Thank you, seanrail.

Hmm.. I am just a little curious, but have there been any smaller sized cargo ships (excluding Bulstrode the Barge) seen in the Thomas series? I don't quite recall.

Nine stalls at Tidmouth? That's a lot of space!
I think the layout looks good so far, DinoNTrains. Seems very focused on the 'main' locations, ie the Docks, the sheds, the Big Station, etc.  It appears very compact in the picture(below Henry at the sheds), and that's very good if you have limited space to work with.

Also, I really like those buffers, Bass'. They really give the layout a Sodor 'feel'.
I really like how it looks so far.

I'm noticing a commonality among desired items.

Oliver and Toad are an obvious choice to follow Duck, along with the Red Coaches. Stepney would be an interesting sight to see in Bachmann form, as would Arry and Bert. A logical choice, considering they have the mold for it (Diesel).
BoCo and Daisy would be very surprising, but then the range is producing more classic engines lately, I would be surprised if they didn't eventually get to those two diesels.
Edward and Toby would be just the right size for Large Scale, though I would expect Diesel to come next myself- they do already have the plans of the OO model to scale up to Large Scale, as others have mentioned before.
Trucks are varied, but the scrap/plant cars keep popping up, as have more Troublesome Truck ideas..


I do look forward to seeing what will be officially announced for the Thomas & Friends range, once the information from Toy Fair becomes available.

Could you provide me with a link, so I may see said ship?

All I'm worried about are the size of the vessel(storage issues may arise), and the price. Some people will pay good money for a boat like that, but I'm thinking parents shopping for younger Thomas fans would be less likely to.

There's another thing- it's a kit. Or, according to the site, it will be a kit(it's under 'planned releases'). I would think most people(shopping with younger fans in mind) would want their model ready-to-go, instead of having to build it up and paint it themselves.

It is a nice idea, I'll give you that, and I would be very pleased if Bachmann did make it, but I personally don't see the Brendam Cargo Ship happening any time soon.

I think the largest boat, if any that Bachmann would do for their range, would be the character barge Bulstrode.

I don't see the Cargo Ship coming any time soon, mostly because of its sheer size. I imagine not a lot of people would have a place to put a boat that big. The price of the boat would also be a factor, even if it was made of mostly plastic, I predict it would still be too expensive for most collectors.
It would be an interesting idea, but I just don't see it happening, unless one were to build the boat themselves and prove it could be done.

If I was to see a water-going accessory for the Thomas range, that wasn't Bulstrode, then perhaps a sailboat or a smaller 'cargo' ship would work fine.

Stephen will be 'Scrap Hiro' but with his own coaches? This ought to be good.

Connor and Caitlin will be the new 'twins' or engine pair. Always seen together, so you have to buy both.. Wish they were a different class of loco, though. There are plenty of UK locomotives with streamlined appearances, why chose two huge American engines?

Is Millie narrow-gauge or just really, really small? Haven't been able to figure that one out.

I was hoping that 'Millie' wouldn't be a friendly engine, but instead one who would be willing to do anything to get his/her buffers on the crown(presumably it would be called 'The Crown of Sodor'), like trapping Stephen in a mine, and taking the title of 'King of the Railway'. 
Or something like that.

I still think it'll be an exciting movie. Wonder if they'll use any pre-existing Sodor book locations for the Castle location? Like Peel Godred, for example, or somewhere else a castle might be located and is rarely or never seen on TV.

I don't think characters like Stafford or Charlie will appear in the range any time soon, because of their lack of appearances (Stafford's case), and character popularity.

If, however, someone wanted to make an HO compatible Stafford, one could take a Bachmann 'Gandy Dancer' chassis and use it with a Take-N-Play Stafford(which is an excellently detailed die-cast and plastic toy)...!


If, given the choice, I were to choose any two engines to appear next, I'd now probably say BoCo, given how well Bachmann has done D&D, Duck, Bill and Ben, etc., and the fact that he is my favorite diesel, or perhaps Stanley. Bright, shiny, an eye-catching engine and certainly a unique member of the team.

I'd really like it if Rosie were to appear in the range, bet Bachmann would do fantastic work with her, as they have with others. I see it likely that Arry and Bert would appear some time in the future as well, and I wouldn't mind having them around my (future) layout's yard..

I said it many times before, but that bogied tree-truck is one I'd really like to see happen. The Works Coach is appearing more and more too, would like to see that happen.

Also wouldn't mind seeing a generic lorry, like the Horrid Lorries but without a face, or Trevor appear in the range any time soon. 

I wonder, if we got any more figurines in the future, who would come next? Alicia Botti, or the Mayor perhaps? Something to think about.

That sounds like an excellent idea.
I'd like to see this if you attempt it...


Also, related to rolling stock, I found an image of the 'Tree Car', or at least an image of the truck it's based off of.



