will the ore loads be available outside the set?

At some point, N Scale should get Mavis, and she would be the first diesel in the N Scale range not to be a Class 08. Unlike her HO Scale model, Mavis' N Scale model would actually have side rods. Edward is the #1 priority for N Scale, but Mavis would also be welcomed with open arms. So would Duck, whose chassis can be used for Donald and Douglas. We really need N Scale Oliver to go with Toad, but it seems logical we'd get Duck first. If Bachmann wants to make another diesel in N Scale, but not with a Class 08 tooling, Mavis is the way to go. The next big engine for N Scale has to be Spencer. We'd all be happy if the next N Scale engines are Edward, Duck, Oliver, Donald and Douglas, Mavis and Spencer, with Edward being first. Repaints that can be saved for later include, but not limited to, Busy Bee James, Sidney, Mainland Diesel, 'Arry and Bert. Mavis and Stanley can recycle Thomas' chassis. If we were to get Salty in N Scale at some point, he'd require a new chassis with a different wheel design. In other words, Salty would 100% be newly-tooled. Another diesel that isn't a Class 08.

Once N Scale does get Spencer, we would then need Bachmann to make the special coaches in N Scale as well, and unlike the HO Scale model, N Scale can actually have a brake variant. The special coaches would be based on the model series, rather than CGI, just like the express coaches were.

[THOMAS7896]

My wishlist for Large Scale: Gordon, Henry, Edward, Spencer, Duck, Oliver, and Rosie.
My wishlist for HO Scale: Stepney, BoCo, Harvey, Splatter and Dodge, Murdoch, Arthur, Fergus, Norman, Den, Dart, Whiff, and Hiro.

[Cheeky_ULP]

Very likely in the near future, Henrietta's HO Scale model will be updated to have a face, then Hannah will also finally exist in HO Scale, and while they're at it, they could also update Annie and Clarabel's HO Scale models to look like their CGI designs. Don't know if they'll retool Toby, but he could use a CGI face, and an updated chassis with side rods, something his Large Scale model lacked, but his N Scale model has.

I thought about bringing up the idea of Annie & Clarabel being updated, but I backed down on it because it would open up the can of worms if Bachmann would also need to update the other 4-wheel coach toolings, when nobody really has any issues with them. Their only noticeable flaw is the coaches should have a slight curve on their sides when the Bachmann models are flat. I feel like Annie and Clarabel are right on the middle of the fence in terms of if they should be retooled or not. I don't see people criticizing how they currently look, but I don't think anyone would have a problem if they got updated either.

There's definitely an economical line to draw on what's practical to retool and what isn't, and I think that's worth taking into consideration here if future predictions are going to be realistic.

[RailsByRick]

I actually think the 4 wheel coach needs to be updated. The one glaring issue for me is the axle boxes not being evenly spaced. The N scale Annie and Clarabel are practically perfect (besides the lack of guards compartment on Clarabel). An HO update made to the N scale standards would be great.

[Zorran202]

Since Bachmann is planning to release Henrietta and Hannah for G Scale, I feel like Bachmann could discontinue the original Henrietta for the HO/OO version and replace it with the face version alongside her sister. And considering Bachmann is redoing Thomas and Percy, I wouldn't mind they do the same for Henrietta. Though I'm not sure if it'll be good if there's some fans that prefer the faceless one over the face.

I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled a Spiteful Brakevan, where they retired the old grey brake van for the new one.

On the other hand, if they do turn Henrietta into her CGI counterpart, synergy-wise, she'd look odd next to the model series Toby, so an update to him would be a must IMO (and hopefully considered to be retooled or at least updated with a new face)...