Bachmannn Conner would be crazy I don't even know if the character is  Popular  enough .

Conner would also mean his coaches which might be a new tooling .

Those toolings for those coaches would likely see his and the special coaches (Spencer's coaches ) but would be likely changed the name to not get them confused with the existing item

There are some other paint styles they could do like for another engine, but those would come out with the character I'd imagine .

Overall I see Conner being very pricy and I'd imagine the model of his basis with out DCC would cost around $320 .
The model would likely have to be a new tooling being way simpler .

I really like some of these ideas, especially the ones that are tied to some classic Thomas episodes . The Chinese dragon would be epic. The refreshment Coach as well .


A signal piece would be very cool to see.

I thibk Havery well wagon and works unit coach.  Could be a very feasible substitute for a full on breakdown train in the line. Which is something that would be very expensive to produce, and I am not so sure that many parents would be willing to pay that much for a unpowered rolling stock.

A hopper wagon would be a cool release .

Diesel 10 is the ultimate villain and is ultra popular and with expensive products, such as flying Scotsman . I think they should definitely consider him.

A hopper wagon would be fun however I feel like if they did a hopper wagon this would honestly be a good opportunity to do  a model character in the form of Hector

One other suggestion, I have is a well wagon with the jet engine

2026 NMRA predictions / suggestions

Whiff - has been in the brand for 20 years and is still relevant in modern day .

M wagon - a meme in the Fandom , scalped on eBay. Bringing this product back would be a hit .

NW cattle van - as seen in the RWS and would use the existing LMS cattle van tool in the line up .

Pink 7 plank - I was thinking of a cgi wagon since I had one RWS and one model era . This wagon appears all of the time in the show and is seen often across the island .

Narrow gauge troublesome slate wagon - troublesome narrow gauge wagons would be super nice to see . Adding mischief. These faces molds could be reused for another troublesome tanker for the HO line .

Narrow gauge gauge troublesome slate wagon 2 - this wagon would have a shocked face while the other would be laughing . I'd imagine one could be a brown color

Edward N scale - the last steam team member we need for N scale

I think we all knew troublesome truck number seven was going to be the van . But troublesome truck 8 could really be anything .

We have a lot of painted items awaiting release . Mainly from the 2025 catalog .
Meanwhile items from the 2022 catalog and 2023 catalog have still yet to be released .

Regardless, there is not much in terms of class 08 samples which I am wondering about right now . I do think we will see them soon but if we don't get samples
Soon I am unsure if they will come out 2026.

So it seems the next  releases look like

Spring / Summer - Gunpowder vans , Tankers , open coach

Fall - N LBSC Thomas , Flatbed with oil drums , and maybe the N scale express coaches .

Winter - China clay wagon , Bulgy , black James , N scale Paxton , N scale Diesel , N scale 7 planks ,  Sidney , Mainland Diesel

Early 2027- Satly , troublesome truck 7

GWR vent van is in my opinion not the best option for N scale . red brachline coaches in N scale prob will be the next step they take . If we get another van a salt van would be more eye catching or a mail van .



As for the point from Mulfred about vans vareints in HO scale I think it would be better to focus on show alt liveries then alt liveries for vans that don't appear in the show . I don't know how well the light blue sodor shipping co van will sell . But I think another Mr.Jolly's van would be fun .

Honestly, what I really hope is what Bachmann will do is make the troublesome trucks more often now that Matt is in charge. 

Tbh I would like to see the LMS van with a classic face which I have mentioned sereval times when suggesting troublesome truck 7 back in the day before it got announced . I am very disappointed chose a international van but it's what ever . I will also suggest Lei the Chinese van .

But a LMS van with a classic face would be fun maybe that iconic face that says oh look Henry's spooked .

I'd like to see a sodor cgi 7 plank with the darker livery as seen pre kotr . And maybe give it a working hard or grumpy face .
And maybe a international coffee bean truck
I'd also like to see a sodor tanker and a narrow gauge slate wagon as both can use the same face tooling.

And maybe another troublesome slate wagon that could be a surprised one that is more based on the model era .
Another truck idea is the Blue James's truck with a classic face that could be angry and reuse the china clay load to make it distinct and use that load
do a season 1 truck .

I also like the idea of more colors for certain wagons but tbh the only one I see this happening to is the ones that have color variations in the show

Oh wow so this stream was a mixed bag glad to know the gunpowder vans are coming soon . Salty in 2027 is a long time .