Just add buffers on wood blocks, and repaint it medium red, and you've got the same truck as seen on TV.

Oh, and build it to OO gauge, because I'm pretty sure this model in the picture isn't OO.

Quote from: thetanksofthomas on September 11, 2012, 04:19:00 PM
HO SCALE


Oliver- classic, and would be obvious after making Duck

Molly- wild card, they already have a chassis

Rosie- popular, and interesting to the children

Boco & Daisy- classic, and cheap because they share a chassis

the fatts- cleary needed, also fatty's car with a motor

EDIT: Why haven't Bachmann  made Diesel 10? They have the class, and a loco. 

 I think Bachmann would do great with these!    

I agree with Rosie and Oliver, and the possibility of BoCo and Daisy is starting to become plausible, but I don't see them doing Diesel 10 any time soon. He's not frequently used in the show, he's not as popular to the target audience, and the claw would require too many parts that could break off easily.

I don't see him happening any time soon. Luckily, that is why there is something in model railway making called 'kitbashing'.

One other small thing- while Molly does share the same wheel arrangement as Edward, her wheels are bigger, and would require a longer and most likely new chassis to work for the character. I wouldn't mind seeing her appear in the range either.

Maybe Topham's car wouldn't be powered, unlikely for a kid's range, but to have a representation of TFC's car on any Thomas layout would be welcome.

Do you mean if we were to select a TATMR model or figurine and take it home with us, or pick one as a favorite, or...?

Sounds similar to the SiF topic.
If you're talking TATMR exclusive engines, then perhaps Lady.
I don't think there were many figurines, a lot of the stuff was done with green screen..

Diesel 10, passing Gordon and Thomas, in "Thomas and the Magic Railroad".

"You'll make very fine scrap indeed."

Ooh! I'd like to hear more about this method that you spoke of-
I've heard of others replicating faces for editing, but I haven't been able to just yet.

Even though the wheels are similar, Bachmann would most likely use a new tooling for Stanley's motor and wheels.

I could see Oliver, for those who do not own the 'red box' Oliver, or want a more TV-Series looking engine. Toad naturally would have to come along with him.

As for Fergus.. you're right. His size would be impossible to put an eye-mechanism in, there would be too many 'small parts' (hazard for young children), and he hasn't been seen past season 7, so there really isn't much of a point making Fergus.

Perhaps Bachmann should focus on the classics, or the likes of Stanley and Rosie, Two I could see being very popular in the future..

Quote from: AJW98Productions on December 17, 2012, 10:35:21 PM

Quote from: Cirkit:) on December 17, 2012, 05:56:57 PM
I think more Troublesome Trucks would be nice.
Nice for us, anyway. I'm pretty sure the engines wouldn't like more of those pesky troublemakers at all.

All it would take to make a new Troublesome Truck is a pre-existing body and a new face mold, pretty easy to pull off.

We have seen a few trucks with the big, square faces, but why not have a truck with one of the narrower, rectangular faces, like this guy here?


It's a memorable face, and we've seen trucks with similar faces all over the yards:

...but not in OO.


If not that, then why not use the salt wagon, or some other pre-existing wagon, and give Ol' Bucky here a run?

I found the face very silly when I was younger, and silly is good, for a Troublesome Truck.

I'm not sure how the tankers with the faces would do, but it's always an idea!


More trucks out to play means more mischief for the engines to deal with all day!


Also, I'm still a really big advocate for the plant/scrap bolster wagons.



There's just something about them...  

I can't see any of your images.

Whoops. Not sure how that happened.
I'll change the images to just the links and see what happens.
Thanks for the tip-off!

EDIT: Post has been edited, use the links to view the images.

I think more Troublesome Trucks would be nice.
Nice for us, anyway. I'm pretty sure the engines wouldn't like more of those pesky troublemakers at all.

All it would take to make a new Troublesome Truck is a pre-existing body and a new face mold, pretty easy to pull off.

We have seen a few trucks with the big, square faces, but why not have a truck with one of the narrower, rectangular faces, like this guy here?
http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:TheWorld%27sStrongestEngine22.jpg

It's a memorable face, and we've seen trucks with similar faces all over the yards:
http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:ToadStandsBy13.jpg
...but not in OO.


If not that, then why not use the salt wagon, or some other pre-existing wagon, and give Ol' Bucky here a run?
http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:TheWorld%27sStrongestEngine20.jpg
I found the face very silly when I was younger, and silly is good, for a Troublesome Truck.

I'm not sure how the tankers with the faces would do, but it's always an idea!
http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:ToadStandsBy25.jpg

More trucks out to play means more mischief for the engines to deal with all day!


Also, I'm still a really big advocate for the plant/scrap bolster wagons.
http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:Bolsterwagons.png
http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:Henry%27sForest24.PNG

There's just something about them...