Hector would also be an excellent addition to the range. He's also confirmed to be coming in the new die cast line, but we don't have any photos yet. I'd love to add him to my collection if Bachmann made him.

It seems Bachmann want to focus on the "modern era" to usher in younger fans, but I think they really underestimate how popular the older characters are with the old fans AND the new fans.

Stepney, Hector, Boco, Splodge, etc. would all go down very well.

Anyone else have Stepney on the brain lately? It's great to see Mattel acknowledging some older characters in their new die cast range, and it's clear their new Stepney toy is going to be popular.

I know Bachmann wants to stick to CGI going forward, but I really think Stepney should be an exception. If Bachmann is going for CGI aesthetic consistency, then Stepney's CGI face from Season 12 could be used in place of the model era one. I'd be happy with either.

Do we know why LBSC Thomas and Origins James still don't have official photos on the website? I thought they were due in the next few months.

I hate to be a bother, but I really wish the Yard Master or someone else from Bachmann would provide some clarification on Scotsman. With the recent pattern of cancelling items a few months to a year or so after announcement, it's not hard to imagine why some people might think the worst.

I've appreciated Bachmann's transparency in the past, and I think this should be addressed sooner than later. I don't think it's a good idea to leave it open-ended for several weeks until the next stream.

I understand wanting to build suspense, but based on the language and tone, the "update" doesn't sound like a good one. It probably would've been better if they said nothing at all, but now it'd be nice to have some clarification.

I don't want to panic, but we've been conditioned lately that anything announced can be cancelled at any time. I really, REALLY hope that's not the case. If someone from Bachmann could clear the air it would be greatly appreciated.

The statement given tonight on stream was vague in hopes to avoid rumors, but instead has sparked a lot of speculation and worry. Really hoping for the best. Very nervous given the number of recent cancellations. I think a more clear and concise answer would've gone a long way.

Great suggestions- I especially want a Sodor VIP pack and the Brass Band. The brass band rode in the open blue carriage a few times in the series so it'd be great to pair them together.

Thank you, Yard Master. It is greatly appreciated. I'll be first in line to pre-order if you're able to bring it to market!

I know I've mentioned it before, but I really wish Bachmann would reconsider their cancellation of the Knapford reintroduction. I understand that Bachmann thought the price was unfair due to it being more expensive than the original kit, but only getting half of what you got before. However, the only alternative is eBay.

Listings for the Knapford kit are few and far between. Only a handful pop up each year. When you're able to find a listing, the price is absolutely outrageous. When newer collectors have no other options, they're stuck contemplating dropping a few hundred just so they can add this essential station to their layout.

The Tidmouth reintroduction is currently sold out, and the price of that kit is fairly proportionate to its original even though you're getting less (no turntable). In that scenario, you have to pay much MORE just to buy a separate sale turntable to complete the kit. Even with that mind, the Tidmouth reintroduction seems to be a success regardless.

There's a demand for Knapford. I was planning to order multiple when pre-orders went up, which unfortunately, never happened. The updated color scheme looked fantastic, and I was looking forward to adding the new figures to the platforms. Hopefully it'll be back one day.

Quote from: Chaz on September 28, 2026, 01:53:22 AMDid anyone else happen to receive a box with the Lilliput logo on it by mistake? Just to be clear, these coaches use completely new body shells and are not made from Lilliput tooling. However, two of my coaches came with boxes featuring the Lilliput logo, while the other coach came in a box with the correct Bachmann branding. I'm curious if this was just an isolated packaging error or if anyone else ran into the same thing.

I know TrainTsarFun on YouTube had one of his coaches arrive in the Lilliput packaging. Other photos I've seen on eBay all use the Bachmann packaging so I'm not sure what's going on there.

N scale Edward is a necessity for the range, but I fear Bachmann will really struggle with making it a reality. I believe it was said in a recent stream that their new N scale 4-6-0 came about because the 4-4-0 was proving to be too difficult.

Granted, the 4-4-0 was intended to have DCC and sound on board. Edward would not.

I'm sure Bachmann knows there would be massive disappointment from modelers if they didn't make Edward. I'm sure he'll be made one day, but I can't imagine it'll be easy.

Maybe a closed off cab to provide more space for the motor?

Now that retools aren't out of the question, I'd love to see these in OO as well. They look fantastic! I think Bachmann have gotten plenty of mileage out of the current OO express coaches to justify retiring them and replacing them with an accurate update.

As much as I wanted to like the reboot, this first half hour special has left me very conflicted. I agree that Bachmann has made the right call in primarily focusing on the CGI series for their future products, and I can't wait to see what is on the horizon from them.

For me, the CGI renaissance seasons were the most exciting for Thomas & Friends. It felt like anything was possible during that time. Even though it's sad that it was cut short, it's still my go-to whenever I want to watch Thomas.

So, as a palate cleanser, Season 18 it is tonight.

Which reminds me, I'd love a Bachmann Samson!

The painted bracing on the LS Tidmouth Milk tank looks great! Here's hoping the HO version will see a running change with that added on!