The TT 7

Oh boy I wish I could say I am happy . But no . First off I would get it if Bachmann only had the international ones references . But they did not they could have made a model face and it would have been the same process according to Matt they had to make it from scratch. Man it's a shame but oh well . I feel like it's gonna be a troublesome truck 6 situation . Ideally I wanted this van to have a model series face . I get that Bachmann is trying to make good standing with Mattel but for a troublesome van I feel like it could have had a more expressive face like the one seen in haunted Henry

Tbh I feel like Duck is not much of a necessity compared to Edward tbh .

Like my idea is they do Arry and Bert this year for the NMRA or Q3 announcements .

And next year do Diesel 10 but the risk in doing him would be countered with the release of Arry and Bert who would likly be affordable and therefore good sellers. Diesel 10 I am sure will sell but if Bachmann needs some safety release right before him I'd say these two are a good option .

Honestly, I think we might see the fuel tanker .
Possibly some packaged samples of some
Products like n scale LBSC Thomas .

I think we still need to see Sidney assembled and bulgy painted so I feel we will see those this or next month .

I feel we will see the N scale black James and LBSC Thomas hopefully soon along side the express coaches . And maybe the open coach . Release this spring . I feel like they won't put the tankers into production until the fuel tanker is ready. 

Maybe the tankers and the N scale 7 plank trucks in the summer or early fall.
 And G scale LBSC Thomas and Bulgy into the fall as well .
With Salty and the N scale and HO scale class 08s releasing at the end of the year .

I feel like that's what we will see this year . Release wise .

I think we will see the painted samples for things like LBSC G scale Thomas which could be soon . I'd imagine we'll see N scale and HO scale class 08s painted by the end of the summer . And maybe see the unpainted TT7 or SCC wagon . But I don't see anything that is a new tool that we have yet to see come out this year. So I don't expect Scotsman coming out till spring 2027 at the earliest . Same with Henry . I feel like since both will be reusing chasis we might see there body before there tender I could imagine seeing a sample of Scottsman with out a tender in the summer . And then later on we get a full reveal or something they could do is split them up . Reveal the water tender on Facebook , the body on Thomas Tuesday , and the coal tender at the NMRA 2026 .

Arry and Bert would be nice to see Bachmann usually does one or two locomotives announced per year . For example in 2022 Rebecca and Salty or 2024 Sidney and Mainland diesel .

To ensure they sell . Why not give Arry the face he had but with less stubble and Bert having a new angry face . This saves a lot of money as instead of making a new locomotive, you're bringing back two .

Here are of my hopes for 2026 and beyond. I'd like to see a large tank engine and a large diesel for HO .
Whiff Nia and Belle could fill this role.
Diesel 10 is our main option for large Diesels .

Nia and Whiff have been suggested and predicted before. Nia is a larger tank engine however and she is a main character.Belle I have not seen much for however she would be nice . If were to say one I'd pick Nia just as she is a main character and would often a large size then whiff.

I'd have Nia for 26 and Diesel 10 for 2027.
 
I'd also like to see the works unit coach in HO scale as we need more coaches.

As for repaints of existing wagons I'd love to see more products using the mail van tooling . Mainly a brown one or circus one  .
I'd also like to see the return of the M wagon . As well as a pink 7 plank wagon or the blue express coaches .

So the old one is gone time to start a new one . This is for suggestions for new products in the Thomas line line up for any scale as long as Bachmann is making it

Quote from: Yard Master on January 27, 2026, 09:49:02 AMHi Awesometrain,

I was told that the licensor at the time (HiT) told Bachmann that we were not allowed to make models of these characters, I believe due to a potential legal issue. I don't think any prototypes were made or still exist.

Sorry for the late response but thank you so much . I was wondering about these two for a while in regards to their cancellation .

So glad he is not super pricey he is $230 which is a lot of money but I am just glad they kept him under $250 .

However to compare
Gordon is $140
Rebecca is $220

Scottsman chasis are shred with Gordon .
A peice of rolling stock costs $25
Gordon and rolling stock is $165

Stanley is $120
Thomas is $90

Granted there a bit more to him then a tank engine however $30 difference
Add this $195

So is he that cheap .
Compared to Rebecca yes but when you think about it is he actually overpriced .

He could cost about $199.99 and they just reused Spencer's tender and only make one new tender mold to make this more fair .

Now for $30 more then this could be I'd expect flying Scotsman to be very nice .
With a proper tender coupling etched name plates etc


Okay with that said here is what I realistically expect to see from him 
1 new tender mold with difference tops .
Coal tender has a couplings for tenders .
New shell .
Release date spring or summer 2027